diff --git a/backend/src/api.py b/backend/src/api.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..663e05f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/src/api.py
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+"""
+TODO
+- don't directly call DB
+- use API models instead of DB ones (see models.py)
+"""
+
+from fastapi import APIRouter
+from sqlmodel import select, Session
+
+from .db import engine
+from .models import Reimbursement
+
+api_router = APIRouter(
+    prefix="/reimbursements",
+    tags=["reimbursements"]
+)
+
+@api_router.get("/", response_model=list[Reimbursement])
+async def get_reimbursements() -> list[Reimbursement]:
+    with Session(engine) as session:
+        return session.exec(select(Reimbursement)).all()
diff --git a/backend/src/main.py b/backend/src/main.py
index bbd5b20..370921c 100644
--- a/backend/src/main.py
+++ b/backend/src/main.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 from fastapi import FastAPI
 
+from .api import api_router
 from .db import create_tables_with_data, delete_tables
 
 @asynccontextmanager
@@ -11,3 +12,4 @@ async def lifespan(application: FastAPI):
     delete_tables()
 
 app = FastAPI(lifespan=lifespan)
+app.include_router(api_router)
diff --git a/backend/src/models.py b/backend/src/models.py
index ce072fe..58f0af6 100644
--- a/backend/src/models.py
+++ b/backend/src/models.py
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 """
 TODO
-- separate into individual files
+- separate into individual files under a db folder
+- create separate models for API usage that don't include unnecessary/sensistive info (such as id)
+
 - add create_date, update_date, etc for all models
 - create a parent "human" class for admins & members (names, addr, ssn)
 - logging/tracking for changes made (e.g. which admin modified a reimbursement)
diff --git a/backend/tst/__init__.py b/backend/tst/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/backend/tst/test_api.py b/backend/tst/test_api.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3d8393a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/tst/test_api.py
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+"""
+TODO: unit tests for api.py
+
+get_reimbursements
+- calls DB once
+- returns list of Reimbursements
+
+api_router variable:
+- prefix & tags correct?
+- GET for / path response is list of Reimbursements, no request params
+"""
diff --git a/backend/tst/test_main.py b/backend/tst/test_main.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ba51558
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/tst/test_main.py
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+"""
+TODO: unit tests for main.py
+
+- FastAPI gets called with lifespan argument
+- test for including api_router?
+- test that create_tables_with_data and delete_tables get called?
+"""
diff --git a/backend/tst_integ/__init__.py b/backend/tst_integ/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/backend/tst_integ/test_get_reimbursements.py b/backend/tst_integ/test_get_reimbursements.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bbb6c73
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/tst_integ/test_get_reimbursements.py
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+"""
+TODO:
+
+implement tests
+once other tags/prefixes used, group endpoints for each tag under their own folders
+"""
+
+def test_get_reimbursements():
+    # TODO: returns the 3 reimbursements set up in db.py
+    pass
+
+def test_get_reimbursements_no_records():
+    # TODO: (set up db for this test to not interfere with other tests somehow) returns empty list
+    pass