Form 990 for tax year 2024

Totals

Total revenue

$5,837,022

Total expenses

$7,341,969

Contributions and grants received

$5,254,245

Grants paid

$900,000

Program service revenue

$229,200

Investment income

$353,577

Other revenue

$0

Total assets, end of year

$11,404,620

Total liabilities, end of year

$879,817

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$10,524,803

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$6,331,676

Management and general expenses

$298,779

Fundraising expenses

$711,514

Program service expenses (Part III)

$6,331,676

Program services were 86.2% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Mission and programs · 2024

• FUTURE OF THE INTERNET: HIGHLIGHTED THE IMPORTANCE OF CLOSING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE AND BRINGING AFFORDABLE BROADBAND SERVICE TO MILLIONS OF PEOPLE LACKING SUCH SERVICE. FILED COMMENTS IN THE FCC'S "SAFEGUARDING AND SECURING THE OPEN INTERNET" PROCEEDING. CELEBRATED THE RESTORATION OF FCC'S NET NEUTRALITY RULES AND TITLE II AUTHORITY THAT HAD BEEN STRIPPED AWAY IN 2017. RESTORATION ENSURES THE FCC HAS THE POWER TO PROTECT PEOPLE FROM INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS' PRIVACY INVASIONS, PROMOTE BROADBAND COMPETITION AND DEPLOYMENT, AND TAKE ACTION AGAINST HIDDEN JUNK FEES, DATA CAPS AND BILLING RIP-OFFS. FILED A BRIEF WITH THE 6TH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS ALONGSIDE SEVERAL ALLIES IN DEFENSE OF THE RULES. RELEASED THE FINDINGS FROM A NATIONWIDE POLL, WHICH GAUGED PUBLIC ATTITUDES ABOUT MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY AND SHOWED THE MEDIA SYSTEM IS FAILING TO MEET THE CIVIC NEEDS OF A FUNCTIONING DEMOCRACY. POLLING SHOWS THAT SPANISH SPEAKERS IN THE UNITED STATES ARE EVEN MORE LIKELY THAN OTHERS TO FEEL THEY DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH INDEPENDENT NEWS SOURCES TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS. FILED A BRIEF DEFENDING THE FCC'S BROADCAST-OWNERSHIP RULES AND URGING RULES THAT PREVENT A SINGLE COMPANY FROM OWNING EVERY BROADCAST OUTLET IN THE SAME CITY. SUPPORTED THE FCC EFFORTS TO ENSURE THAT SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE HAVE RELIABLE, SAFE AND AFFORDABLE ACCESS TO VITAL COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE, BY PROTECTING SURVIVORS' SAFE USE OF CONNECTED CARS. LED A COALITION OF MORE THAN THREE-DOZEN CIVIL-RIGHTS, CONSUMER-RIGHTS AND JOURNALISM ORGANIZATIONS CALLING ON NEWS OUTLETS TO ACCURATELY REPORT ON U.S. ELECTIONS AND THE STATE OF OUR DEMOCRACY, AND URGED NEWSROOMS TO PLACE PROTECTION OF OUR DEMOCRACY OVER THEIR OWN BOTTOM LINES.

  Expenses $1,394,557 · Grants $100,000

• DEMOCRACY AND DIGITAL CIVIL RIGHTS: CONTINUED HIGHLIGHTING THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES IN THE PERPETUATION OF HOAXES, DISINFORMATION, AND HATE SPEECH AND THE IMPACT TO SOCIETY AND ESPECIALLY TO MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, WOMEN, AND PEOPLE OF COLOR. LED A COALITION OF CIVIL-RIGHTS, MEDIA-ADVOCACY AND TECH-ACCOUNTABILITY GROUPS IN THE LAUNCH OF DEMOCRACY IS, AN INITIATIVE THAT CALLED ON MEDIA AND TECH COMPANIES TO PRIORITIZE TRUTH OVER SENSATIONALISM, ACCOUNTABILITY OVER PROFITS AND DEMOCRACY OVER DIVISION. RELEASED MULTIPLE RESOURCES, INCLUDING A GUIDE TO HOW PEOPLE CAN PROTECT THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT TO PROTEST AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW NEWSROOMS CAN ADDRESS ELECTORAL DISINFORMATION. LED A COALITION OF MORE THAN 200 CIVIL-SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS, RESEARCHERS AND JOURNALISTS CALLING ON THE BIGGEST SOCIAL-MEDIA PLATFORMS TO STRENGTHEN THEIR EFFORTS TO PROTECT DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS WORLDWIDE IN 2024. RELEASED DEMOCRACY DEFERRED: SOCIAL-MEDIA COMPANIES' MEAGER COMMITMENTS TO ELECTION INTEGRITY IN 2024, AN ANALYSIS OF PLATFORMS' READINESS TO ADDRESS POLITICAL DISINFORMATION, MANIPULATION AND HATE ON THEIR NETWORKS. THE ANALYSIS EXPOSES HOW SOCIAL-MEDIA PLATFORMS CAME UP SHORT IN THEIR PLANS TO PROTECT USERS AND STEM ERODING TRUST IN DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS. PRESENTED RESEARCH ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF DATA CENTERS AND THEIR ROLE IN FACILITATING SURVEILLANCE. PUBLIC FILINGS URGED REGULATORY INTERVENTION TO SAFEGUARD PEOPLE'S DIGITAL PRIVACY AND CURB CORPORATE HUNGER FOR ALL OUR DATA.

  Expenses $1,090,988 · Grants $100,000

• FUTURE OF JOURNALISM: THROUGH THE MEDIA2070 PROJECT, DOCUMENTED HOW CENTURIES OF HARM THE U.S. MEDIA SYSTEM HAS INFLICTED ON THE BLACK COMMUNITY. EXAMINED HOW HISTORIC AND CONTEMPORARY RACIAL DISCRIMINATION IN ALL MEDIA AND GOVERNMENT POLICIES HAVE EXCLUDED BLACK PEOPLE AND OTHER COMMUNITIES OF COLOR FROM CONTROLLING THE NATION'S COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE. WORKED WITH A GROWING CONSORTIUM OF MEDIA-MAKERS, SCHOLARS AND ACTIVISTS TO BUILD SUPPORT FOR THE FIGHT FOR REPARATIONS. WORKED WITH ALLIED ORGANIZATIONS TO BRING THE BLACK FUTURE NEWSSTAND TO CHICAGO, AND HELD A SERIES OF EVENTS EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NEWS, POLITICS, RACIAL NARRATIVES AND THE POTENTIAL FOR CREATING A TRUE DEMOCRACY. THROUGH THE NEWS VOICES PROJECT, CONTINUED TO BUILD POWER WITH COMMUNITIES SO PEOPLE HAVE A STRONG VOICE IN HOW LOCAL NEWS CAN BE REVIVED, STRENGTHENED AND TRANSFORMED. LAUNCHED THE PUBLIC SAFETY COVERAGE COHORT, A GROUP OF LOCAL JOURNALISTS, MEDIA-MAKERS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS IN PHILADELPHIA THAT IS WORKING TO CHANGE DISCOURSE ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY IN THE MEDIA. CONTINUED THE REPARATIVE JOURNALISM PROJECT, WHICH EXPLORES THE JOURNALISM INDUSTRY'S HISTORY OF HARMING BLACK AND INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES AND FOCUSES ON BUILDING NEW SYSTEMS TO REPAIR HARM, INCLUDING DEVELOPMENT OF A REPARATIVE-JOURNALISM CURRICULUM AIMED AT JOURNALISM PROFESSORS, STUDENTS AND NEWSROOM LEADERS. THROUGH THE CIVIC MEDIA PROJECT, LAUNCHED THE CIVIC JOURNALISM RESEARCH PROJECT, WHICH WILL PRODUCE CASE STUDIES OF EFFECTIVE CIVIC-MEDIA MODELS. THE RESULT WILL BE A GUIDE THAT ELEVATES BEST PRACTICES FOR CIVIC MEDIA AMONG NEWSROOMS, PROMOTES PROMISING MODELS AND CULTIVATES PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR QUALITY LOCAL JOURNALISM. RELEASED OLD & NEW LIES IN 2024: HOW NEWSROOMS CAN BUILD TRUST & DEBUNK ELECTION LIES FOR VOTERS, A GUIDE FOR REPORTERS, EDITORS AND OTHER MEDIA PROFESSIONALS TO BETTER ANTICIPATE AND RESPOND TO THE SCOURGE OF ELECTION DISINFORMATION THAT HAS OVERTAKEN PUBLIC DISCOURSE IN THE RUN-UP TO 2024 ELECTIONS. ORGANIZED HUNDREDS OF MEDIA WORKERS, MOVEMENT ORGANIZERS AND RESEARCHERS TO DISCUSS HOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND JOURNALISM WORKERS CAN COLLABORATE TO STRUCTURALLY TRANSFORM LOCAL JOURNALISM. URGED NEWSROOMS AND CIVIC LEADERS TO TREAT LOCAL NEWS LIKE A PUBLIC GOOD.

  Expenses $3,846,131 · Grants $700,000

• FREE PRESS WORKS TO PRESERVE RIGHTS TO FREE EXPRESSION, COMMUNICATION AND PRIVACY ONLINE AND IN PERSON. AREAS OF FOCUS INCLUDE FUTURE OF MEDIA AND INTERNET; DEMOCRACY AND DIGITAL CIVIL RIGHTS; AND FUTURE OF JOURNALISM. IN 2024 FREE PRESS CONDUCTED RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND ALSO ORGANIZED AND MOBILIZED TO ADVOCATE FOR BETTER MEDIA, OPEN TECHNOLOGY AND A HEALTHIER DEMOCRACY. PROVIDED REGULAR INFORMATION VIA EMAIL, WEBSITE, AND WEBINARS TO 1.4 MILLION CONSTITUENTS HAILING FROM ALL 50 STATES, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND PUERTO RICO. ATTRACTED 483,000 OVERALL WEBSITE VISITS AND VIRTUAL EVENTS ATTRACTED HUNDREDS OF PARTICIPANTS. INTERACTED WITH OVER 140,000 SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWERS AND EARNED 2,400 PRESS HITS. CREATED AND DISSEMINATED RESOURCE MATERIALS INCLUDING RESEARCH REPORTS, ISSUE BRIEFS, FACTSHEETS, AND BROCHURES. PROVIDED TRAINING AND SUPPORT TO DOZENS OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL MEDIA REFORM GROUPS AND TO THOUSANDS OF LOCAL MEDIA ACTIVISTS. FILED PUBLIC COMMENTS, AND PARTICIPATED IN SEVERAL FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION PROCEEDINGS AND SEVERAL FEDERAL COURT PROCEEDINGS. WORKED WITH DOZENS OF ORGANIZATIONS TO PLAN AND IMPLEMENT HIGH PROFILE EDUCATIONAL EVENTS. SECURED FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM 1,752 DONORS. TOTAL PROGRAM EXPENDITURES ARE DETAILED IN THE THREE CORE PROGRAM AREAS ABOVE:

  Revenue $229,200

As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

• THE MEDIA FREEDOM FOUNDATION

  $600,000

  GENERAL SUPPORT OF MEDIA FREEDOM FOUNDATION'S PROJECT CENSORED ACTIVITIES

• FREE PRESS ACTION FUND

  $300,000

  PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT

Related organizations on this return

Schedule R Part II: tax-exempt organizations related to the filer by control. It does not record shared board members or money.

• FREE PRESS ACTION FUND

  501(C)(4) · PROMOTING MEDIA REFORM IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST · DC

Provenance

Return type

form_990

Tax year

2024

Filed

8 May 2025

IRS schema version

2024v5.1

Source object

202501289349300725

Check it against the return as filed: the GivingTuesday Data Lake hosts a public copy of the original XML.

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