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Nonprofiteer
← TRACE MEDIA INC

Form 990 for tax year 2023

Filed by TRACE MEDIA INC.

Totals

Total revenue
$6,088,013
Total expenses
$4,390,857
Contributions and grants received
$6,067,868
Grants paid
$0
Program service revenue
$3,000
Investment income
$16,440
Other revenue
$705
Total assets, end of year
$3,341,617
Total liabilities, end of year
$41,734
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$3,299,883
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$3,493,470
Management and general expenses
$466,146
Fundraising expenses
$431,241
Program service expenses (Part III)
$3,493,470

Program services were 79.6% 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.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $6,067,868

  • 2a · Program service revenue: LICENSING INCOME

    total $3,000 · related or exempt $3,000

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $16,440 · excluded $16,440

  • 11d · All other revenue

    total $705 · excluded $705

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    $705

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $253,589 · program services $101,436 · management and general $38,038 · fundraising $114,115

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $2,419,499 · program services $2,275,959 · management and general $106,788 · fundraising $36,752

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $73,352 · program services $70,296 · management and general $3,056

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $370,745 · program services $348,403 · management and general $17,916 · fundraising $4,426

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $196,208 · program services $176,095 · management and general $10,319 · fundraising $9,794

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $17,185 · program services $13,704 · management and general $1,786 · fundraising $1,695

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $161,932 · management and general $161,932

  • 11e · Fees: professional fundraising services

    total $190,000 · fundraising $190,000

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $257,536 · program services $221,101 · management and general $7,752 · fundraising $28,683

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $5,990 · management and general $5,990

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $86,442 · program services $60,753 · management and general $23,716 · fundraising $1,973

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $127,652 · program services $91,313 · management and general $9,871 · fundraising $26,468

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $37,002 · program services $23,875 · management and general $9,990 · fundraising $3,137

  • 17 · Travel

    total $70,139 · program services $55,157 · management and general $7,680 · fundraising $7,302

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $21,612 · program services $19,468 · management and general $2,022 · fundraising $122

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $64,328 · program services $22,269 · management and general $35,714 · fundraising $6,345

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $31,618 · program services $7,713 · management and general $23,476 · fundraising $429

  • 24a · Other expenses: MISCELLANEOUS

    total $6,028 · program services $5,928 · management and general $100

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $597,026 · end of year $833,619

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $856,441

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $1,017,358 · end of year $1,601,110

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $388 · end of year $9,047

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $18,753 · end of year $26,731

  • 10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

    $217,038

  • 10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

    $202,369

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $74,423 · end of year $14,669

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $35,290 · end of year $0

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $108,921 · end of year $41,734

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $31,590 · end of year $0

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $655,969 · end of year $1,030,714

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $946,758 · end of year $2,269,169

Mission and programs · 2023

Mission

THE TRACE IS AN INDEPENDENT, NONPARTISAN, READER-SUPPORTED NONPROFIT JOURNALISM ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO REPORTING ON GUN VIOLENCE IN THE UNITED STATES. EMPLOYING THE FULL TOOLSETS OF MODERN INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING AND AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT, WE STRIVE TO EXPAND PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE AND ACCOUNTABILITY REGARDING AN ISSUE OF UNDER-APPRECIATED NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE.

Activities or mission (Part I)

IN 2023, THE TRACE PRODUCED MORE THAN 425 INVESTIGATIONS, NEWS ARTICLES, FEATURE STORIES, SPECIAL PROJECTS, AND NEWSLETTER BRIEFINGS, INFORMING AN AUDIENCE OF 4.05 MILLION AT THETRACE.ORG AND APPLE NEWS, AND MILLIONS MORE VIA THE TRACE'S PUBLISHING PARTNERS. SIGNIFICANT FOCUSES OF OUR REPORTING INCLUDED THE EXPANSION OF COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROGRAMS, THE GUN INDUSTRY, AND THE ROLE OF FIREARMS IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, ADOLESCENT TRAUMA, AND SUICIDE. NEW INITIATIVES IN 2023 INCLUDED THE LAUNCH OF A NEWSLETTER ("THE TRAJECTORY") FOCUSED ON SOLUTIONS TO GUN VIOLENCE, A FIRST-PERSON STORYTELLING PROJECT WITH SURVIVORS OF GUN VIOLENCE IN CHICAGO, AND AN EIGHT-EPISODE PODCAST COLLABORATION ON THE HISTORY OF FIREARM DEREGULATION.

  • IN 2023, THE TRACE PRODUCED MORE THAN 425 INVESTIGATIONS, NEWS ARTICLES, FEATURE STORIES, SPECIAL PROJECTS, AND NEWSLETTER BRIEFINGS, INFORMING AN AUDIENCE OF 4.05 MILLION AT THETRACE.ORG AND APPLE NEWS, AND MILLIONS MORE VIA THE TRACE'S PUBLISHING PARTNERS. SIGNIFICANT FOCUSES OF OUR REPORTING INCLUDED THE EXPANSION OF COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROGRAMS, THE GUN INDUSTRY, AND THE ROLE OF FIREARMS IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, ADOLESCENT TRAUMA, AND SUICIDE. NEW INITIATIVES IN 2023 INCLUDED THE LAUNCH OF A NEWSLETTER ("THE TRAJECTORY") FOCUSED ON SOLUTIONS TO GUN VIOLENCE, A FIRST-PERSON STORYTELLING PROJECT WITH SURVIVORS OF GUN VIOLENCE IN CHICAGO, AND AN EIGHT-EPISODE PODCAST COLLABORATION ON THE HISTORY OF FIREARM DEREGULATION.

    Expenses $3,493,470 · Revenue $3,000

As filed on the 2023 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • JOHN FEINBLATT

    PRESIDENT

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • MICHAEL BROUILLARD

    SECRETARY AND TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.1

  • STEFAN FRIEDMAN

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.1

  • ELIZABETH HANSEN SHAPIRO

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.1

  • WILLIAM JELANI COBB

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.1

  • JAMES BURNETT

    MANAGING DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $253,577
    From this org
    $209,988
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $43,589
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $209,988
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $8,400
    Nontaxable benefits
    $35,189
    Filer's total
    $253,577

  • TALIESIN MCCHEANE WOODWARD

    EDITOR IN CHIEF

    Total calculated
    $239,547
    From this org
    $196,221
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $43,326
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $196,221
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $8,137
    Nontaxable benefits
    $35,189
    Filer's total
    $239,547

  • MICHAEL SPIES

    SENIOR STAFF WRITER

    Total calculated
    $157,559
    From this org
    $151,083
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $6,476
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $151,083
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $6,043
    Nontaxable benefits
    $433
    Filer's total
    $157,559

  • ALAIN STEPHENS

    STAFF WRITER

    Total calculated
    $153,313
    From this org
    $113,580
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $39,733
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $113,580
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $4,544
    Nontaxable benefits
    $35,189
    Filer's total
    $153,313

  • CHRISTIAN W VAN SANT

    STAFF WRITER

    Total calculated
    $168,107
    From this org
    $127,805
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $40,302
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $127,805
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $5,113
    Nontaxable benefits
    $35,189
    Filer's total
    $168,107

  • CANDACE ANDERSON

    DIRECTOR OF PEOPLE & OPERATION

    Total calculated
    $151,756
    From this org
    $123,355
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $28,401
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $123,355
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $4,731
    Nontaxable benefits
    $23,670
    Filer's total
    $151,756

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

Answered yes

  • 3 · Form 990 of other organizations
  • 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee

Answered no

  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
  • 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
  • 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
  • 5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
  • 6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
  • 6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

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

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2023
Filed
28 October 2024
IRS schema version
2023v5.1
Source object
202433039349301838

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