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← REPORTERS COMMITTEE FOR FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

Form 990 for tax year 2023

Filed by REPORTERS COMMITTEE FOR FREEDOM OF THE PRESS.

Totals

Total revenue
$3,683,642
Total expenses
$6,318,619
Contributions and grants received
$4,066,380
Grants paid
$0
Program service revenue
$269,309
Investment income
-$359,341
Other revenue
-$292,706
Total assets, end of year
$20,400,053
Total liabilities, end of year
$2,907,119
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$17,492,934
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$4,802,449
Management and general expenses
$865,616
Fundraising expenses
$650,554
Program service expenses (Part III)
$4,802,449

Program services were 76.0% 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.

  • 1c · Fundraising events

    $1,577,672

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $2,488,708

  • 2a · Program service revenue: PROGRAM SERVICES

    total $269,309 · related or exempt $269,309

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $421,217 · excluded $421,217

  • 7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

    securities $8,275,020

  • 7b · Less cost or other basis and sales expenses

    securities $9,055,578

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities -$780,558

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total -$780,558 · excluded -$780,558

  • 8a · Fundraising events: gross income

    $115,670

  • 8a · Fundraising events: contributions included on line 1c

    $1,577,672

  • 8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

    $408,998

  • 8c · Net income from fundraising events

    total -$293,328 · excluded -$293,328

  • 11a · Other revenue: MISCELLANEOUS

    total $622 · excluded $622

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    $622

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $692,836 · program services $556,501 · management and general $64,046 · fundraising $72,289

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $3,477,426 · program services $2,804,683 · management and general $309,055 · fundraising $363,688

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $156,208 · program services $118,423 · management and general $22,009 · fundraising $15,776

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $279,313 · program services $211,749 · management and general $39,354 · fundraising $28,210

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $321,723 · program services $258,019 · management and general $31,300 · fundraising $32,404

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $120,177 · program services $119,846 · management and general $331

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $30,150 · management and general $30,150

  • 11f · Fees: investment management

    total $57,911 · management and general $57,911

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $296,227 · program services $70,801 · management and general $187,533 · fundraising $37,893

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $26,225 · program services $24,600 · management and general $125 · fundraising $1,500

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $95,506 · program services $58,340 · management and general $17,933 · fundraising $19,233

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $70,500 · program services $70,500

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $324,254 · program services $254,016 · management and general $28,382 · fundraising $41,856

  • 17 · Travel

    total $140,522 · program services $90,809 · management and general $35,947 · fundraising $13,766

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $75,842 · program services $61,170 · management and general $6,740 · fundraising $7,932

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $25,075 · program services $21,464 · management and general $1,496 · fundraising $2,115

  • 24a · Other expenses: COMPUTER RESEARCH

    total $68,950 · program services $63,792 · management and general $3,094 · fundraising $2,064

  • 24b · Other expenses: DUES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS

    total $44,740 · program services $17,736 · management and general $24,952 · fundraising $2,052

  • 24c · Other expenses: TAXES AND LICENSES

    total $15,034 · management and general $5,258 · fundraising $9,776

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $688,496 · end of year $315,271

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $4,035,855 · end of year $4,750,311

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $2,498,500 · end of year $1,365,396

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $72,004 · end of year $91,649

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

    $722,831

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

    $401,582

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $397,091 · end of year $321,249

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $10,863,754 · end of year $11,576,414

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $2,245,867 · end of year $1,979,763

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $219,435 · end of year $425,842

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $2,791,343 · end of year $2,481,277

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $7,690,079 · end of year $8,302,747

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $10,100,710 · end of year $9,190,187

Mission and programs · 2023

Mission

TO PROTECT THE RIGHT TO GATHER AND DISTRIBUTE NEWS; TO KEEP GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABLE BY ENSURING ACCESS TO PUBLIC RECORDS, MEETINGS AND COURTROOMS; AND TO PRESERVE THE PRINCIPLES OF FREE SPEECH AND UNFETTERED PRESS, AS GUARANTEED BY THE FIRST AMENDMENT OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION.

  • LEGAL DEFENSE AND RESEARCHTHE COMMITTEE PROVIDES AROUND-THE-CLOCK, PRO BONO SERVICES TO ALL NEWS MEDIA. IT OFFERS FREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE AND RESEARCH TO JOURNALISTS AND ATTORNEYS, FILES AMICUS BRIEFS, PUBLISHES NUMEROUS GUIDES AND MATERIALS, AND SPEAKS OUT AGAINST THREATS TO THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS. THE COMMITTEE UNDERTAKES LEGAL DEFENSE AND RESEARCH PROJECTS IN ALL AREAS OF MEDIA LAW, AND ASSISTS JOURNALISTS AND NEWS ORGANIZATIONS WITH FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AND ACCESS-TO-COURT CASES. THE LEGAL DEFENSE AND RESEARCH PROGRAM INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING:PRE-PUBLICATION LEGAL SERVICES - THE COMMITTEE PROVIDES THESE SERVICES TO FREELANCE AND INDEPENDENT JOURNALISTS INCLUDING DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKERS.PUBLICATIONS - THE COMMITTEE PUBLISHES AND MAINTAINS A BLOG, VARIOUS ONLINE LEGAL GUIDES AND OTHER MATERIALS, INCLUDING THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA) WIKI, FOR GATHERING AND DISSEMINATING THE NEWS. THE COMMITTEE'S INTERNET WEBSITE PROVIDES CONTENT ON MEDIA LAW AND JOURNALISM, WHICH IS UPDATED ON A DAILY BASIS.FELLOWSHIP/INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS - THE COMMITTEE OFFERS LAW FELLOWSHIPS FOR RECENT LAW SCHOOL GRADUATES AND AN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM FOR JOURNALISM AND LAW STUDENTS EACH SUMMER AND DURING AN ACADEMIC SEMESTER.LITIGATION - THE COMMITTEE'S LITIGATION PRACTICE, WHICH INCLUDES ITS STAFF ATTORNEYS, COMPLEMENTS ITS TRADITIONAL AMICUS BRIEF WORK AT A TIME OF INCREASED NEED IN THE NEWS MEDIA FOR IMPACT LITIGATION AND PRO BONO LEGAL SERVICES. THE COMMITTEE HAS A NETWORK OF LAWYERS AROUND THE COUNTRY WHO, FROM TIME TO TIME, SERVE AS LOCAL COUNSEL ON AMICUS BRIEFS OR PARTNER WITH THE COMMITTEE IN OTHER WAYS.STARTING IN 2020, THE COMMITTEE EXPANDED ITS PROGRAM WITH LOCAL LEGAL INITIATIVE ATTORNEYS BASED IN FIVE STATES - COLORADO, OKLAHOMA, OREGON, PENNSYLVANIA AND TENNESSEE - TO HELP LOCAL JOURNALISTS AND NEWS ORGANIZATIONS DEFEND THEIR RIGHTS TO GATHER AND REPORT THE NEWS, GAIN ACCESS TO PUBLIC RECORDS AND COURT PROCEEDINGS, AND HOLD STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND OFFICIALS ACCOUNTABLE. THE STATES WERE SELECTED FROM MORE THAN 45 SUBMISSIONS THE COMMITTEE RECEIVED FROM OVER 30 STATES, REGIONS AND TERRITORIES NATIONWIDE AS PART OF A PROPOSAL PROCESS CONDUCTED IN 2019.

    Expenses $4,802,449 · Revenue $269,309

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

Listed in Part VII

  • Stephen Adler

    CHAIRMAN

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    5
  • Margaret Low

    VICE CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Massimo Calabresi

    SECRETARY/TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Nik Deogun

    STEERING COMMITTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Wolf Blitzer

    STEERING COMMITTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • David Boardman

    EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Theodore Boutrous

    STEERING COMMITTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Lynette Clemetson

    FINANCE & INVESTMENT COMMITTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Manuel Garcia

    EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Emilio Garcia-Ruiz

    STEERING COMMITTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Josh Gerstein

    STEERING COMMITTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Alexander Gibney

    STEERING COMMITTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Susan Goldberg

    STEERING COMMITTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Gail Gove

    STEERING COMMITTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • James Grimaldi

    AUDIT COMMITTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.75
  • Laura Handman

    EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Diego Ibarguen

    FINANCE & INVESTMENT COMMITTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Jeremy Jojola

    STEERING COMMITTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Karen Kaiser

    STEERING COMMITTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • David Lauter

    AUDIT COMMITTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.75
  • Kimbriell Kelly

    STEERING COMMITTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Colleen McCain Nelson

    STEERING COMMITTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Maggie Mulvihill

    STEERING COMMITTEE UNTIL MAY 2023

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • James Neff

    STEERING COMMITTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Norman Pearlstine

    EXECUTIVE & DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.5
  • Thomas Rubin

    EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Bruce Sanford

    STEERING COMMITTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Charles Savage

    STEERING COMMITTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Jennifer Sondag

    FINANCE & AUDIT COMMITTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1.25
  • Nabiha Syed

    FINANCE & INVESTMENT COMMITTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Adam Symson

    STEERING COMMITTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Pierre Thomas

    EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE UNTIL MAY 2023

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Matthew Thompson

    STEERING COMMITTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Vickie Walton-James

    STEERING COMMITTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Susan Zirinsky

    STEERING COMMITTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Sewell Chan

    STEERING COMMITTEE AS OF OCT. 2023

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Bruce Brown

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $283,875
    From this org
    $262,543
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $21,332
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $262,543
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $13,701
    Nontaxable benefits
    $7,631
    Filer's total
    $283,875
  • Kirsten Poole

    OPERATIONS DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $86,221
    From this org
    $83,764
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $2,457
    Hours/week
    40
  • Daniel Yu

    DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & OPERATIONS

    Total calculated
    $69,466
    From this org
    $65,109
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $4,357
    Hours/week
    40
  • Katielynn Townsend

    DEPUTY EXECUTIVE AND LEGAL DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $253,277
    From this org
    $233,907
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $19,370
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $233,907
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $11,695
    Nontaxable benefits
    $7,675
    Filer's total
    $253,277
  • Gabriel Rottman Policy

    PRESS FREEDOM PROJECT DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $189,162
    From this org
    $172,941
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $16,221
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $172,941
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $8,685
    Nontaxable benefits
    $7,536
    Filer's total
    $189,162
  • Lisa Zycherman Deputy Legal

    DIRECTOR & POLICY COUNSEL

    Total calculated
    $170,345
    From this org
    $161,274
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $9,071
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $161,274
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $8,184
    Nontaxable benefits
    $887
    Filer's total
    $170,345
  • Jennifer Topper

    COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $165,170
    From this org
    $156,483
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $8,687
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $156,483
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $7,824
    Nontaxable benefits
    $863
    Filer's total
    $165,170
  • Jennifer Anne Nelson

    SENIOR STAFF ATTORNEY

    Total calculated
    $144,382
    From this org
    $140,058
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $4,324
    Hours/week
    40
  • Michael Zwirn

    DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

    Total calculated
    $180,952
    From this org
    $164,928
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $16,024
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $164,928
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $8,500
    Nontaxable benefits
    $7,524
    Filer's total
    $180,952

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 · Approval by the board or compensation committee
  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment

Answered no

  • 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

The filer's explanations (Part III)

PART I, LINE 4A
KRISTEN POOLE RECEIVED $38,656 IN SEVERANCE PAY DURING THE 2023 CALEDAR YEAR.

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
4 September 2024
IRS schema version
2023v5.1
Source object
202402499349300125

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