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Nonprofiteer
← DAILY SIGNAL INSTITUTE

Form 990 for tax year 2024

Filed by DAILY SIGNAL INSTITUTE.

Totals

Total revenue
$3,598,549
Total expenses
$1,370,524
Contributions and grants received
$3,571,589
Grants paid
$0
Program service revenue
$0
Investment income
$0
Other revenue
$26,960
Total assets, end of year
$2,629,956
Total liabilities, end of year
$507,833
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$2,122,123
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$891,878
Management and general expenses
$438,129
Fundraising expenses
$40,517
Program service expenses (Part III)
$891,878

Program services were 65.1% 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

    $3,571,589

  • 11a · Other revenue: OTHER INCOME

    total $26,960 · excluded $26,960

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    $26,960

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $162,658 · program services $105,727 · management and general $56,931

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $754,127 · program services $490,183 · management and general $263,944

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $68,630 · program services $44,610 · management and general $24,020

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $87,392 · program services $57,011 · management and general $30,381

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $52,534 · program services $34,147 · management and general $18,387

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $11,002 · program services $7,160 · management and general $3,517 · fundraising $325

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $87,426 · program services $56,827 · management and general $30,599

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $40,192 · fundraising $40,192

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $9,112 · program services $6,219 · management and general $2,893

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $15,339 · program services $9,970 · management and general $5,369

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $1,159 · program services $753 · management and general $406

  • 17 · Travel

    total $36,020 · program services $36,020

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $38,811 · program services $38,811

  • 24a · Other expenses: DUES & SUBSCRIPTIONS

    total $4,801 · program services $3,121 · management and general $1,680

  • 24b · Other expenses: HONORARIA & WRITER'S FE

    total $1,000 · program services $1,000

  • 24c · Other expenses: OTHER EXPENSES

    total $321 · program services $319 · management and general $2

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    end of year $1,685,363

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    end of year $12,816

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    end of year $10,719

  • 12 · Investments: other securities

    end of year $894,098

  • 15 · Other assets

    end of year $26,960

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    end of year $271,510

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    end of year $236,323

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    end of year $2,122,123

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

TO PROVIDE TRAINING FOR JOURNALISTS, REPORTERS, AND EDITORS, AND EDUCATING THE GENERAL PUBLIC BY PRODUCING NONPARTISAN NEWS AND EDITORIAL CONTENT THAT INFORMS THE NATIONAL COMMUNITY ON IMPORTANT PUBLIC-POLICY ISSUES AND CURRENT EVENTS.

  • PROVIDING TRAINING FOR JOURNALISTS, REPORTERS, AND EDITORS, AND EDUCATING THE GENERAL PUBLIC BY PRODUCING NONPARTISAN NEWS AND EDITORIAL CONTENT.

    Expenses $891,878

As filed on the 2024 return.

Listed in Part VII

  • ROBERT BLUEY

    PRESIDENT & EXECUTIVE EDITOR

    Total calculated
    $387,117
    From this org
    $124,883
    From related orgs
    $184,576
    Other
    $77,658
    Hours/week
    20 + 20 related

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $124,055 + $124,055 related
    Bonus
    $307 + $60,000 related
    Other
    $521 + $521 related
    Deferred
    $37,776 + $5,390 related
    Nontaxable benefits
    $18,893 + $22,661 related
    Filer's total
    $181,552 + $212,627 related

  • DERRICK MORGAN

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $649,481
    From this org
    $0
    From related orgs
    $545,991
    Other
    $103,490
    Hours/week
    1 + 39 related

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $0 + $392,424 related
    Bonus
    $0 + $152,307 related
    Other
    $0 + $1,260 related
    Deferred
    $0 + $69,000 related
    Nontaxable benefits
    $0 + $43,355 related
    Filer's total
    $0 + $658,346 related

  • ERIK TELFORD

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • JOHN MILLER

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • JACK FOWLER

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • JIM WEIDMAN

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • DARRYLE OWENS

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1 + 1 related

  • ERIC KORSVALL

    VICE PRESIDENT

    Total calculated
    $532,761
    From this org
    $0
    From related orgs
    $444,117
    Other
    $88,644
    Hours/week
    1 + 39 related

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $0 + $318,550 related
    Bonus
    $0 + $124,307 related
    Other
    $0 + $1,260 related
    Deferred
    $0 + $54,500 related
    Nontaxable benefits
    $0 + $41,859 related
    Filer's total
    $0 + $540,476 related

  • JOHN BACKIEL

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $392,073
    From this org
    $0
    From related orgs
    $313,985
    Other
    $78,088
    Hours/week
    1 + 39 related

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $0 + $255,966 related
    Bonus
    $0 + $55,317 related
    Other
    $0 + $2,702 related
    Deferred
    $0 + $43,647 related
    Nontaxable benefits
    $0 + $41,941 related
    Filer's total
    $0 + $399,573 related

  • DAN MAULER

    SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $418,837
    From this org
    $0
    From related orgs
    $374,337
    Other
    $44,500
    Hours/week
    1 + 39 related

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $0 + $313,344 related
    Bonus
    $0 + $60,307 related
    Other
    $0 + $686 related
    Deferred
    $0 + $44,500 related
    Nontaxable benefits
    $0 + $4,663 related
    Filer's total
    $0 + $423,500 related

  • BRIAN GOTTSTEIN

    SR EDITOR & WRITING ADVISOR

    Total calculated
    $221,716
    From this org
    $89,464
    From related orgs
    $87,160
    Other
    $45,092
    Hours/week
    20 + 20 related

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $86,325 + $86,325 related
    Bonus
    $2,304
    Other
    $835 + $835 related
    Deferred
    $9,893 + $3,851 related
    Nontaxable benefits
    $18,482 + $22,463 related
    Filer's total
    $117,839 + $113,474 related

  • KATRINA TRINKO

    EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

    Total calculated
    $197,447
    From this org
    $75,914
    From related orgs
    $92,590
    Other
    $28,943
    Hours/week
    20 + 20 related

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $75,432 + $75,433 related
    Bonus
    $325 + $17,000 related
    Other
    $157 + $157 related
    Deferred
    $11,255 + $3,140 related
    Nontaxable benefits
    $8,542 + $10,790 related
    Filer's total
    $95,711 + $106,520 related

  • FRED LUCAS

    SENIOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER

    Total calculated
    $170,590
    From this org
    $63,530
    From related orgs
    $63,205
    Other
    $43,855
    Hours/week
    20 + 20 related

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $63,009 + $63,009 related
    Bonus
    $325
    Other
    $196 + $196 related
    Deferred
    $7,033 + $2,766 related
    Nontaxable benefits
    $17,413 + $17,886 related
    Filer's total
    $87,976 + $83,857 related

  • TYLER O'NEIL

    SR EDITOR & MARILYN & FRED G. FELLOW

    Total calculated
    $157,103
    From this org
    $59,283
    From related orgs
    $58,957
    Other
    $38,863
    Hours/week
    20 + 20 related

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $58,843 + $58,842 related
    Bonus
    $325
    Other
    $115 + $115 related
    Deferred
    $4,338 + $2,577 related
    Nontaxable benefits
    $19,628 + $23,368 related
    Filer's total
    $83,249 + $84,902 related

  • KENNETH MCINTYRE

    SR EDITOR

    Total calculated
    $160,082
    From this org
    $56,660
    From related orgs
    $56,336
    Other
    $47,086
    Hours/week
    20 + 20 related

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $54,870 + $54,871 related
    Bonus
    $325
    Other
    $1,465 + $1,465 related
    Deferred
    $10,357 + $2,559 related
    Nontaxable benefits
    $17,434 + $18,094 related
    Filer's total
    $84,451 + $76,989 related

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

  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments

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
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

The filer's explanations (Part III)

PART I, LINE 3
COMPENSATION, INCLUDING SALARIES, BONUSES, AND BENEFITS, FOR THE INSTITUTES'S PRESIDENT, ARE REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ("THE BOARD"). EACH YEAR, THE BOARD CONSIDERS MARKET DATA AND OTHER SALARY AND BENEFIT SURVEY INFORMATION REGARDING THE COMPENSATION OF SIMILARLY SITUATED EXECUTIVES, BECAUSE THE MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS OF THE INSTITUTE EXECUTIVE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON THE INTITUTE'S SUCCESS, A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF CASH COMPENSATION IS IN THE FORM OF A BONUS. BONUSES ARE CONTINGENT ON ACHIEVING THE INSTITUTE'S STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES AS WELL AS INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE AND ACHIEVEMENT OF ESTABLISHED GOALS. GOALS ARE REVIEWED MID-YEAR AND ANNUALLY, AND MONTHLY REPORTS OF THE INSTITUTE'S ACTIVITIES ARE PROVIDED TO THE BOARD. IN CONSIDERING AND APPROVING TOTAL COMPENSATION FOR 2024, THE BOARD ALSO APPROVED BENEFITS PROVIDED UNDER AN EMPLOYER-FUNDED QUALIFIED RETIREMENT PLAN, GROUP HEALTH, LIFE, AND LONG-TERM DISABILITY AND LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE PLANS, AND OTHER BENEFITS.
PART I, LINE 7
A PORTION OF MANAGEMENT COMPENSATION IS IN THE FORM OF AN ANNUAL BONUS MANAGEMENT BONUSES ARE CONTINGENT ON ACHIEVING THE INSTITUTE'S GOALS AND OBJECTIVES AS WELL AS ON THEIR OWN PERFORMANCE AND ACHIEVEMENT OF ESTABLISHED GOALS. BONUSES ARE NOT BASED ON A FIXED FORMULA. GOALS ARE REVIEWED MID-YEAR AND ANNUALLY, AND MONTHLY REPORTS OF THE INSTITUTE'S ACTIVITIES ARE PROVIDED TO THE BOARD.

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.

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.

Taxable family on this return

Schedule R Parts I, III and IV, as filed. These record ownership and control, not shared board members or money moved.

Related corporations and trusts

Part IV: related organizations taxable as a corporation or trust.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2024
Filed
13 November 2025
IRS schema version
2024v5.2
Source object
202523179349310672

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