Totals
- Total revenue
- $6,308,861
- Total expenses
- $5,174,682
- Contributions and grants received
- $6,255,296
- Grants paid
- $0
- Program service revenue
- $2,500
- Investment income
- $25,776
- Other revenue
- $25,289
- Total assets, end of year
- $4,537,799
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $103,737
- Net assets or fund balances, end of year
- $4,434,062
- Program services expenses (Part IX)
- $4,241,391
- Management and general expenses
- $416,675
- Fundraising expenses
- $516,616
- Program service expenses (Part III)
- $4,241,391
Program services were 82.0% 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.
-
1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants
$6,255,296
-
2a · Program service revenue: LICENSING INCOME
total $2,500 · related or exempt $2,500
-
3 · Investment income
total $25,776 · excluded $25,776
-
11d · All other revenue
total $25,289 · excluded $25,289
-
11e · Other revenue, total
$25,289
Functional expenses
Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.
-
5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
total $258,548 · program services $38,782 · management and general $53,051 · fundraising $166,715
-
7 · Other salaries and wages
total $2,842,770 · program services $2,752,959 · management and general $89,489 · fundraising $322
-
8 · Pension plan contributions
total $84,459 · program services $76,997 · management and general $3,657 · fundraising $3,805
-
9 · Other employee benefits
total $488,348 · program services $482,186 · management and general $6,162
-
10 · Payroll taxes
total $226,763 · program services $206,727 · management and general $15,852 · fundraising $4,184
-
11b · Fees: legal
total $18,595 · program services $15,105 · management and general $1,710 · fundraising $1,780
-
11c · Fees: accounting
total $174,983 · management and general $174,983
-
11e · Fees: professional fundraising services
total $265,415 · fundraising $265,415
-
11g · Fees: other
total $333,459 · program services $282,560 · management and general $16,123 · fundraising $34,776
-
12 · Advertising and promotion
total $6,601 · management and general $6,601
-
13 · Office expenses
total $142,336 · program services $107,223 · management and general $23,809 · fundraising $11,304
-
14 · Information technology
total $124,955 · program services $104,949 · management and general $9,793 · fundraising $10,213
-
17 · Travel
total $102,450 · program services $86,176 · management and general $7,066 · fundraising $9,208
-
19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings
total $31,497 · program services $25,264 · management and general $2,948 · fundraising $3,285
-
22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization
total $25,364 · program services $20,604 · management and general $2,333 · fundraising $2,427
-
23 · Insurance
total $39,471 · program services $33,231 · management and general $3,058 · fundraising $3,182
-
24a · Other expenses: MISCELLANEOUS
total $8,668 · program services $8,628 · management and general $40
Balance sheet
Part X, book values.
-
1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing
beginning of year $833,619 · end of year $1,426,098
-
2 · Savings and temporary cash investments
beginning of year $856,441 · end of year $882,217
-
3 · Pledges and grants receivable
beginning of year $1,601,110 · end of year $1,951,427
-
4 · Accounts receivable
beginning of year $9,047 · end of year $19,848
-
9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges
beginning of year $26,731 · end of year $37,517
-
10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis
$251,136
-
10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation
$30,444
-
10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net
beginning of year $14,669 · end of year $220,692
-
17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses
beginning of year $41,734 · end of year $103,737
-
27 · Net assets without donor restrictions
beginning of year $1,030,714 · end of year $870,264
-
28 · Net assets with donor restrictions
beginning of year $2,269,169 · end of year $3,563,798
Mission and programs · 2024
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 2024, THE TRACE'S PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDED PUBLISHING MORE THAN 400 INVESTIGATIONS, NEWS ARTICLES, AND NEWSLETTER BRIEFINGS, INFORMING AN AUDIENCE OF NEARLY 10 MILLION PEOPLE VIA THETRACE.ORG, THIRD-PARTY PLATFORMS, AND REPUBLICATION OF OUR JOURNALISM BY OTHER NEWS OUTLETS. WHILE ENGAGING THE PERSPECTIVES OF SHOOTING VICTIMS, SURVIVORS, GUN OWNERS, SCHOLARS, AND POLICYMAKERS, THE TRACE REPORTED ON OVERLOOKED DIMENSIONS OF GUN VIOLENCE, INCLUDING THE RISE OF GUN HOMICIDES AND ASSAULTS IN SMALL CITIES AND RURAL COMMUNITIES; OUR COVERAGE ALSO IMPROVED UNDERSTANDING OF LIFE-SAVING INTERVENTIONS THAT HAVE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT. OTHER FOCUSES OF OUR COVERAGE IN 2024 WERE THE MOUNTING LEGAL CHALLENGES TO FIREARM LAWS AND SOURCES OF CRIME WEAPONS. THROUGH THE TRACE'S LOCAL REPORTING INITIATIVE, WE HELD OFFICIALS IN CHICAGO AND PHILADELPHIA ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR RESPONSES TO GUN VIOLENCE.
-
TRACE MEDIA INC. ("THE TRACE") IS A NONPROFIT, NONPARTISAN MEDIA ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES THE PUBLIC WITH ORIGINAL REPORTING AND ANALYSIS OF GUN VIOLENCE IN THE UNITED STATES. IN 2024, THE TRACE'S PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDED PUBLISHING MORE THAN 400 INVESTIGATIONS, NEWS ARTICLES, AND NEWSLETTER BRIEFINGS, INFORMING AN AUDIENCE OF NEARLY 10 MILLION PEOPLE VIA THETRACE.ORG, THIRD-PARTY PLATFORMS, AND REPUBLICATION OF OUR JOURNALISM BY OTHER NEWS OUTLETS. WHILE ENGAGING THE PERSPECTIVES OF SHOOTING VICTIMS, SURVIVORS, GUN OWNERS, SCHOLARS, AND POLICYMAKERS, THE TRACE REPORTED ON OVERLOOKED DIMENSIONS OF GUN VIOLENCE, INCLUDING THE RISE OF GUN HOMICIDES AND ASSAULTS IN SMALL CITIES AND RURAL COMMUNITIES; OUR COVERAGE ALSO IMPROVED UNDERSTANDING OF LIFE-SAVING INTERVENTIONS THAT HAVE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT. OTHER FOCUSES OF OUR COVERAGE IN 2024 WERE THE MOUNTING LEGAL CHALLENGES TO FIREARM LAWS AND SOURCES OF CRIME WEAPONS. THROUGH THE TRACE'S LOCAL REPORTING INITIATIVE, WE HELD OFFICIALS IN CHICAGO AND PHILADELPHIA ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR RESPONSES TO GUN VIOLENCE. TO HELP JOURNALISTS IN OTHER COMMUNITIES PRODUCE MORE IN-DEPTH COVERAGE OF GUN VIOLENCE AS A PUBLIC SAFETY, THE TRACE LAUNCHED A UNIQUE GUN VIOLENCE DATA HUB. OVERALL, OUR WORK AIMED TO FOSTER A MORE INFORMED PUBLIC DISCOURSE ON THE COMPLEX ISSUE OF GUN VIOLENCE.
Expenses $4,241,391 · Revenue $2,500
As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.
Listed in Part VII
-
John FeinblattJOHN FEINBLATT
PRESIDENT
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 1
-
Mike BrouillardMIKE BROUILLARD
SECRETARY AND TREASURER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 2
-
Stephan FriedmanSTEPHAN FRIEDMAN
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 0.1
-
Elizabeth HansenELIZABETH HANSEN
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 0.1
-
Jelani CobbJELANI COBB
DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 0.1
-
James BurnettJAMES BURNETT
MANAGING DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $258,548
- From this org
- $209,988
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $48,560
- Hours/week
- 40
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $209,988
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $0
- Deferred
- $8,400
- Nontaxable benefits
- $40,160
- Filer's total
- $258,548
-
Taliesin WoodwardTALIESIN WOODWARD
EDITOR IN CHIEF
- Total calculated
- $280,095
- From this org
- $231,135
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $48,960
- Hours/week
- 40
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $216,135
- Bonus
- $15,000
- Other
- $0
- Deferred
- $8,800
- Nontaxable benefits
- $40,160
- Filer's total
- $280,095
-
Craig HunterCRAIG HUNTER
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
- Total calculated
- $189,909
- From this org
- $169,988
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $19,921
- Hours/week
- 40
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $169,988
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $0
- Deferred
- $6,800
- Nontaxable benefits
- $13,121
- Filer's total
- $189,909
-
Michael SpiesMICHAEL SPIES
SENIOR WRITER
- Total calculated
- $161,945
- From this org
- $155,300
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $6,645
- Hours/week
- 40
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $155,300
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $0
- Deferred
- $6,212
- Nontaxable benefits
- $433
- Filer's total
- $161,945
-
Samantha Heather Allen StoreySAMANTHA HEATHER ALLEN STOREY
MANAGING EDITOR
- Total calculated
- $188,043
- From this org
- $139,988
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $48,055
- Hours/week
- 40
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $139,988
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $0
- Deferred
- $4,900
- Nontaxable benefits
- $43,155
- Filer's total
- $188,043
-
Christian Van SantCHRISTIAN VAN SANT
STAFF WRITER
- Total calculated
- $171,214
- From this org
- $125,630
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $45,584
- Hours/week
- 40
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $125,630
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $0
- Deferred
- $5,424
- Nontaxable benefits
- $40,160
- Filer's total
- $171,214
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 · Compensation survey or study
- 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
- 2024
- Filed
- 4 November 2025
- IRS schema version
- 2024v5.2
- Source object
- 202513099349303176
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