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Nonprofiteer
← GRIST MAGAZINE INC

Form 990 for tax year 2023

Filed by GRIST MAGAZINE INC.

Totals

Total revenue
$10,021,639
Total expenses
$9,754,594
Contributions and grants received
$9,390,396
Grants paid
$0
Program service revenue
$0
Investment income
$373,031
Other revenue
$258,212
Total assets, end of year
$10,955,941
Total liabilities, end of year
$1,016,085
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$9,939,856
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$7,530,208
Management and general expenses
$1,050,011
Fundraising expenses
$1,174,375
Program service expenses (Part III)
$7,530,208

Program services were 77.2% 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.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $9,390,396

  • 1g · Noncash contributions included above

    $500,000

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $403,543 · excluded $403,543

  • 7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

    securities $469,488

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

    securities $500,000

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities -$30,512

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total -$30,512 · excluded -$30,512

  • 11a · Other revenue: Advertising

    total $204,244 · unrelated business $204,244

  • 11d · All other revenue

    total $53,968 · excluded $53,968

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    $258,212

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $1,140,959 · program services $876,148 · management and general $104,242 · fundraising $160,569

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $5,257,670 · program services $4,039,508 · management and general $498,468 · fundraising $719,694

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $150,334 · program services $114,876 · management and general $8,964 · fundraising $26,494

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $591,883 · program services $452,280 · management and general $35,294 · fundraising $104,309

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $503,927 · program services $397,731 · management and general $43,797 · fundraising $62,399

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $13,384 · management and general $13,384

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $130,591 · management and general $130,591

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $711,467 · program services $607,361 · management and general $102,934 · fundraising $1,172

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $44,807 · program services $44,807

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $59,358 · program services $45,949 · management and general $5,340 · fundraising $8,069

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $214,759 · program services $207,032 · management and general $3,077 · fundraising $4,650

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $164,910 · program services $123,682 · management and general $20,614 · fundraising $20,614

  • 17 · Travel

    total $297,957 · program services $242,025 · management and general $30,843 · fundraising $25,089

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $99,656 · program services $95,975 · management and general $1,466 · fundraising $2,215

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $37,419 · program services $28,962 · management and general $3,368 · fundraising $5,089

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $37,349 · program services $28,909 · management and general $3,361 · fundraising $5,079

  • 24a · Other expenses: Dues and subscriptions

    total $149,437 · program services $107,754 · management and general $32,577 · fundraising $9,106

  • 24b · Other expenses: Program supplies

    total $37,615 · program services $31,377 · management and general $1,486 · fundraising $4,752

  • 24c · Other expenses: Employee development

    total $27,827 · program services $21,541 · management and general $2,503 · fundraising $3,783

  • 24d · Other expenses: Taxes and fees

    total $19,384 · program services $15,005 · management and general $1,744 · fundraising $2,635

  • 24e · All other expenses

    total $63,901 · program services $49,286 · management and general $5,958 · fundraising $8,657

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $4,172,563 · end of year $1,947,897

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $19,736 · end of year $2,333,333

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $2,536,240 · end of year $2,429,389

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $99,116

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $118,153 · end of year $187,733

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

    $305,473

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

    $270,888

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $59,834 · end of year $34,585

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $3,272,971 · end of year $4,023,004

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $758,183 · end of year $997,410

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    end of year $18,675

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $7,072,570 · end of year $7,109,721

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $2,447,860 · end of year $2,830,135

Mission and programs · 2023

Mission

Grist is an independent, non profit media organization dedicated to reporting on climate change.

Activities or mission (Part I)

Grist is a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to reporting on climate change. Since 1999, we have used the power of journalism to engage the public about the perils of one of the most existential threats we face. We seek to document the often unequal impacts of climate change on communities in the United States and globally, as well as to show the promise of equitable climate solutions.

  • Among Grist's program accomplishments in FY2024 were:1. Publishing climate and sustainability news and commentary. Grist published more than 850 articles on climate and sustainability topics during the fiscal year, ranging from short news items to in-depth interviews and features. The organization reached an average of 1.5m readers per month, including website visitors, email subscribers, and offsite (primarily social-media) audiences.2. Fostering civic engagement. Grist's goal is to create a vibrant community of people who support sustainability; make sustainable choices and encourage their communities to do the same; and encourage readers to use social media and other tools to activate their personal networks and to create lasting change. 3. Train a new generation of journalists. By providing hands-on journalism experience as well as exposure to leading environmental thinkers, the Grist Fellowship Program trains early-career journalists to become effective environmental communicators. Grist hosts groups of five fellows for six-month terms. Fellows participate in research and story generation, crafting investigative stories and ground breaking multimedia projects.4. Serving as a resource for other media. Grist informs and influences coverage of climate and energy in major media including The New York Times, Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, the Star Tribune and more, and has served as an expert source for NPR, the BBC, PRX, PBS, and other networks. Across the country, journalists and other influencers turn to Grist for enlightenment and elaboration.

    Expenses $7,530,208

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

Listed in Part VII

  • Susan Kaufman

    Board Chair

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3
  • Elise Hu

    Board Secretary

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Nikhil Swaminathan

    CEO

    Total calculated
    $260,515
    From this org
    $250,495
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $10,020
    Hours/week
    50

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $250,495
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $10,020
    Nontaxable benefits
    $0
    Filer's total
    $260,515
  • John Alderman

    Board Treasurer

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Charles Giller

    Founder

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Julian Brave Noisecat

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Max Moinian

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • John Vechey

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Kristin Frimm

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Donna Moodie

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Michelle Depass

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Rachel Morello-Frosch

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • C'Ardiss Gardner Gleser

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Dana Bourland

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Susan Chira

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Brady Walkinshaw

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Trenton Allen

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Kavita Ramdas

    Board Member

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5
  • Bekah Cardwell

    Director of Finance & Administration

    Total calculated
    $177,174
    From this org
    $153,709
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $23,465
    Hours/week
    45

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $153,709
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $6,148
    Nontaxable benefits
    $17,317
    Filer's total
    $177,174
  • Kat Bagley

    Editor in Chief

    Total calculated
    $189,551
    From this org
    $158,915
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $30,636
    Hours/week
    45

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $158,915
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $6,357
    Nontaxable benefits
    $24,279
    Filer's total
    $189,551
  • Natasha Berman

    COO

    Total calculated
    $254,673
    From this org
    $223,603
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $31,070
    Hours/week
    50

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $223,603
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $8,944
    Nontaxable benefits
    $22,126
    Filer's total
    $254,673
  • Patrick Schmitt

    Director of Development

    Total calculated
    $167,371
    From this org
    $152,665
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $14,706
    Hours/week
    45

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $152,665
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $6,107
    Nontaxable benefits
    $8,599
    Filer's total
    $167,371
  • Jess Stahl

    Executive Editor, Strategic Initiatives

    Total calculated
    $194,504
    From this org
    $185,905
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $8,599
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $185,905
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $8,599
    Filer's total
    $194,504
  • Jess Alvarado-Lepine

    Director, Membership

    Total calculated
    $148,644
    From this org
    $119,582
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $29,062
    Hours/week
    40
  • Teressa Chin

    Executive Editor, Data & Design

    Total calculated
    $129,090
    From this org
    $129,090
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    40
  • Megan Merrigan

    Director of Innovation and Growth

    Total calculated
    $153,754
    From this org
    $139,572
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $14,182
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $139,572
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $5,583
    Nontaxable benefits
    $8,599
    Filer's total
    $153,754
  • Tristan Ahtone

    Editor at Large

    Total calculated
    $141,285
    From this org
    $127,583
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $13,702
    Hours/week
    40

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 · Compensation committee
  • 3 · Form 990 of other organizations
  • 3 · Compensation survey or study
  • 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues

Answered no

  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
  • 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
  • 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 5
The CEO bonus amount is calculated and awarded by the board compensation committee based on actual performance against budgetary and objective goals for the organization. For other employees, discretionary bonuses are awarded at year-end by the CEO based on progress and and acheivement of program/organizational objectives and in accordance with the union guidelines.

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
15 August 2025
IRS schema version
2023v6.0
Source object
202502279349303465

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

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