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Nonprofiteer
← GROUNDTRUTH PROJECT INC

Form 990 for tax year 2022

Filed by GROUNDTRUTH PROJECT INC.

Totals

Total revenue
$9,104,580
Total expenses
$12,665,341
Contributions and grants received
$9,099,612
Grants paid
$5,270,527
Program service revenue
$0
Investment income
$4,968
Other revenue
$0
Total assets, end of year
$9,332,666
Total liabilities, end of year
$1,623,060
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$7,709,606
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$10,316,883
Management and general expenses
$1,792,323
Fundraising expenses
$556,135
Program service expenses (Part III)
$10,316,883

Program services were 81.5% 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.

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $342,339

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $8,757,273

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $4,968 · excluded $4,968

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 2 · Grants to domestic individuals

    total $5,136,326 · program services $5,136,326

  • 3 · Grants to foreign organizations and individuals

    total $134,201 · program services $134,201

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $1,058,235 · program services $512,497 · management and general $379,933 · fundraising $165,805

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $3,323,139 · program services $2,385,975 · management and general $753,502 · fundraising $183,662

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $45,923 · program services $30,380 · management and general $11,880 · fundraising $3,663

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $533,897 · program services $353,196 · management and general $138,116 · fundraising $42,585

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $349,990 · program services $231,534 · management and general $90,540 · fundraising $27,916

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $36,354 · program services $23,726 · management and general $9,852 · fundraising $2,776

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $51,542 · program services $34,730 · management and general $12,748 · fundraising $4,064

  • 11d · Fees: lobbying

    total $174,253 · program services $174,253

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $763,073 · program services $657,606 · management and general $78,478 · fundraising $26,989

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $477 · program services $277 · fundraising $200

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $52,841 · program services $36,671 · management and general $6,251 · fundraising $9,919

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $329,581 · program services $95,062 · management and general $210,228 · fundraising $24,291

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $40,192 · program services $27,082 · management and general $9,941 · fundraising $3,169

  • 17 · Travel

    total $243,300 · program services $171,497 · management and general $37,361 · fundraising $34,442

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $54,712 · program services $44,886 · management and general $707 · fundraising $9,119

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $14,277 · program services $9,620 · management and general $3,531 · fundraising $1,126

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $47,681 · program services $33,499 · management and general $10,754 · fundraising $3,428

  • 24a · Other expenses: EMPLOYEE RECRUITING

    total $129,865 · program services $87,508 · management and general $32,118 · fundraising $10,239

  • 24b · Other expenses: PROGRAM SUPPLIES

    total $119,020 · program services $118,994 · fundraising $26

  • 24c · Other expenses: BANK SERVICE CHARGES

    total $26,462 · program services $17,363 · management and general $6,383 · fundraising $2,716

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $3,570,119 · end of year $2,059,285

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $20,214 · end of year $0

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $8,086,352 · end of year $5,742,202

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $396,410 · end of year $244,309

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $75,762 · end of year $60,066

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

    $177,494

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

    $177,494

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $14,276 · end of year $0

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $814,702 · end of year $1,226,804

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $91,842 · end of year $203,985

  • 18 · Grants payable

    end of year $240,000

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    end of year $0

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $1,615,626 · end of year $1,179,075

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $1,441,407 · end of year $500,995

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $9,828,960 · end of year $7,208,611

Mission and programs · 2022

Mission

THE GROUNDTRUTH PROJECT, INC. (THE ORGANIZATION), A NONPROFIT CORPORATION, WAS FOUNDED TO RESTORE JOURNALISM FROM THE GROUND UP BY SUPPORTING THE NEXT GENERATION OF JOURNALISTS THROUGH FIELD REPORTING THAT SERVES UNDER-COVERED CORNERS OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE WORLD. THE ORGANIZATION FOCUSES ON TRAINING AND DEVELOPING THE CRAFT OF JOURNALISM AND THE POWER OF ACCOUNTABILITY REPORTING. WHILE MEETING THE CHALLENGES OF COMMUNICATING FAIR, TRUSTED NEWS IN AN AGE WHERE IT SOMETIMES FEELS TRUTH ITSELF IS UNDER ATTACK, THE ORGANIZATION SEEKS TO SUPPORT ON-THE-GROUND JOURNALISM THAT ENLIGHTENS AND INFORMS WITH A SPIRIT OF PUBLIC SERVICE.

Activities or mission (Part I)

TO RECONSTRUCT JOURNALISM FROM THE GROUND UP BY SUPPORTING THE NEXT GENERATION OF JOURNALISTS.

  • THE ORGANIZATION'S PROGRAMS BUILD AN ENGAGED COMMUNITY AROUND IMPACTFUL JOURNALISM AND POWERFUL STORYTELLING BY A NEW GENERATION, WHILE SUPPORTING THEIR CAREERS AS FELLOWS, CORPS MEMBERS AND ALUMNI. SINCE INCORPORATION ON AUGUST 8, 2012, THE ORGANIZATION HAS SUPPORTED MORE THAN 475 EMERGING JOURNALISTS THROUGH ITS GLOBAL REPORTING FELLOWSHIPS ACROSS MORE THAN 30 COUNTRIES. IN 2018, GROUNDTRUTH LAUNCHED ITS FLAGSHIP SERVICE PROGRAM REPORT FOR AMERICA WHICH NOW SUPPORTS JOURNALISTS 310 IN 200 NEWSROOMS ACROSS THE US. IN 2021, GROUNDTRUTH LAUNCHED A SMALL PILOT PROGRAM CALLED REPORT FOR THE WORLD, WITH SIX JOURNALISTS BASED IN INDIA AND NIGERIA. THE ORGANIZATION TRAINS AND PRODUCES CONTENT IN ITS FELLOWSHIPS AND CORPS MEMBERS THROUGH VARIOUS MEDIUMS INCLUDING ESSAYS, PHOTO ESSAYS, PODCASTS, AND FILMS AS WELL AS CORPS MEMBER SERVICE PROJECTS THROUGH ITS SERVICE PROGRAMS, REPORT FOR AMERICA.

    Expenses $10,316,883 · Grants $5,270,527

As filed on the 2022 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • CHARLES M SENNOTT

    CEO, EIC, COFOUNDER & DIRE

    Total calculated
    $294,095
    From this org
    $267,764
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $26,331
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $267,764
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $26,331
    Nontaxable benefits
    $0
    Filer's total
    $294,095

  • SUSAN LEATH

    CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $259,744
    From this org
    $230,905
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $28,839
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $230,905
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $8,551
    Nontaxable benefits
    $20,288
    Filer's total
    $259,744

  • STEVE WALDMAN

    PRESIDENT & COFOUNDER, RFA

    Total calculated
    $253,098
    From this org
    $229,803
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $23,295
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $229,803
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $23,295
    Nontaxable benefits
    $0
    Filer's total
    $253,098

  • KEVIN GRANT

    COFOUNDER & CHIEF CONTENT

    Total calculated
    $175,138
    From this org
    $157,181
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $17,957
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $157,181
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $17,957
    Nontaxable benefits
    $0
    Filer's total
    $175,138

  • KIMBERLY KLEMAN

    SENIOR VP, RFA

    Total calculated
    $162,855
    From this org
    $153,023
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $9,832
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $153,023
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $7,994
    Nontaxable benefits
    $1,838
    Filer's total
    $162,855

  • HOWARD EARL JOHNSON

    DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS AT RFA

    Total calculated
    $125,636
    From this org
    $125,636
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    40

  • RACHEL NAVA ROHR

    RFA VP OF PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT

    Total calculated
    $140,736
    From this org
    $118,885
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $21,851
    Hours/week
    40

  • SCOTT JOSEPH CALLAN

    ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR FOR INDIVIDUAL GIVING

    Total calculated
    $134,944
    From this org
    $117,775
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $17,169
    Hours/week
    40

  • TODD FRANKO

    RFA DIRECTOR OF LOCAL SUSTAINABILITY AND DEVELOPME

    Total calculated
    $123,779
    From this org
    $115,228
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $8,551
    Hours/week
    40

  • STEVEN SILVERS

    CONTROLLER & ASSISTANT CLERK

    Total calculated
    $131,445
    From this org
    $107,188
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $24,257
    Hours/week
    40

  • STEPHANIE SCHMIDT

    TREASURER & VP OF FINANCE

    Total calculated
    $76,159
    From this org
    $67,029
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $9,130
    Hours/week
    40

  • DAVID H FEINBERG

    CLERK

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • ROBERT ZEASKE

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • CHRIS BAKE

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • ALAN KHAZEI

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • CALVIN SIMS

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • JIM BILDNER

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • ROBIN D'ALESSANDRO

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • VIVIAN SCHILLER

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • ANN DAVIS VAUGHAN

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • JOANNE HEYMAN

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • MARK CONTRERAS

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • KAREN TOULON

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • BILL WHITAKER

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • DEAN BAQUET

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • GRACIELA MOCHKOFSKY

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

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 · 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

The filer's explanations (Part III)

PART I, LINE 3
CEO SALARY IS APPROVED WITHIN THE BUDGET APPROVAL PROCESS, RESOLVED BY BOARD DECISION.

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
2022
Filed
8 November 2023
IRS schema version
2022v5.0
Source object
202323189349307197

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