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Nonprofiteer
← DEEP SOUTH TODAY

Form 990 for tax year 2024

Filed by DEEP SOUTH TODAY.

Totals

Total revenue
$9,481,672
Total expenses
$5,638,889
Contributions and grants received
$9,148,267
Grants paid
$0
Program service revenue
$66,120
Investment income
$203,621
Other revenue
$63,664
Total assets, end of year
$11,497,805
Total liabilities, end of year
$349,952
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$11,147,853
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$3,800,859
Management and general expenses
$1,229,200
Fundraising expenses
$608,830
Program service expenses (Part III)
$3,800,859

Program services were 67.4% 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

    $9,148,267

  • 2a · Program service revenue: ADVERTISING

    total $66,120 · unrelated business $66,120

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $203,621 · excluded $203,621

  • 11a · Other revenue: MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE

    total $63,664 · excluded $63,664

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    $63,664

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $1,283,917 · program services $946,941 · management and general $228,626 · fundraising $108,350

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $2,075,324 · program services $1,530,637 · management and general $369,551 · fundraising $175,136

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $78,630 · program services $47,486 · management and general $20,789 · fundraising $10,355

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $318,616 · program services $267,118 · management and general $51,264 · fundraising $234

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $241,983 · program services $168,786 · management and general $50,123 · fundraising $23,074

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $149,571 · program services $8,936 · management and general $140,635

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $21,972 · management and general $21,972

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $541,333 · program services $153,876 · management and general $178,757 · fundraising $208,700

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $144,026 · program services $113,759 · management and general $1,514 · fundraising $28,753

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $45,091 · program services $22,626 · management and general $21,188 · fundraising $1,277

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $401,214 · program services $285,315 · management and general $77,501 · fundraising $38,398

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $127,159 · program services $95,685 · management and general $21,402 · fundraising $10,072

  • 17 · Travel

    total $77,719 · program services $50,057 · management and general $27,662

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $39,712 · program services $38,955 · management and general $757

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $39,067 · program services $31,523 · management and general $5,780 · fundraising $1,764

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $33,088 · program services $24,816 · management and general $5,625 · fundraising $2,647

  • 24a · Other expenses: SUPPLIES

    total $12,677 · program services $6,564 · management and general $6,054 · fundraising $59

  • 24b · Other expenses: EVENTS

    total $7,790 · program services $7,779 · fundraising $11

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $4,906,034 · end of year $866,308

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    end of year $6,095,657

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $2,546,568 · end of year $4,352,116

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $79,222 · end of year $42,732

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $31,306 · end of year $47,671

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

    $252,376

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

    $209,033

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $67,818 · end of year $43,343

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $67,375 · end of year $49,978

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $376,755 · end of year $347,952

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    end of year $2,000

  • 23 · Secured mortgages and notes payable

    beginning of year $16,498 · end of year $0

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $2,324,246 · end of year $3,905,969

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $4,980,824 · end of year $7,241,884

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

DEEP SOUTH TODAY IS A NONPROFIT NETWORK OF LOCAL NEWSROOMS COMPRISING MISSISSIPPI TODAY AND VERITE NEWS. WITH ITS REGIONAL SCALE AND SCOPE, DEEP SOUTH TODAY IS PROVIDING CRITICAL JOURNALISM IN UNDERSERVED AREAS AND ENSURING ITS LONG-TERM GROWTH AND SUSTAINABILITY.

Activities or mission (Part I)

TO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL LOCAL JOURNALISM TO COMMUNITIES IN LOUISIANA AND MISSISSIPPI.

  • MISSISSIPPI TODAY WAS AWARDED THE 2023 PULITZER PRIZE FOR LOCAL REPORTING. IT IS THE STATE'S FLAGSHIP NONPROFIT, NONPARTISAN NEWSROOM, OFFERING INDEPTH INVESTIGATIVE AND ENTERPRISE REPORTING FROM ALL CORNERS OF THE STATE. THERE IS NO COST TO READ ITS REPORTING, LISTEN TO ITS PODCASTS, OR ACCESS ITS DATA SETS. THE JOURNALISM PRODUCED BY MISSISSIPPI TODAY INCREASES ACCOUNTABILITY AMONG ELECTED OFFICIALS, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND COMMUNITY LEADERS. ITS REPORTING IN THE AREAS OF COMMUNITY HEALTH, POLITICS, EDUCATION, CRIMINAL JUSTICE, WORKFORCE, AND POVERTY HAS BEEN ESPECIALLY IMPACTFUL, PROVIDING INSIGHT AND EXPLANATION OF SYSTEMIC ISSUES AND CORRUPTION THAT HAVE LONG GONE UNREPORTED.

    Expenses $2,851,410 · Revenue $66,120

  • VERITE NEWS PRODUCES IN-DEPTH JOURNALISM THAT SERVES THE REGION IN AND AROUND NEW ORLEANS, WHILE ALSO EDUCATING, DEVELOPING, AND MENTORING A NEW GENERATION OF JOURNALISTS. VERITE NEWS AT NO COST PROVIDES ITS READERS WITH THE INFORMATION THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ISSUES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND BEYOND. WITH AN EDITORIAL FOCUS ON THE CIVIC AND CULTURAL COMMUNITIES IN NEW ORLEANS, VERITE NEWS REPORTS ON THE EVENTS AND PERSONALITIES SHAPING THE LIFE OF THE CITY.

    Expenses $949,449

As filed on the 2024 return.

Listed in Part VII

  • Ivy Barney

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Todd McDonald

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Tom Pittman

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Bill Bynum

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Andrew Lack

    EXECUTIVE CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Dr Ivy Taylor

    SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Tray Hairston

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Donna Barksdale

    VICE CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Mary Margaret White

    CEO OF MISSISSIPPI TODAY

    Total calculated
    $135,160
    From this org
    $121,293
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $13,867
    Hours/week
    40
  • Dylan Penny

    DIRECTOR, PEOPLE & CULTURE

    Total calculated
    $124,111
    From this org
    $114,222
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $9,889
    Hours/week
    40
  • Adam Ganucheau

    EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

    Total calculated
    $139,928
    From this org
    $131,391
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $8,537
    Hours/week
    40
  • Terry Baquet

    EDITOR-IN-CHIEF VERITE

    Total calculated
    $163,268
    From this org
    $147,763
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $15,505
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $147,763
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $4,433
    Nontaxable benefits
    $11,072
    Filer's total
    $163,268
  • David Francis

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR VERITE

    Total calculated
    $169,249
    From this org
    $153,803
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $15,446
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $153,803
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $4,614
    Nontaxable benefits
    $10,832
    Filer's total
    $169,249
  • Warwick Sabin

    CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $292,952
    From this org
    $278,419
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $14,533
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $278,419
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $8,353
    Nontaxable benefits
    $6,180
    Filer's total
    $292,952
  • Linden Potts

    CONTROLLER

    Total calculated
    $130,216
    From this org
    $111,987
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $18,229
    Hours/week
    40
  • Thomas Ramsey

    HIGHEST COMPENSATED EMPLOY

    Total calculated
    $136,896
    From this org
    $109,980
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $26,916
    Hours/week
    40
  • Lauchlin Fields

    HIGHEST COMPENSATED EMPLOY

    Total calculated
    $134,219
    From this org
    $115,059
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $19,160
    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

None.

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
3 November 2025
IRS schema version
2024v5.2
Source object
202543079349302629

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