FREE PRESS

As filed

Subsection

03

NTEE code

A01

Classification

1200

Street

PO BOX 60238

These codes are the IRS's own and are shown exactly as filed. What each one means is in the Business Master File documentation (opens in a new tab).

Mission and programs · 2025

• FUTURE OF THE INTERNET AND MEDIA: CONTINUED EFFORTS TO ENSURE THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION PROTECTS PEOPLE FROM INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS' PRIVACY INVASIONS, PROMOTE BROADBAND COMPETITION AND DEPLOYMENT, AND ENSURE CONSUMER PROTECTIONS. CONTINUED TO DOCUMENT AND OPPOSE MEDIA CONSOLIDATION AND EFFORTS TO LIMIT MEDIA-OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR. FILED COMMENTS IN THE FCC'S QUADRENNIAL REGULATORY REVIEW THAT CALLED ON THE AGENCY TO REJECT LOCAL MEDIA CONSOLIDATION AND DEBUNKED BROADCASTERS' CLAIMS THAT CONSOLIDATION IS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST, SHOWING THAT COMMUNITIES HAVE ALWAYS SUFFERED WHENEVER THE FCC HAS LOOSENED LOCAL OWNERSHIP LIMITS. UNDERSCORED HOW MERGERS OF MASSIVE MEDIA COMPANIES LEAD TO HIGHER PRICES, JOB LOSSES, FEWER CHOICES, LESS OPPORTUNITY AND DIVERSITY IN MAJOR SECTORS OF THE ECONOMY. ISSUED A REPORT EVALUATING THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE 35 LARGEST MEDIA CONGLOMERATES IN THE UNITED STATES AND DOCUMENTING A PERVASIVE TREND OF CAPITULATING TO POLITICAL PRESSURE THAT INVOLVES NEARLY ALL MAJOR COMMERCIAL MEDIA, INCLUDING CABLE AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS FIRMS AND ONLINE PLATFORMS. TEAMED UP WITH A COALITION OF MEDIA-JUSTICE GROUPS AND LABOR UNIONS TO FILE A FORMAL FCC PETITION TO DENY THE NEXSTAR-TEGNA MERGER NOTING THAT THE COMBINED COMPANY WOULD REACH OVER 80 PERCENT OF U.S. HOUSEHOLDS, FAR EXCEEDING THE LEGAL LIMIT CONGRESS SET. PROVIDED SUPPORT TO THE COMMITTEE FOR THE FIRST AMENDMENT AT A GATHERING OF ACTORS, PRODUCERS, DIRECTORS AND WRITERS TO SHOW HOW CORPORATE MEGA-MERGERS AND MEDIA CONSOLIDATION HARM THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY AND SOCIETY AT LARGE. PROTESTED ATTACKS ON GOVERNMENT FUNDING OF PUBLIC MEDIA AND PROMOTED THE IDEA THAT A VIBRANT, INDEPENDENT PUBLIC-MEDIA SYSTEM IS ESSENTIAL TO A HEALTHY DEMOCRACY.

  Expenses $1,059,265 · Grants $75,000

• DEMOCRACY AND DIGITAL CIVIL RIGHTS: CONTINUED TO CALL ON MEDIA AND TECH COMPANIES TO PRIORITIZE TRUTH OVER SENSATIONALISM, ACCOUNTABILITY OVER PROFITS AND DEMOCRACY OVER DIVISION. CONTINUED TO PUSH TECH PLATFORMS TO ADOPT CONTENT-MODERATION POLICIES AND PRACTICES THAT ARE MORE ROBUST, TRANSPARENT AND RESPONSIVE TO THE INTERESTS AND NEEDS OF USERS. CONVENED A SERIES OF WEBINARS TO OFFER PUBLIC EDUCATION ABOUT THE FIRST AMENDMENT AND THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC EXPRESSION OF OPINIONS WITHOUT GOVERNMENT CENSORSHIP AND THE RIGHT TO PROTEST GOVERNMENTAL ACTIONS. CONDUCTED ANALYSIS AND RELEASED REPORTS ON GOVERNMENT CENSORSHIP AND CORPORATE CAPITULATION. . DOCUMENTED MORE THAN 200 GOVERNMENT ATTACKS ON FREE SPEECH. TESTIFIED BEFORE CONGRESS ON THE EMERGING FREE-SPEECH EMERGENCY AND DEFENDED THE RIGHT TO SPEAK AND WRITE WITHOUT FEAR OF INTIMIDATION AND HARASSMENT BY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, WITHOUT FEAR OF UNLAWFUL GOVERNMENT SURVEILLANCE, AND WITHOUT FEAR OF UNCONSTITUTIONAL CENSORSHIP AND RETALIATION. PRESENTED RESEARCH ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF DATA CENTERS AND THEIR ROLE IN FACILITATING CORPORATE AND GOVERNMENT SURVEILLANCE. URGED REGULATORY INTERVENTION TO SAFEGUARD PEOPLE'S DIGITAL PRIVACY AND CURB CORPORATE HUNGER FOR PERSONAL DATA.

  Expenses $1,234,384 · Grants $75,000

• FUTURE OF JOURNALISM: CONTINUED TO DEFEND THE RIGHTS OF JOURNALISTS AND OPPOSE THE UNLAWFUL DETENTION OF JOURNALISTS COVERING PROTESTS ACROSS THE NATION. CONDUCTED A STUDY AND ISSUED A REPORT THAT OFFERS A NUMBER OF SOLUTIONS TO THE CRISIS OF MEDIA CAPITULATION TO GOVERNMENTAL POWER, INCLUDING FUNDING INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM THAT HOLDS THE POWERFUL ACCOUNTABLE AND PROVIDES SPACE FOR DISSENTING VOICES. ISSUED A REPORT OUTLINING WAYS THAT COMMUNITIES CAN CREATE NEWS AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS THAT FOSTER INDEPENDENCE AND CONNECTION. CONDUCTED A LISTENING TOUR IN MASSACHUSETTS TO MEET WITH LOCAL JOURNALISTS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS. EMBARKED ON A SIMILAR TOUR IN WISCONSIN, WHICH HAS LOST ROUGHLY 60 PERCENT OF ITS NEWSPAPERS SINCE 2004. CONTINUED PUBLIC EDUCATION AND LEADERSHIP OF ORGANIZING EFFORTS IN CALIFORNIA, MASSACHUSETTS, NEW JERSEY, PENNSYLVANIA, WASHINGTON STATE AND WISCONSIN FOCUSED ON CREATION OF NEW PUBLICLY SUPPORTED MEDIA SYSTEMS THAT EXPAND INDEPENDENT LOCAL NEWS AND SERVE PEOPLE ACROSS CLASS, CULTURES AND LANGUAGES. THROUGH THE MEDIA 2070 PROJECT, DOCUMENTED HOW CENTURIES OF HARM THE U.S. MEDIA SYSTEM HAS INFLICTED ON THE BLACK COMMUNITY. WORKED WITH ALLIED ORGANIZATIONS TO BRING THE BLACK FUTURE NEWSSTAND TO LOS ANGELES AND HOUSTON. SUPPORTED THE MEDIA 2070 PROJECT'S MOVE TOWARD INDEPENDENCE THROUGH TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND GRANTMAKING TO ESTABLISH THE PROJECT WITHIN ANOTHER PUBLIC CHARITY.

  Expenses $5,281,952 · Grants $1,433,000

• FREE PRESS WORKS TO PRESERVE RIGHTS TO OPEN COMMUNICATION, FREE EXPRESSION AND PRIVACY. AREAS OF FOCUS INCLUDE FUTURE OF THE INTERNET AND MEDIA; DEMOCRACY AND DIGITAL CIVIL RIGHTS; AND FUTURE OF JOURNALISM. IN 2025, FREE PRESS CONDUCTED RESEARCH AND EDUCATION, WHILE ORGANIZING AND MOBILIZING FOR BETTER MEDIA, OPEN TECHNOLOGY AND A HEALTHIER DEMOCRACY. PROVIDED REGULAR INFORMATION VIA EMAIL, WEBSITE, AND WEBINARS TO 1.4 MILLION CONSTITUENTS HAILING FROM ALL 50 STATES, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND PUERTO RICO. ATTRACTED 500,000 OVERALL WEBSITE VISITS AND VIRTUAL EVENTS ATTRACTED HUNDREDS OF PARTICIPANTS. INTERACTED WITH OVER 150,000 SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWERS AND EARNED 2,160 PRESS HITS. CREATED AND DISSEMINATED RESOURCE MATERIALS INCLUDING RESEARCH REPORTS, ISSUE BRIEFS, FACTSHEETS, AND BROCHURES. LAUNCHED "PRESSING ISSUES," A TWICE-WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HIGHLIGHTING IDEAS AND ANALYSIS ABOUT EVERYTHING HAPPENING AT THE INTERSECTION OF MEDIA, TECHNOLOGY AND DEMOCRACY. PROVIDED TRAINING AND SUPPORT TO DOZENS OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL MEDIA REFORM GROUPS AND TO THOUSANDS OF LOCAL MEDIA ACTIVISTS. FILED PUBLIC COMMENTS, AND PARTICIPATED IN SEVERAL FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION PROCEEDINGS AND SEVERAL FEDERAL COURT PROCEEDINGS. TESTIFIED BEFORE CONGRESS ON MATTERS PERTAINING TO FREE SPEECH AND GOVERNMENT CENSORSHIP. WORKED WITH DOZENS OF ORGANIZATIONS TO PLAN AND IMPLEMENT HIGH-PROFILE EDUCATIONAL EVENTS. SECURED FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM 3,397 DONORS. TOTAL PROGRAM EXPENDITURES ARE DETAILED IN THE THREE CORE PROGRAM AREAS ABOVE.

  Revenue $32,750

As filed on the 2025 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Officers and directors · 2025

As listed in Part VII of the 2025 return, in the order the filer printed them. Each return names its own; this is not a roster the organization keeps with us.

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. Earlier years are each on their own filing page.

Filings

• 2025

  Revenue

  $8,769,507

  Expenses

  $8,725,813

  Contributions

  $8,401,193

  Grants paid

  $1,583,000

• 2024

  Revenue

  $5,837,022

  Expenses

  $7,341,969

  Contributions

  $5,254,245

  Grants paid

  $900,000

• 2023

  Revenue

  $8,915,775

  Expenses

  $6,512,640

  Contributions

  $8,592,672

  Grants paid

  $749,999

• 2022

  Revenue

  $10,157,505

  Expenses

  $5,255,618

  Contributions

  $10,063,720

  Grants paid

  $301,500

The four totals the IRS asks for on Part I of the Form 990, as filed. A dash means the figure was not present on the return — not that it was zero.

Other returns filed

• 2021 · 990

  Revenue

  $3,064,544

  Expenses

  $4,562,115

  Assets (EOY)

  $5,225,748

• 2020 · 990

  Revenue

  $6,325,612

  Expenses

  $4,161,139

  Assets (EOY)

  $6,868,412

• 2019 · 990

  Revenue

  $4,674,603

  Expenses

  $4,555,721

  Assets (EOY)

  $4,545,191

• 2018 · 990

  Revenue

  $1,995,817

  Expenses

  $4,177,363

  Assets (EOY)

  $4,481,168

• 2017 · 990

  Revenue

  $5,672,347

  Expenses

  $3,278,337

  Assets (EOY)

  $6,548,783

• 2016 · 990

  Revenue

  $4,424,641

  Expenses

  $2,758,125

  Assets (EOY)

  $4,257,600

• 2015 · 990

  Revenue

  $2,468,385

  Expenses

  $2,304,444

  Assets (EOY)

  $2,316,187

• 2014 · 990

  Revenue

  $1,620,469

  Expenses

  $2,501,301

  Assets (EOY)

  $2,164,072

Nonprofiteer parses Forms 990, 990-EZ and 990-PF, in a window of recent tax years. These returns are recorded from the IRS e-file index, so their figures were extracted by that index rather than read from the return here — treat them as a different source from the filings above, not as more of the same record. A dash means the index carries no figure; Form 990-T listings carry none at all.

Grants made

• THE MEDIA FREEDOM FOUNDATION

  $600,000

  2023 · GENERAL SUPPORT OF MEDIA FREEDOM FOUNDATION'S PROJECT CENSORED ACTIVITIES

• THE MEDIA FREEDOM FOUNDATION

  $600,000

  2024 · GENERAL SUPPORT OF MEDIA FREEDOM FOUNDATION'S PROJECT CENSORED ACTIVITIES

• THE MEDIA FREEDOM FOUNDATION

  $300,000

  2022 · GENERAL SUPPORT OF MEDIA FREEDOM FOUNDATION'S PROJECT CENSORED ACTIVITIES

• FREE PRESS ACTION FUND

  $300,000

  2024 · PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT

• FREE PRESS ACTION FUND

  $100,000

  2023 · PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT

• MILES MEDIA CONSULTING MANAGEMENT

  $13,333

  2023 · PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT

• STOCKTON UNIVERSITY

  $13,333

  2023 · PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT

• TINY NEWS COLLECTIVEFIVE WARDS MEDIA & NEWARK NEWS AND STORY COLLABORATIVE

  $11,667

  2023 · PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT

• MOVEMENT ALLIANCE PROJECTCOMMUNITY INFO COOPERATIONS

  $11,666

  2023 · PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT

• FREE PRESS ACTION FUND

  $0

  2025 · PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT

The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.

Where these grants went next →

Grants received

• THE MIAMI FOUNDATION INC

  $1,028,500

  2025 · PROGRAM SUPPORT

• NEW VENTURE FUND

  $320,000

  2023 · CIVIL RIGHTS, SOCIAL ACTION, ADVOCACY

• HOPEWELL FUND

  $300,000

  2023 · CIVIL RIGHTS, SOCIAL ACTION, ADVOCACY

• NEW VENTURE FUND

  $250,000

  2022 · CIVIL RIGHTS, SOCIAL ACTION, ADVOCACY

• NEW VENTURE FUND

  $250,000

  2024 · CIVIL RIGHTS, SOCIAL ACTION, ADVOCACY

• HOPEWELL FUND

  $250,000

  2022 · CIVIL RIGHTS, SOCIAL ACTION, ADVOCACY

• POLICYLINK

  $175,000

  2023 · CROSSCUTTING STRATEGIES

• AMERICAN ONLINE GIVING FOUNDATION INC

  $153,490

  2024 · GENERAL SUPPORT

• CHARITIES AID FOUNDATION AMERICA

  $150,000

  2022 · CHARITABLE DONATION

• BATTERY FOUNDATION

  $147,951

  2024 · GENERAL SUPPORT

The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.

Related organizations

From Schedule R Part II, where a filer lists the tax-exempt organizations it is related to by control. It does not record shared board members or money.

Other IRS files