Is it real?
Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jan 2004.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File
Where the money goes
85 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.
Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.
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Who runs it and what they're paid
15 people listed on the 990; $903K paid to officers and key staff.
Misty Perez Truedson’s $170K as Chief of Staff is at the 74th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3924 $1–10M arts & culture nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.
Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII
| Name | FY2025 | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | FY2021 | FY2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kimberly Longey | $165,264 | $189,778 | $167,468 | $135,733 | $118,579 | $143,645 |
| Crag Aaron | — | $183,810 | $159,518 | — | — | — |
| Jessica Gonzalez | $161,064 | $181,736 | $168,114 | $144,796 | $109,444 | $137,229 |
| Misty Perez-Truedson | — | $173,508 | $138,428 | — | — | — |
| Misty Perez Truedson | $170,312 | — | — | $135,908 | $120,099 | $127,304 |
| Craig Aaron | $155,324 | — | — | $135,805 | $120,892 | $128,924 |
| Matthew Wood | $144,969 | $147,775 | $129,350 | $130,458 | $114,041 | $116,877 |
| Derek Turner | — | $141,662 | $123,600 | — | — | — |
Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.
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Questions the 990 asks
The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.
- Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
- Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes
Programs and updates
Reforms media to strengthen democracy through research, education, and promoting diverse, public-service-oriented systems.
Questions for Free Press
Your first name shows with your question. Free Press answers here, for everyone.
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Press Freedom/Future of Journalism
Conducted extensive research on the ways that the media have taken part in and supported state violence and harm against black people. Convened a series of events highlighting the history and future of black narrative power and the fight to secure media reparations and build an equitable media system.
Internet Freedom
Highlighted the importance of closing the digital divide and bringing affordable broadband service to 77 million people lacking such service. Promoted awareness of the lifeline program and emergency broadband benefit program to help lower income people afford phone and internet access during the pandemic.
Government/Platform Accountability
Promoted terms of service policies to curb online hate and disinformation while preserving freedom of speech and protecting marginalized communities when they speak out. Published numerous reports, blog posts, social media posts and press releases showcasing how social media company services are used to stoke hate and real-world violence…
Funders
Who pays for it.
From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.
Grants
By the numbers
The FY2021 990, line by line.
Download 990
| Line | Start FY21 | End FY21 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and savingsLn 1–2 | $5.7M | $3.9M |
| Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c | $13K | $8K |
| Total assetsLn 16 | $6.9M | $5.2M |
| LiabilitiesLn 26 | $646K | $501K |
| Net assetsLn 32 | $6.2M | $4.7M |
| Line | Total | Programs | Management | Fundraising |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1 | $311K | $311K | ||
| Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5 | $397K | $232K | $58K | $108K |
| Other salaries and wagesLn 7 | $2.3M | $2.0M | $61K | $175K |
| Pension plan contributionsLn 8 | $101K | $91K | $2K | $7K |
| Other employee benefitsLn 9 | $337K | $296K | $12K | $29K |
| Payroll taxesLn 10 | $182K | $155K | $8K | $19K |
| Legal feesLn 11b | $13K | $12K | $602 | $328 |
| Accounting feesLn 11c | $27K | $9K | $16K | $1K |
| Professional fundraising feesLn 11e | $86K | $86K | ||
| Other fees for servicesLn 11g | $274K | $295K | $6K | −$28K |
| Advertising and promotionLn 12 | $60K | $57K | $628 | $2K |
| Office expensesLn 13 | $33K | $11K | $1K | $21K |
| Information technologyLn 14 | $288K | $241K | $12K | $36K |
| OccupancyLn 16 | $138K | $118K | $6K | $14K |
| TravelLn 17 | $14K | $13K | $486 | $990 |
| Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19 | $16K | $16K | ||
| Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22 | $5K | $4K | $498 | $196 |
| InsuranceLn 23 | $9K | $3K | $6K | $366 |
| Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24 | $18K | $15K | $2K | $2K |
| Total functional expensesLn 25 | $4.6M | $3.9M | $193K | $474K |
Filing history
| Year | Money in | Money out | In minus out | Net assets | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 Latest | $8.8M | $8.7M | $44K | $10.6M | 990 PDF |
| FY2024 | $5.8M | $7.3M | −$1.5M | $10.5M | 990 PDF |
| FY2023 | $8.9M | $6.5M | $2.4M | $12.0M | 990 PDF |
| FY2022 | $10.2M | $5.3M | $4.9M | $9.6M | 990 PDF |
| FY2021 Viewing | $3.1M | $4.6M | −$1.5M | $4.7M | 990 PDF |
| FY2020 | $6.3M | $4.2M | $2.2M | $6.2M | 990 PDF |
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Schedules filed Part IV
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $3,064,544 revenue, 12 lines filed
Part VI · Governance 7 of 8 board members independent, no flags
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $3,064,544 across 6 lines filed
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $4,562,115 across 19 lines filed
Part X · Balance sheet $5,225,748 assets, 15 lines filed
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $4,724,728 net assets at year end
Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File
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