Solutions Journalism Network INC FY2023 filing

Tax-deductible

New York, NY501(c)(3)Since 2013EducationEIN 46-2265729

Define and spread solutions journalism-reporting about credible responses to social problems.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
84¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$1.8M paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2023 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $130K a year · 2% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
84%
of spending
Looks good: 84% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.8M
to officers and key staff · 19% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 19% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
8 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 8.1 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
17
named funders · $5.7M
Looks good: 17 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$486K
6% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 6% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
9
of 11 voting members
Looks good: 9 of 11 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$4.9M
-39% vs prior year
Spent
$9.5M
To programs
84%
Net assets
$7.4M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$4.9M
FY2023▼ -39%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$14.7M
FY2021$5.9M
FY2022$8.1M
FY2023$4.9M
FY2024$8.7M
Expenses
$9.5M
FY2023▼ -8%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$7.4M
FY2021$7.9M
FY2022$10.3M
FY2023$9.5M
FY2024$8.0M
Net assets
$7.4M
FY2023▼ -38%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$15.9M
FY2021$13.9M
FY2022$11.9M
FY2023$7.4M
FY2024$8.2M

From the FY2023 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2023 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Jun 2014.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

84 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 84% · $7.9M Management & general 10% · $986K Fundraising 6% · $532K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Who runs it and what they're paid

22 people listed on the 990; $1.8M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
CEO/Co-Founder
$249,727Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Financial Officer
$209,872Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary/Co-Founder
$185,682Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Program Officer
$180,784Pt VII · Sec A
Chief of Strategic Relations
$180,418Pt VII · Sec A
Chief of Innovation
$144,063Pt VII · Sec A
Controller (thru 12/31/23)
$129,893Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Beacons & Advanced Pra
$124,303Pt VII · Sec A

David N Bornstein’s $254K as CEO/Co-Founder is at the 91st percentile of top reported officer pay among 3395 $1–10M education 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

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
David N Bornstein$253,933$249,727$223,627$220,288—
Maurisse Johnson—$209,872$190,648$181,601$168,877
David Bornstein————$207,649
Elizabeth Ann Share$198,184$180,418$176,176$171,152$151,974
Tina Rosenberg Varenik$186,208$185,682$193,047$190,518$173,092
Sara Catania$192,138$180,784$155,792$138,042$113,104
Samantha McCann——$171,894$166,238$139,587
Ambika Samarthya-Howard$162,935$144,063———

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.

See Solutions Journalism Network INC executive salaries →

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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

Promotes and teaches solutions journalism by curating a searchable database of stories about credible responses to social problems and supporting university educators with teaching materials.

Provided by the organization

This section is blank until Solutions Journalism Network INC claims this page.

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1 program service account for $7.9M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2023.
01

Systems change (formerly known as "practice change and "knowledge dissemination") - see schedule osolutions journalism, network, inc. (the organization") leverages its curriculum and network to catalyze and sustain the practice of solutions journalism in news organizations, journalism schools and with individual journalists around the…

$7.9Mprogram expense

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Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
See all 17 funders →
Grants paid · 197 grants · $5.9M · 2020–2024
Local Media FoundationMI · FY2024$139,175
Unitemized GrantFY2024$112,000
Cherokee NationFY2024$38,000
Sentient MediaCA · FY2024$25,000
The Osage NationFY2024$20,000
States NewsroomDC · FY2024$20,000
Public Media Network (on Behalf of Sw Michigan Journalism Collaboration)CA · FY2024$20,000
Mongabayorg CorporationCA · FY2024$20,000
Sisseton Wahpeton OyateFY2024$18,000
Shoshone Bannock Tribes DBA Sho-Ban NewsFY2024$18,000
Boise State UniversityFY2024$18,000
Kansas Leadership Center INCKS · FY2024$17,500
Washington State UniversityWA · FY2024$10,000
The Salt Lake Tribune INCUT · FY2024$10,000
Philadelphia CitizenPA · FY2024$10,000
Honolulu Civil Beat INCHI · FY2024$10,000
The Current Media INCLA · FY2024$10,000
The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin SystemFY2024$10,000
See all 197 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$4.9M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$4.6M
Investment incomeLn 3$219K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$126K
Money outPt IX
$9.5M
Ln 25
Programscol B$7.9M
Managementcol C$986K
Fundraisingcol D$532K
Owns and owesPt X
$7.4M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$6.4M
Total assetsLn 16$7.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$486K
PeoplePt VI, VII
22
listed · VII A
PaidVII A12
Voting boardVI 1a11
IndependentVI 1b9
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$4.6M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$126K
Investment incomeLn 3$219K
Other incomeLn 4–11$7K
Total revenueLn 12$4.9M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.1M
SavingsLn 2$5.3M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$6.4M
Other assetsLn 15$272K
Total assetsLn 16$7.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$486K
Net assetsLn 32$7.4M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 547
VolunteersI 60
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$7.2M$6.4M
Total assetsLn 16$12.7M$7.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$784K$486K
Net assetsLn 32$11.9M$7.4M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$1.1M$1.1M
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$338K$338K
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$280K$280K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$1.2M$1.0M$121K$61K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$2.9M$2.0M$464K$353K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$396K$299K$57K$40K
Payroll taxesLn 10$323K$244K$46K$33K
Legal feesLn 11b$8K$8K
Accounting feesLn 11c$44K$44K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1.7M$1.5M$108K$8K
Office expensesLn 13$135K$98K$27K$10K
Information technologyLn 14$277K$224K$53K$535
OccupancyLn 16$141K$118K$22K
TravelLn 17$476K$408K$42K$26K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$47K$46K$697
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$150K$126K$24K
InsuranceLn 23$23K$19K$4K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$23K$14K$8K$1K
Total functional expensesLn 25$9.5M$7.9M$986K$532K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $8.7M$8.0M$796K$8.2M 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $4.9M$9.5M−$4.5M$7.4M 990 PDF
FY2022 $8.1M$10.3M−$2.2M$11.9M 990 PDF
FY2021 $5.9M$7.9M−$2.0M$13.9M 990 PDF
FY2020 $14.7M$7.4M$7.3M$15.9M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2023 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $4,934,513 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$4,583,066
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$4,583,066
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $126,037$126,037
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $218,602$218,602
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $6,808$6,808
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $132,845 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $218,602$4,934,513
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $9,456,535 across 18 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $1,062,360$1,062,360
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $338,250$338,250
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $280,500$280,500
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $1,030,958 · Management $121,289 · Fundraising $60,645$1,212,892
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $2,036,958 · Management $463,806 · Fundraising $352,812$2,853,576
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $299,169 · Management $56,702 · Fundraising $40,324$396,195
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $243,965 · Management $46,239 · Fundraising $32,884$323,088
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $8,312$8,312
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $43,584$43,584
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $1,549,967 · Management $108,491 · Fundraising $8,407$1,666,865
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $97,713 · Management $27,120 · Fundraising $9,907$134,740
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $223,762 · Management $52,770 · Fundraising $535$277,067
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $118,192 · Management $22,480$140,672
IX-17 TravelPrograms $407,709 · Management $42,016 · Fundraising $25,923$475,648
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $46,395 · Management $697$47,092
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $126,068 · Management $24,043$150,111
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $19,143 · Management $3,651$22,794
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $13,753 · Management $7,973 · Fundraising $1,063$22,789
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $7,938,446 · Management $985,589 · Fundraising $532,500$9,456,535
Part X · Balance sheet $7,843,197 assets, 13 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,376,653$1,105,465
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $5,806,415$5,286,091
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $5,002,196$1,106,932
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $125,238$72,574
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $352,816$272,135
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $12,663,318$7,843,197
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $399,410$364,028
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $384,967$122,250
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $784,377$486,278
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $3,924,273$4,187,071
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $7,954,668$3,169,848
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $11,878,941$7,356,919
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $12,663,318$7,843,197
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $7,356,919 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$4,934,513
XI-2 Total expenses$9,456,535
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$4,522,022
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$11,878,941
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$7,356,919

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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