Public Good Projects FY2024 filing

Tax-deductible

New York, NY501(c)(3)Since 2013Health CareEIN 46-2717584Revenue $9.4M in FY2024

On file with the IRSpublicgoodprojects.org401 Park Avenue S10th FL, 10016-8808 · New York, NYTax-exempt since Jun 2014Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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To create a continuous and enduring supply of innovative media that makes the nations most complex and pressing problems easier to understand and improve the lives of americans young and old.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
68¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$791K 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

FY2024 · 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
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $10K a year · under 1% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
68%
of spending
Fine: 68% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$791K
to officers and key staff · 9% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 9% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.0 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $1.8M
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$2.9M
75% of total assets
Worth a look: liabilities are 75% of assets; over 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
12
of 13 voting members
Looks good: 12 of 13 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$9.4M
+19% vs prior year
Spent
$9.0M
To programs
68%
Net assets
$982K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$9.4M
FY2024▲ +19%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$3.9M
FY2021$5.2M
FY2022$9.0M
FY2023$7.8M
FY2024$9.4M
FY2025$9.6M
Expenses
$9.0M
FY2024▼ -0.5%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$3.5M
FY2021$5.6M
FY2022$8.8M
FY2023$9.0M
FY2024$9.0M
FY2025$8.9M
Net assets
$982K
FY2024▲ +57%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$2.1M
FY2021$1.6M
FY2022$1.8M
FY2023$625K
FY2024$982K
FY2025$1.7M

From the FY2024 Form 990 (year ending June 2024) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2024 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jun 2014.

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

Where the money goes

68 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 68% · $6.1M Management & general 28% · $2.5M Fundraising 5% · $412K

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

16 people listed on the 990; $791K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2023); the FY2024 filing did not itemize Part VII
$254,064Pt VII · Sec A
COO/CFO
$188,740Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Program Officer
$177,992Pt VII · Sec A
Editor in Chief
$170,647Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Joseph Smyser’s $267K as CEO is at the 86th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3128 $1–10M health care 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 · 7 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Joseph Smyser$267,395$254,064$223,127$234,776$181,361$183,765
Polly Dong$200,742$188,740$162,814$142,800$37,836—
Jaclyn Goldbarg$197,402$177,992$150,219$142,379$124,780—
Megan Barber—$170,647$139,292$108,101——
Emily Lord—————$148,950
Jennifer Sittig——$130,914$139,832$101,284—
Yeabsira Mehari——$107,572———

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 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Creates media to explain complex problems and improve lives for all Americans.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $6.1M · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

The public good projects leverages large-scale media monitoring programs, social and behavior change interventions, and cross-sector initiatives to lead communication projects for a range of public health topics.

$6.1Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$1.8M

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$9.4M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$7.6M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.7M
Investment incomeLn 3$43K
Money outPt IX
$9.0M
Ln 25
Programscol B$6.1M
Managementcol C$2.5M
Fundraisingcol D$412K
Owns and owesPt X
$982K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$3.0M
Total assetsLn 16$3.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.9M
PeoplePt VI, VII
16
listed · VII A
PaidVII A4
Voting boardVI 1a13
IndependentVI 1b12
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.7M
Government grantsLn 1e$1.7M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$7.6M
Investment incomeLn 3$43K
Other incomeLn 4–11$14K
Total revenueLn 12$9.4M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$100K
SavingsLn 2$2.9M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$3.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$3K
Other assetsLn 15$14K
Total assetsLn 16$3.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.9M
Net assetsLn 32$982K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 539
VolunteersI 614
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$600K$3.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$4K$3K
Total assetsLn 16$2.3M$3.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.7M$2.9M
Net assetsLn 32$625K$982K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$908K$437K$412K$59K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$3.4M$1.7M$1.5M$237K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$37K$15K$20K$1K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$334K$137K$186K$11K
Payroll taxesLn 10$319K$161K$140K$18K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$18K$17K$947$70
Accounting feesLn 11c$113K$106K$6K$449
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$2.6M$2.4M$139K$10K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$577K$574K$450$3K
Office expensesLn 13$31K$14K$17K
Information technologyLn 14$309K$240K$68K$885
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$3K$3K
TravelLn 17$335K$252K$11K$72K
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$0
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$4K$4K
InsuranceLn 23$7K$7K
All other expensesLn 24e$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$9.0M$6.1M$2.5M$412K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $9.6M$8.9M$717K$1.7M 990 PDF
FY2024 Viewing $9.4M$9.0M$357K$982K 990 PDF
FY2023 $7.8M$9.0M−$1.2M$625K 990 PDF
FY2022 $9.0M$8.8M$190K$1.8M 990 PDF
FY2021 $5.2M$5.6M−$440K$1.6M 990 PDF
FY2020 $3.9M$3.5M$321K$2.1M 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 FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $9,352,507 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $2,422,308$1,745,362
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $5,396,429$7,550,136
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $4,646$43,131
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $15,965$13,878
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $7,839,348$9,352,507
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $5,649,417$5,004,590
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $3,392,534$3,990,831
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $9,041,951$8,995,421
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$1,202,603$357,086
Part VI · Governance 12 of 13 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body13
VI-1b Independent voting members12
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $9,352,507 across 7 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$1,731,662
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$13,700
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,745,362
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $7,550,136$7,550,136
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $43,131$43,131
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $13,878$13,878
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $7,564,014 · Excluded from tax $43,131$9,352,507
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $8,995,421 across 29 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizations$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $437,155 · Management $412,368 · Fundraising $58,706$908,229
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,675,723 · Management $1,494,963 · Fundraising $236,686$3,407,372
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $15,024 · Management $20,415 · Fundraising $1,169$36,608
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $136,955 · Management $186,099 · Fundraising $10,658$333,712
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $160,923 · Management $139,700 · Fundraising $18,046$318,669
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $16,616 · Management $947 · Fundraising $70$17,633
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $106,273 · Management $6,057 · Fundraising $449$112,779
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $2,444,946 · Management $139,359 · Fundraising $10,331$2,594,636
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $573,721 · Management $450 · Fundraising $2,569$576,740
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $14,205 · Management $16,760$30,965
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $240,081 · Management $68,180 · Fundraising $885$309,146
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $3,433$3,433
IX-17 TravelPrograms $251,688 · Management $10,772 · Fundraising $72,392$334,852
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetings$0
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $3,606$3,606
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $7,041$7,041
IX-24e All other expenses$0
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $6,073,310 · Management $2,510,150 · Fundraising $411,961$8,995,421
Part X · Balance sheet $3,854,836 assets, 13 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $599,807$100,000
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investments$2,924,488
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $1,631,071$727,881
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $80,078$85,085
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $4,112$3,323
X-15 Other assets$14,059
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $2,315,068$3,854,836
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $400,721$368,176
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $1,289,085$2,504,312
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,689,806$2,872,488
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $625,262$982,348
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $625,262$982,348
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $2,315,068$3,854,836
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $982,348 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$9,352,507
XI-2 Total expenses$8,995,421
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$357,086
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$625,262
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$982,348

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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