Deep South Today FY2023 filing

Tax-deductible

Jackson, MS501(c)(3)Since 2014Arts & CultureEIN 47-2158741Revenue $6.1M in FY2023

On file with the IRSmississippitoday.org317 E Capitol St Ste 300, 39201-3409 · Jackson, MSTax-exempt since Mar 2015Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

Tell your story. Claim this org

The organization provides top notch service journalism via digital dissemination.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
68¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$865K 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
5 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $1.9M a year · 34% of revenue · last 5 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 5 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 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
$865K
to officers and key staff · 17% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 17% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
11 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 11.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $5K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$393K
5% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 5% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
8
of 8 voting members
Looks good: 8 of 8 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$6.1M
+30% vs prior year
Spent
$5.2M
To programs
68%
Net assets
$7.3M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$6.1M
FY2023▲ +30%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$2.5M
FY2021$5.2M
FY2022$4.7M
FY2023$6.1M
FY2024$9.5M
Expenses
$5.2M
FY2023▲ +44%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$2.0M
FY2021$2.2M
FY2022$3.6M
FY2023$5.2M
FY2024$5.6M
Net assets
$7.3M
FY2023▲ +15%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$2.2M
FY2021$5.2M
FY2022$6.3M
FY2023$7.3M
FY2024$11.1M

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

Give Claim
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 Mar 2015.

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% · $3.5M Management & general 21% · $1.1M Fundraising 11% · $568K

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

Something off? Claim to fix it

Who runs it and what they're paid

15 people listed on the 990; $865K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director Verite
$167,598Pt VII · Sec A
Editor-In-Chief Verite
$147,627Pt VII · Sec A
CEO of Mississippi Today
$121,117Pt VII · Sec A
Editor-In-Chief
$114,483Pt VII · Sec A
Director, People & Culture
$114,155Pt VII · Sec A
Highest Compensated Employee
$108,582Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Executive Officer
$91,358Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

David Francis’s $168K as Executive Director Verite is at the 73rd 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

NameFY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
David Francis$167,598$69,270——
Terry Baquet$147,627$99,565——
Mary Margaret White$121,117$120,860$117,088$115,648
Adam Ganucheau$114,483$106,610$82,905$73,013
Dylan Penny$114,155———
Thomas Ramsey$108,582$107,622$104,504$105,212
Warwick Sabin$91,358———
Ryan L Nave———$32,354

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 Deep South Today executive salaries →

On this list? Claim this org

Something off? Claim to fix it

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

Delivers excellent journalism digitally to inform and engage readers.

Questions for Deep South Today

Tap to ask. Deep South Today sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Deep South Today answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

Know this org? Add your story

2 programs · $3.5M · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

Mississippi today was awarded the 2023 pulitzer prize for local reporting. It is the state's flagship nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom, offering in-depth 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.

$2.1Mprogram expense
02

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 minority journalists. Serving as the voice of the disenfranchised, verite news at no cost provides its readers with the information they need to drive economic, social and…

$1.4Mprogram 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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$5K

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$6.1M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$5.9M
Investment incomeLn 3$135K
Other incomeLn 4–11$79K
Money outPt IX
$5.2M
Ln 25
Programscol B$3.5M
Managementcol C$1.1M
Fundraisingcol D$568K
Owns and owesPt X
$7.3M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$4.9M
Total assetsLn 16$7.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$393K
PeoplePt VI, VII
15
listed · VII A
PaidVII A7
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b8
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$5.9M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$19K
Investment incomeLn 3$135K
Other incomeLn 4–11$79K
Gains on assetsLn 7−$1K
Total revenueLn 12$6.1M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$4.9M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$4.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$68K
Other assetsLn 15$67K
Total assetsLn 16$7.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$393K
Net assetsLn 32$7.3M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 528
VolunteersI 610
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$4.7M$4.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$99K$68K
Total assetsLn 16$6.7M$7.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$399K$393K
Net assetsLn 32$6.3M$7.3M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$774K$539K$180K$55K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$2.1M$1.5M$491K$150K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$62K$43K$14K$4K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$310K$216K$72K$22K
Payroll taxesLn 10$227K$158K$53K$16K
Legal feesLn 11b$92K$32K$61K
Accounting feesLn 11c$23K$23K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$576K$545K$29K$2K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$290K$2K$287K
Office expensesLn 13$57K$24K$33K$821
Information technologyLn 14$290K$206K$84K$554
OccupancyLn 16$115K$80K$27K$8K
TravelLn 17$85K$85K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$46K$46K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$39K$27K$9K$3K
InsuranceLn 23$25K$9K$16K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$24K$5K$19K
Total functional expensesLn 25$5.2M$3.5M$1.1M$568K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $9.5M$5.6M$3.8M$11.1M 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $6.1M$5.2M$972K$7.3M 990 PDF
FY2022 $4.7M$3.6M$1.1M$6.3M 990 PDF
FY2021 $5.2M$2.2M$3.0M$5.2M 990 PDF
FY2020 $2.5M$2.0M$587K$2.2M 990 PDF

More to add? Claim this org

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 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $6,122,140 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $4,528,659$5,889,368
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $68,701$19,417
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $33,915$134,614
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $90,973$78,741
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $4,722,248$6,122,140
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $2,421,342$3,488,164
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,158,494$1,661,991
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $3,579,836$5,150,155
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $1,142,412$971,985
Part VI · Governance 8 of 8 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body8
VI-1b Independent voting members8
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $6,122,140 across 7 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$5,889,368
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$5,889,368
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Unrelated business $19,417$19,417
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $135,704$135,704
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax −$1,090−$1,090
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $78,741$78,741
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $19,417 · Excluded from tax $213,355$6,122,140
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $5,150,155 across 17 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $539,044 · Management $179,667 · Fundraising $54,851$773,562
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,474,067 · Management $491,316 · Fundraising $149,996$2,115,379
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $43,317 · Management $14,438 · Fundraising $4,408$62,163
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $216,059 · Management $72,014 · Fundraising $21,985$310,058
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $158,183 · Management $52,723 · Fundraising $16,096$227,002
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $31,515 · Management $60,681$92,196
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $22,608$22,608
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $545,346 · Management $28,879 · Fundraising $1,788$576,013
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $2,103 · Fundraising $287,457$289,560
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $23,576 · Management $32,555 · Fundraising $821$56,952
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $205,937 · Management $83,636 · Fundraising $554$290,127
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $80,222 · Management $26,739 · Fundraising $8,163$115,124
IX-17 TravelPrograms $85,026$85,026
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $46,087$46,087
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $27,389 · Management $9,129 · Fundraising $2,787$39,305
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $8,532 · Management $16,430$24,962
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $5,096 · Fundraising $18,935$24,031
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $3,491,499 · Management $1,090,815 · Fundraising $567,841$5,150,155
Part X · Balance sheet $7,698,323 assets, 13 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $4,709,317$4,906,034
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $1,703,425$2,546,568
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $9,850$79,222
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $39,677$31,306
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $99,468$67,818
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $170,646$67,375
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $6,732,383$7,698,323
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $331,923$376,755
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $399,298$393,253
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,886,836$2,324,246
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $4,446,249$4,980,824
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $6,333,085$7,305,070
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $6,732,383$7,698,323
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $7,305,070 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$6,122,140
XI-2 Total expenses$5,150,155
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$971,985
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$6,333,085
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$7,305,070

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

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

Your org? Add context

Made it to the end? Claim this org

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.