Is it real?
Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jun 1983.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File
Where the money goes
91 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
3 people listed on the 990; $84K paid to officers and key staff.
Denice Zeck’s $84K as Executive Director is at the 65th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1043 $100K–1M public & societal benefit 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 · 1 named individual · Part VII
| Name | FY2025 | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | FY2021 | FY2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denice Zeck | $83,675 | $83,038 | $56,763 | $57,589 | $63,660 | $116,323 |
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
Helps citizens create statewide think tanks to share media packets on critical issues.
Questions for American Forum
Your first name shows with your question. American Forum answers here, for everyone.
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To distribute nationally to the media articles by other organizations of critical social importance for all states
To assist progressive individuals to set up citizen think tanks for the development and dissemination of media packets regarding critical social issues to obtain statewide coverage through the media.
To provide media training through seminars including but not limited to open writing and interviews on camera
Funders
Who pays for it.
From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.
Grants
By the numbers
The FY2025 990, line by line.
Download 990
| Line | Start FY25 | End FY25 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and savingsLn 1–2 | $2K | $22K |
| Total assetsLn 16 | $2K | $22K |
| LiabilitiesLn 26 | $35K | $35K |
| Net assetsLn 32 | −$33K | −$13K |
| Line | Total | Programs | Management | Fundraising |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5 | $76K | $69K | $4K | $4K |
| Payroll taxesLn 10 | $7K | $7K | $366 | $366 |
| Accounting feesLn 11c | $2K | $1K | $597 | $597 |
| Office expensesLn 13 | $4K | $4K | $244 | $244 |
| Information technologyLn 14 | $7K | $7K | ||
| RoyaltiesLn 15 | $765 | $612 | $77 | $77 |
| Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19 | $3K | $3K | ||
| InterestLn 20 | $8K | $5K | $1K | $1K |
| InsuranceLn 23 | $2K | $2K | $114 | $114 |
| Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24 | $26K | $26K | ||
| Total functional expensesLn 25 | $138K | $125K | $7K | $7K |
Filing history
| Year | Money in | Money out | In minus out | Net assets | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 Latest Viewing | $159K | $138K | $22K | −$13K | 990 PDF |
| FY2024 | $120K | $120K | −$417 | −$33K | 990 PDF |
| FY2023 | $102K | $102K | −$108 | −$31K | 990 PDF |
| FY2022 | $71K | $82K | −$11K | −$31K | 990 PDF |
| FY2021 | $97K | $94K | $2K | −$22K | 990 PDF |
| FY2020 | $174K | $174K | −$300 | −$41K | 990 PDF |
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Schedules filed Part IV
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $159,480 revenue, 12 lines filed
Part VI · Governance 0 of 3 board members independent, 3 to look at
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $159,480 across 3 lines filed
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $137,535 across 10 lines filed
Part X · Balance sheet $21,944 assets, 6 lines filed
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets −$12,640 net assets at year end
Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File
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