Underscore produces indigenous-centered journalism that illuminates the intersections of sovereignty and justice and portrays the rich diversity of Native communities in the Pacific Northwest.

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

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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
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
3 of 4
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $65K a year · 11% of revenue · last 4 filings
Fine: a surplus in 3 of the last 4 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 4 filings
Spent on programs
84%
of spending
Looks good: 84% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
6 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 6.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
12
named funders · $667K
Looks good: 12 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$0
0% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 7 voting members
Looks good: 7 of 7 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$917K
+32% vs prior year
Spent
$739K
To programs
84%
Net assets
$411K
By yearFY2021–FY2024
Revenue
$917K
FY2024▲ +32%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$382K
FY2022$422K
FY2023$697K
FY2024$917K
Expenses
$739K
FY2024▲ +17%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$330K
FY2022$459K
FY2023$630K
FY2024$739K
Net assets
$411K
FY2024▲ +77%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$203K
FY2022$166K
FY2023$233K
FY2024$411K

From the FY2024 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Feb 2021.

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% · $622K Management & general 13% · $97K Fundraising 3% · $20K

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

6 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Vice Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
See Underscore Media Collaboration 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

Produces indigenous journalism highlighting Native sovereignty, justice, and diversity in the Pacific Northwest.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $622K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Our work was widely republished (to date, more than 70 outlets and sites have featured our work nationwide), and we also built out co-reporting partnerships with key partners, such as a story that was featured on the cover of High Country News magazine and a story that appeared on the Sunday front page of The Seattle Times, which were…

$306Kprogram expense
02

Our journalism from 2024 won 19 Indigenous Media Awards, the most in the U.S., and additional honors from institutions such as the Society of Professional Journalists.

$306Kprogram expense
03

We hosted our third Indigenous Journalism Fellow for an immersive 10-week internship that included fully paid housing and scholarship funding. The fellows work produced during their internship won three national journalism awards.

$11Kprogram 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
Ford FoundationFY2024$100K
Total grants receivedfrom 12 funders$667K
See all 12 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$917K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$917K
Investment incomeLn 3$421
Money outPt IX
$739K
Ln 25
Programscol B$622K
Managementcol C$97K
Fundraisingcol D$20K
Owns and owesPt X
$411K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$397K
Total assetsLn 16$411K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
6
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$917K
Investment incomeLn 3$421
Total revenueLn 12$917K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$397K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$397K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$14K
Total assetsLn 16$411K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$411K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 58
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$224K$397K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$9K$14K
Total assetsLn 16$233K$411K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$0
Net assetsLn 32$233K$411K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$397K$298K$79K$20K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$50K$50K
Payroll taxesLn 10$33K$33K
Accounting feesLn 11c$4K$4K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$77K$77K$266
Advertising and promotionLn 12$2K$2K$431
Office expensesLn 13$3K$3K$670
OccupancyLn 16$45K$36K$9K
TravelLn 17$36K$36K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$2K$2K
InsuranceLn 23$22K$22K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$38K$31K$8K
All other expensesLn 24e$29K$29K
Total functional expensesLn 25$739K$622K$97K$20K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $917K$739K$178K$411K 990 PDF
FY2023 $697K$630K$67K$233K 990 PDF
FY2022 $422K$459K−$37K$166K 990 PDF
FY2021 $382K$330K$53K$203K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $917,472 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $696,703$917,051
I-9 Program service revenue$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $278$421
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $696,981$917,472
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $450,437$480,423
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $179,787$258,901
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $630,224$739,324
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $66,757$178,148
Part VI · Governance 7 of 7 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members7
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 $917,472 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$917,051
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$917,051
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $421$421
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $421 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$917,472
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $739,324 across 13 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $298,015 · Management $79,471 · Fundraising $19,867$397,353
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $49,851$49,851
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $33,219$33,219
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $3,625$3,625
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $77,027 · Fundraising $266$77,293
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $1,724 · Management $431$2,155
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $2,681 · Management $670$3,351
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $35,822 · Management $8,956$44,778
IX-17 TravelPrograms $35,853$35,853
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $2,083$2,083
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $22,132$22,132
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $30,708 · Management $7,699$38,407
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $29,224$29,224
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $621,964 · Management $97,227 · Fundraising $20,133$739,324
Part X · Balance sheet $411,003 assets, 6 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $223,760$397,217
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $9,095$13,786
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $232,855$411,003
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $232,855$411,003
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $232,855$411,003
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $411,003 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$917,472
XI-2 Total expenses$739,324
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$178,148
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$232,855
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$411,003

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

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