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.
76¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

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
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
76%
of spending
Looks good: 76% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.3 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
$697K
+65% vs prior year
Spent
$630K
To programs
76%
Net assets
$233K
By yearFY2021–FY2024
Revenue
$697K
FY2023▲ +65%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$382K
FY2022$422K
FY2023$697K
FY2024$917K
Expenses
$630K
FY2023▲ +37%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$330K
FY2022$459K
FY2023$630K
FY2024$739K
Net assets
$233K
FY2023▲ +40%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$203K
FY2022$166K
FY2023$233K
FY2024$411K

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 Feb 2021.

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

Where the money goes

76 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 76% · $477K Management & general 12% · $72K Fundraising 13% · $81K

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

7 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$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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3 programs · $477K · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

Underscore won 14 journalism awards from the Native American Journalists Association and five Society of Professional Journalists awards in 2023 for work completed in 2022.

$462Kprogram expense
02

Underscore hosted its second Indigenous Journalism Fellow in summer 2023. The fellowship program consists of an immersive 10-week internship at Underscore News. Underscore fully covers the fellows relocation costs and housing while in Portland and furnishes a scholarship upon completion of the internship.

$12Kprogram expense
03

Underscore News hosted its first community listening session on June 22, 2023. The session provided a forum for direct interaction between our staff and Indigenous community leaders and members in Portland.

$4Kprogram 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 FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$697K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$697K
Investment incomeLn 3$278
Money outPt IX
$630K
Ln 25
Programscol B$477K
Managementcol C$72K
Fundraisingcol D$81K
Owns and owesPt X
$233K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$224K
Total assetsLn 16$233K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
7
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$697K
Investment incomeLn 3$278
Total revenueLn 12$697K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$224K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$224K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$9K
Total assetsLn 16$233K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$233K
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 FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$155K$224K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$11K$9K
Total assetsLn 16$166K$233K
LiabilitiesLn 26$50$0
Net assetsLn 32$166K$233K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$376K$246K$50K$81K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$37K$37K
Payroll taxesLn 10$37K$37K
Legal feesLn 11b$351$351
Accounting feesLn 11c$6K$6K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$63K$63K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$3K$2K$599
Office expensesLn 13$2K$2K$379
OccupancyLn 16$43K$34K$9K
TravelLn 17$15K$15K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$4K$4K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$2K$2K
InsuranceLn 23$16K$7K$9K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$20K$16K$4K
All other expensesLn 24e$6K$6K
Total functional expensesLn 25$630K$477K$72K$81K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $917K$739K$178K$411K 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $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 FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $696,981 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $421,733$696,703
I-9 Program service revenue$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $225$278
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $421,958$696,981
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $250,123$450,437
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $208,655$179,787
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $458,778$630,224
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$36,820$66,757
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 $696,981 across 4 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$696,703
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$696,703
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $278$278
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $278 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$696,981
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $630,224 across 15 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $245,836 · Management $49,582 · Fundraising $80,951$376,369
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $36,781$36,781
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $37,287$37,287
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $351$351
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $5,755$5,755
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $62,505$62,505
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $2,397 · Management $599$2,996
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $1,517 · Management $379$1,896
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $34,061 · Management $8,515$42,576
IX-17 TravelPrograms $15,209$15,209
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $4,284$4,284
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $1,653$1,653
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $7,320 · Management $9,051$16,371
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $15,624 · Management $4,367$19,991
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $6,200$6,200
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $476,780 · Management $72,493 · Fundraising $80,951$630,224
Part X · Balance sheet $232,855 assets, 6 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $155,397$223,760
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $10,748$9,095
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $166,145$232,855
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $50$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $166,095$232,855
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $166,145$232,855
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $232,855 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$696,981
XI-2 Total expenses$630,224
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$66,757
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$166,095
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$3
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$232,855

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

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