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Media Empathy Foundation FY2023 filing

Tax-deductible

New York, NY501(c)(3)Mental HealthEIN 83-3207447Revenue $385K in FY2023

On file with the IRSmediaempathy.org131 Riverside Dr Apt 4a, 10024-3740 · New York, NYTax-exempt since May 2020Private non-operating foundation

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Media Empathy Foundation helps people who struggle with the stigma of having a health condition and their families by educating Media about harmful portrayals and narratives by conducting and sourcing research to inform our content and engaging influential experts to provide commentary and perspective. Media Empathy foundation's mission is to reduce health stigma by promoting Empathy, compassion and inclusivity in all forms of Media.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
85¢ 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
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
2 of 4
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $5K a year · 3% of revenue · last 4 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 2 of the last 4 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 4 filings
Spent on programs
85%
of spending
Looks good: 85% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Cash reserves
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 3.5 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $500
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
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
10
of 10 voting members
Looks good: 10 of 10 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$385K
+16% vs prior year
Spent
$373K
To programs
85%
Net assets
$110K
By yearFY2022–FY2025
Revenue
$385K
FY2023▲ +16%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2022$331K
FY2023$385K
FY2024$6K
FY2025$3K
Expenses
$373K
FY2023▲ +54%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2022$241K
FY2023$373K
FY2024$68K
FY2025$25K
Net assets
$110K
FY2023▲ +13%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2022$97K
FY2023$110K
FY2024$48K
FY2025$24K

From the FY2023 Form 990 · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2023 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 May 2020.

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

Where the money goes

85 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 85% · $317K Management & general 15% · $56K

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

10 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Helene Ellison
President & Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Susan Magsamen
Chief Knowledge Officer & Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Russell H Ellison
Chief Scientific Officer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
David Barrett
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
David Sloan
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Mike Paseornek
Chair of the Board & Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
See Media Empathy Foundation 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 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Educates media to reduce health stigma, promoting empathy and inclusivity.

Questions for Media Empathy Foundation

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $317K · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

Spotlight on Weight Stigma Initiative

The media empathy foundation conducted a landmark national survey of 1,240 adults with a body mass index of 30 or higher, a demographic that accounts for 42% of americans within the range of obesity according to the U.S. Centers for disease control and prevention.

$317Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2023
Anthony Ford Charitable FoundationFY2023$500
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$500
Grants paid · 5 grants · $17K · 2024–2025
The New GroupFY2025$5,500
Arthur Miller FoundationFY2025$5,200
Fire Island Pines Historical AssociationFY2025$1,100
Arthur Miller FoundationNY · FY2024$3,090
Broadway Cares-Equity Fights Aids INCNY · FY2024$2,500

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$385K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$385K
Money outPt IX
$373K
Ln 25
Programscol B$317K
Managementcol C$56K
Owns and owesPt X
$110K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$110K
Total assetsLn 16$110K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
10
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a10
IndependentVI 1b10
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$385K
Total revenueLn 12$385K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$110K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$110K
Total assetsLn 16$110K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$110K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 60
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$97K$110K
Total assetsLn 16$97K$110K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$0
Net assetsLn 32$97K$110K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$4K$4K
Accounting feesLn 11c$2K$2K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$24K$24K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$8K$8K
Office expensesLn 13$593$593
Information technologyLn 14$17K$17K
TravelLn 17$12K$12K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$21K$21K
InsuranceLn 23$896$896
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$281K$281K
All other expensesLn 24e$3K$3K
Total functional expensesLn 25$373K$317K$56K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $3K$25K−$22K$24K 990 PDF
FY2024 $6K$68K−$61K$48K 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $385K$373K$12K$110K 990 PDF
FY2022 $331K$241K$90K$97K 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 FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $385,000 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $331,112$385,000
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $331,112$385,000
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $1,000$4,263
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $0$0
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $240,226$368,422
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $241,226$372,685
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $89,886$12,315
Part VI · Governance 10 of 10 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body10
VI-1b Independent voting members10
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
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 $385,000 across 3 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$385,000
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$385,000
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$385,000
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $372,685 across 11 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $4,263$4,263
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $1,517$1,517
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $23,829$23,829
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $8,325$8,325
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $593$593
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $16,565$16,565
IX-17 TravelManagement $12,394$12,394
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsManagement $20,633$20,633
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $896$896
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $280,630$280,630
IX-24e All other expensesManagement $3,040$3,040
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $317,047 · Management $55,638 · Fundraising $0$372,685
Part X · Balance sheet $109,654 assets, 6 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $97,339$109,654
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $97,339$109,654
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $97,339$109,654
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $97,339$109,654
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $97,339$109,654
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $109,654 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$385,000
XI-2 Total expenses$372,685
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$12,315
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$97,339
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$109,654

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

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