Organized for the purpose of promoting the gathering and dissemination of information about important public-policy issues facing the US through investigative, explanatory, data-driven and multimedia journalism, and other forms of public-interest information.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
94¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$708K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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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
2 of 4
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $136K a year · 2% 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
94%
of spending
Looks good: 94% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$708K
to officers and key staff · 9% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 9% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Worth a look: 0.9 months of spending in cash; under 1.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
8
named funders · $4.9M
Looks good: 8 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$116K
17% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 17% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
3
of 4 voting members
Looks good: 3 of 4 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$7.9M
+30% vs prior year
Spent
$7.5M
To programs
94%
Net assets
$546K
By yearFY2021–FY2024
Revenue
$7.9M
FY2024▲ +30%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$7.8M
FY2022$6.6M
FY2023$6.1M
FY2024$7.9M
Expenses
$7.5M
FY2024▲ +10%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$4.5M
FY2022$8.9M
FY2023$6.9M
FY2024$7.5M
Net assets
$546K
FY2024▲ +220%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$3.3M
FY2022$945K
FY2023$171K
FY2024$546K

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 Jan 2022.

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

Where the money goes

94 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 94% · $7.1M Management & general 2% · $170K Fundraising 4% · $280K

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

8 people listed on the 990; $708K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$300,000Pt VII · Sec A
$180,000Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Editor
$120,000Pt VII · Sec A
$72,000Pt VII · Sec A
$36,000Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Deborah Myers’s $300K as CEO is at the 90th percentile of top reported officer pay among 731 $1–10M 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 · 6 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Deborah Myers$300,000$240,000$251,613$11,613
David Blair$180,000$180,000$120,144—
Joseph Curl$120,000$175,000$180,000$102,000
Phil Willard$72,000$102,000$84,000$18,000
Rob Difrancesco———$66,000
Jeff Birnbaum$36,000$36,000$36,000$21,000

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 Informing America 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 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Investigates and shares public policy information through journalism and multimedia.

Questions for Informing America Foundation

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Your first name shows with your question. Informing America Foundation answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

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2 programs · $7.1M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Provide grants to investigative journalistic entities or other organizations engaged in the similar dissemination of public interest, accountability, and policy information.

$5.9Mprogram expense
02

Maintain off the press website to disseminate important public-policy issues facing the us.

$1.2Mprogram 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 · FY2024
Donors Trust INCFY2024$4.5M
Total grants receivedfrom 8 funders$4.9M
See all 8 funders →
Grants paid · 40 grants · $18.0M · 2021–2024
Michigan News SourceFY2024$600,000
Bentley Media GroupFY2024$498,750
Accuracy in Media INCDC · FY2024$300,000
Ulloo MediaFY2024$300,000
Star News Digital MediaFY2024$300,000
Real Clear FoundationIL · FY2024$250,000
Franklin News FoundationIL · FY2024$250,000
The Napolitan InstituteTX · FY2024$210,000
Bentley Media GroupFY2023$547,900
Ulloo MediaFY2023$433,333
Michigan News SourceFY2023$420,000
Star News Digital MediaFY2023$385,000
See all 40 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$7.9M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$7.9M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$47K
Investment incomeLn 3$126
Money outPt IX
$7.5M
Ln 25
Programscol B$7.1M
Managementcol C$170K
Fundraisingcol D$280K
Owns and owesPt X
$546K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$587K
Total assetsLn 16$661K
LiabilitiesLn 26$116K
PeoplePt VI, VII
8
listed · VII A
PaidVII A5
Voting boardVI 1a4
IndependentVI 1b3
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$7.9M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$47K
Investment incomeLn 3$126
Total revenueLn 12$7.9M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$584K
SavingsLn 2$3K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$587K
Total assetsLn 16$661K
LiabilitiesLn 26$116K
Net assetsLn 32$546K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 60
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$205K$587K
Total assetsLn 16$219K$661K
LiabilitiesLn 26$48K$116K
Net assetsLn 32$171K$546K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$5.7M$5.7M
Legal feesLn 11b$26K$13K$7K$7K
Accounting feesLn 11c$12K$6K$3K$3K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1.0M$606K$147K$257K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$7K$7K
Office expensesLn 13$460$230$115$115
Information technologyLn 14$144K$130K$7K$7K
TravelLn 17$88K$88K
InsuranceLn 23$13K$7K$3K$3K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$548K$543K$2K$2K
All other expensesLn 24e$2K$1K$561$409
Total functional expensesLn 25$7.5M$7.1M$170K$280K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $7.9M$7.5M$375K$546K 990 PDF
FY2023 $6.1M$6.9M−$774K$171K 990 PDF
FY2022 $6.6M$8.9M−$2.3M$945K 990 PDF
FY2021 $7.8M$4.5M$3.3M$3.3M 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 J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $7,911,902 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $6,008,504$7,864,553
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $84,945$47,223
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $827$126
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $6,094,276$7,911,902
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $4,372,900$5,685,417
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 $2,495,182$1,851,483
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $6,868,082$7,536,900
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$773,806$375,002
Part VI · Governance 3 of 4 board members independent, 2 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body4
VI-1b Independent voting members3
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $7,911,902 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$7,864,553
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$7,864,553
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Unrelated business $47,223$47,223
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $126$126
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $47,223 · Excluded from tax $126$7,911,902
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $7,536,900 across 11 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $5,685,417$5,685,417
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $13,170 · Management $6,585 · Fundraising $6,585$26,340
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $6,236 · Management $3,118 · Fundraising $3,118$12,472
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $606,224 · Management $147,000 · Fundraising $257,000$1,010,224
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $7,176$7,176
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $230 · Management $115 · Fundraising $115$460
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $129,523 · Management $7,015 · Fundraising $7,015$143,553
IX-17 TravelPrograms $88,190$88,190
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $6,590 · Management $3,295 · Fundraising $3,295$13,180
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $543,348 · Management $2,236 · Fundraising $2,236$547,820
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $1,098 · Management $561 · Fundraising $409$2,068
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $7,087,202 · Management $169,925 · Fundraising $279,773$7,536,900
Part X · Balance sheet $661,438 assets, 9 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $173,531$583,502
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $31,137$3,303
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $358$74,633
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $218,715$661,438
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $47,926$115,647
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $47,926$115,647
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $170,789$545,791
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $170,789$545,791
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $218,715$661,438
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $545,791 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$7,911,902
XI-2 Total expenses$7,536,900
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$375,002
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$170,789
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$545,791

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

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