Barn Raising Media

Tax-deductible

Chicago, IL501(c)(3)Arts & CultureEIN 88-2659178

Promote civil discourse and provide a platform for underrepresented voices and perspectives

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
75¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 5 volunteers and 3 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · 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 3
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $36K a year · 10% of revenue · last 3 filings
Fine: a surplus in 2 of the last 3 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 3 filings
Spent on programs
75%
of spending
Looks good: 75% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$242K
to officers and key staff · 58% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 86% of similar orgs
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 58% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 3.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
8
named funders · $225K
Looks good: 8 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$15K
12% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 12% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
1
of 3 voting members
Worth a look: 1 of 3 voting members are independent, under half.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$488K
+40% vs prior year
Spent
$416K
To programs
75%
Net assets
$109K
By yearFY2023–FY2025
Revenue
$488K
FY2025▲ +40%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2023$290K
FY2024$349K
FY2025$488K
Expenses
$416K
FY2025▲ +1%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2023$192K
FY2024$410K
FY2025$416K
Net assets
$109K
FY2025▲ +196%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2023$98K
FY2024$37K
FY2025$109K

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending March 2025) · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jul 2023.

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

Where the money goes

75 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 75% · $314K Management & general 15% · $63K Fundraising 9% · $39K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Who runs it and what they're paid

4 people listed on the 990; $242K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
President
$95,668Pt VII · Sec A
$73,677Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Executive Officer
$72,180Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Joel Bleifuss’s $96K as President is at the 86th percentile of top reported officer pay among 2216 $100K–1M arts & culture 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 · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023
Joel Bleifuss$95,668$109,576$59,119
Justin Perkins$73,677$42,465$12,459
Anne Mollo-Christensen$72,180$72,180$31,925

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 Barn Raising Media 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

Fosters respectful dialogue and amplifies underrepresented voices.

Provided by the organization

This section is blank until Barn Raising Media claims this page.

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1 program service account for $314K of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2024.
01

The organization developed and launched its website, barn raiser, as an independent source for rural and small town news. The site hosts news and investigative reports, interviews, opinion pieces, and articles on topics such as politics & policy, native life, history, environment, culture, religion, and agriculture.

$314Kprogram expense

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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
See all 8 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$488K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$486K
Investment incomeLn 3$2K
Other incomeLn 4–11$833
Money outPt IX
$416K
Ln 25
Programscol B$314K
Managementcol C$63K
Fundraisingcol D$39K
Owns and owesPt X
$109K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$124K
Total assetsLn 16$124K
LiabilitiesLn 26$15K
PeoplePt VI, VII
4
listed · VII A
PaidVII A3
Voting boardVI 1a3
IndependentVI 1b1
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$486K
Investment incomeLn 3$2K
Other incomeLn 4–11$833
Total revenueLn 12$488K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$19K
SavingsLn 2$105K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$124K
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$124K
LiabilitiesLn 26$15K
Net assetsLn 32$109K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 53
VolunteersI 65
Fiscal year endsHeaderMarch
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$56K$124K
Total assetsLn 16$57K$124K
LiabilitiesLn 26$20K$15K
Net assetsLn 32$37K$109K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$261K$196K$42K$24K
Payroll taxesLn 10$20K$15K$3K$2K
Accounting feesLn 11c$13K$13K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$73K$69K$872$3K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$22K$22K
Office expensesLn 13$6K$1K$1K$3K
Information technologyLn 14$2K$2K$126
TravelLn 17$9K$4K$4K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$1K$1K
InsuranceLn 23$3K$3K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$7K$4K$390$2K
Total functional expensesLn 25$416K$314K$63K$39K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $488K$416K$72K$109K 990 PDF
FY2024 $349K$410K−$61K$37K 990 PDF
FY2023 $290K$192K$98K$98K 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 FY2025 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $488,435 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$485,951
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$485,951
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $1,651$1,651
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $833$833
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $2,484$488,435
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $416,079 across 11 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $195,610 · Management $41,529 · Fundraising $24,123$261,262
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $14,964 · Management $3,177 · Fundraising $1,846$19,987
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $12,939$12,939
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $69,138 · Management $872 · Fundraising $2,885$72,895
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $21,559$21,559
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $1,466 · Management $1,105 · Fundraising $3,001$5,572
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $1,765 · Management $126$1,891
IX-17 TravelPrograms $4,351 · Fundraising $4,351$8,702
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $1,056$1,056
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $3,354$3,354
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $4,081 · Management $390 · Fundraising $2,391$6,862
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $313,990 · Management $63,492 · Fundraising $38,597$416,079
Part X · Balance sheet $123,957 assets, 10 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $45,314$19,171
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $10,527$104,786
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $1,275$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $57,116$123,957
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $20,159$14,644
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $20,159$14,644
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $28,257$101,813
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $8,700$7,500
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $36,957$109,313
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $57,116$123,957
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $109,313 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$488,435
XI-2 Total expenses$416,079
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$72,356
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$36,957
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$109,313

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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