Discourse Labs INC

Newton, MAUnknown exempt organization EIN 99-2148045Revenue $238K in FY2025

On file with the IRSdiscourselabs.org1150 Walnut Street · Newton, MA

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Discourse Labs provides research-backed tools and resources for productive public dialogue. We believe people should have the tools, technology, and skills to engage in productive public dialogue using credible information.

85¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 3 volunteers and 4 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

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FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
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
Spent on programs
85%
of spending
Looks good: 85% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$121K
to officers and key staff · 39% of spending
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 39% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Worth a look: 0.8 months of spending in cash; under 1.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $100K
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
3
of 5 voting members
Looks good: 3 of 5 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$238K
+137% vs prior year
Spent
$312K
To programs
85%
Net assets
$21K
By yearFY2024–FY2025
Revenue
$238K
FY2025▲ +137%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2024$100K
FY2025$238K
Net assets
$21K
FY2025▼ -78%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2024$95K
FY2025$21K

From the FY2025 Form 990 · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025.

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% · $265K Management & general 15% · $47K

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

5 people listed on the 990; $121K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Director of Operations & Finance/Board Treasurer
$60,900Pt VII · Sec A
Board President/Director of Research
$60,450Pt VII · Sec A
Co-Vice President of the Board
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Co-Vice President of the Board
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
See Discourse Labs INC 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

Provides tools and resources for productive public dialogue using credible information.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $265K · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

Our work in this area over the past year led to a successful collaboration with a group of public health and technology leaders in developing guidelines around the ethical use of ai in public health communication, which we published in early march. HTTPS://ARTT.DISCOURSELABS.ORG/POST/USING-AI-ETHICALLY-IN-PUBLIC-HEALTH-COMMUNICATION

$265Kprogram expense
02

For online discussions, we developed "discourse maps" around vaccines and scientific knowledge. The content of these maps illustrate the reasoning and evidence underlying two main claims:- vaccines help keep communities healthy and are safe.

Pt IX · col B
03

A new iteration of our artt curriculum aimed at supporting public health communicators who seek to provide accurate information in trust-building ways; it was debuted in spring 2025 with professor monica schoch-spana at the texas A&M universitysan antonio and students in public and community health.

Pt IX · col B

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
Hacks HackersFY2024$100K
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$100K

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$238K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$236K
Investment incomeLn 3$1K
Money outPt IX
$312K
Ln 25
Programscol B$265K
Managementcol C$47K
Owns and owesPt X
$21K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$21K
Total assetsLn 16$21K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
5
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a5
IndependentVI 1b3
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$236K
Investment incomeLn 3$1K
Total revenueLn 12$238K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$21K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$21K
Total assetsLn 16$21K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$21K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 54
VolunteersI 63
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$95K$21K
Total assetsLn 16$95K$21K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$0
Net assetsLn 32$95K$21K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$121K$109K$12K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$128K$115K$13K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$4K$4K$431
Payroll taxesLn 10$21K$19K$2K
Legal feesLn 11b$6K$6K
Accounting feesLn 11c$3K$3K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$2K$2K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$455$455
Office expensesLn 13$9K$9K
TravelLn 17$1K$1K
InsuranceLn 23$5K$4K$498
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$12K$12K
Total functional expensesLn 25$312K$265K$47K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $238K$312K−$74K$21K 990 PDF
FY2024 $100K$95K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $237,692 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $100,200$236,284
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$1,408
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $100,200$237,692
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $0$274,268
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $4,804$37,851
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $4,804$312,119
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $95,396−$74,427
Part VI · Governance 3 of 5 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body5
VI-1b Independent voting members3
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 $237,692 across 4 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$236,284
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$236,284
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $1,408$1,408
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $1,408$237,692
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $312,119 across 12 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $109,215 · Management $12,135$121,350
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $115,182 · Management $12,798$127,980
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $3,881 · Management $431$4,312
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $18,563 · Management $2,063$20,626
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $5,789$5,789
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $2,528$2,528
IX-11g Other fees for servicesManagement $1,767$1,767
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $455$455
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $9,158$9,158
IX-17 TravelPrograms $1,449$1,449
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $4,484 · Management $498$4,982
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $11,723$11,723
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $264,952 · Management $47,167 · Fundraising $0$312,119
Part X · Balance sheet $20,969 assets, 6 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $95,396$20,969
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $95,396$20,969
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $95,396$20,969
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $95,396$20,969
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $95,396$20,969
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $20,969 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$237,692
XI-2 Total expenses$312,119
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$74,427
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$95,396
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$20,969

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

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