The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press reported $15.9 million in revenue and $7.8 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $76.52 went to program services, $11.94 to management and general costs and $11.54 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 94.4% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $325,617 (PRESIDENT). 24 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 214% between 2019 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $7.8MFor context, the median across 2,451 covered unclassified charities: $88.23 programs, $11.72 management, $0.05 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $16M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$93.36 $15M
- Program service revenue$1.38 $222K
- Investment income$5.26 $844K
Other revenue was negative: −$185K. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 76.5% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 11.9% | 11.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 11.5% | 0.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.06 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 94.4% | 29.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 3.5% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 1.4% | 58.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $325,617 | $302,069 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 4.17% | 1.38% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 24 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 44.6 | 6.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 30 of 30 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseLegal defense and researchthe committee provides around-the-clock, pro bono services to all news media. It offers free legal assistance and research to journalists and attorneys, files amicus briefs, publishes numerous guides and materials, and speaks out against threats to the freedom of the press. The committee undertakes legal defense and research projects in all areas of media law, and assists journalists and news organizations with freedom of information and access-to-court cases. The legal defense and research program includes the following:pre-publication legal services - the committee…
Highest reported compensation
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $292,612 | $0 | $33,005 | $325,617 |
| VP OF LEGAL PROGRAMMING Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $209,443 | $0 | $12,187 | $221,630 |
| VP OF FINANCE & OPERATIONS Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $198,627 | $0 | $12,058 | $210,685 |
| VP OF POLICY Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $186,974 | $0 | $20,306 | $207,280 |
| VP OF DEVELOPMENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $177,357 | $0 | $22,742 | $200,099 |
| VP OF COMMUNICATIONS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $180,115 | $0 | $10,639 | $190,754 |
| DIR. OF PREPUB. REV. & JOURN. SUPP. Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $161,997 | $0 | $10,471 | $172,468 |
24 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $536K (Part IX, line 5).
7 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b30 · 30 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aNo
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 552
- Volunteers Part I, line 648
Largest outside contractors
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| INEZ WEINSTEIN SPECIAL EVENTS INC Fundraising consulting | $115,000 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 1 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
28 private foundations reported grants to The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press totaling $1.6M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press spent in 2025, $76.52 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Semcoa Inc. Dba Southeast Massachusetts Council on AdvocacyNew Bedford, MA · revenue $16M · programs 90.8% · FY2025
- LA Community Health CenterVan Nuys, CA · revenue $16M · FY2025
- Saint Anne InstituteAlbany, NY · revenue $16M · programs 83.3% · FY2025
- Good Neighbor SocietyManchester, IA · revenue $16M · programs 88.2% · 2025
- Community Drug Board Inc. Dba ChcAkron, OH · revenue $16M · programs 79.6% · FY2025
All unclassified charities · Largest charities in District of Columbia
Questions people ask
How much of The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press reported that 76.5% of its $7.8 million in expenses went to program services, 11.9% to management and general and 11.5% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $325,617, for the role of PRESIDENT (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press get its money?
Of $15.9 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 94.4% came from contributions and grants and 1.4% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 52-0972043 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2025: Form 990 for calendar year 2025, object 202622409349301712 · read the filing · XML
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202542529349301114 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202402499349300125 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202302439349300900 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202202739349301420 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202122369349301562 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202032699349300223 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 52-0972043: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.