Civic News Company
Civic News Company reported $10.2 million in revenue and $13.4 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $72.35 went to program services, $16.18 to management and general costs and $11.47 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 93.2% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $350,460 (CO-FOUNDER AND CEO). 30 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 37% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $13MFor context, the median across 5,499 covered education charities: $85.56 programs, $13.59 management, $0.85 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $10MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 72.3% | 84.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 16.2% | 13.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 11.5% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.16 | $0.04 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 93.2% | 19.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 1.3% | 69.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $350,460 | $331,578 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.62% | 1.28% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 30 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 9.5 | 13.3 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 7 of 8 | 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
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseCivic News Company exists to help people understand how america works so they can make it work better. Our mission is realized through rigorous, independent journalism across three verticals: chalkbeat (education), votebeat (election administration), and healthbeat (public health). Together, these newsrooms serve as essential public institutions, equipping civic catalysts - teachers, election officials, health advocates, and community leaders - with trustworthy information that allows them to strengthen their communities. Our reporting is free and not behind a paywall, available to all…
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CO-FOUNDER AND CEO Director/trustee, officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $307,425 | $0 | $43,035 | $350,460 |
| CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $245,311 | $0 | $17,658 | $262,969 |
| REVENUE OFFICER THRU FEB 2025 Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $199,930 | $0 | $48,151 | $248,081 |
| SR. DIRECTOR, EARNED REVENUE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $165,709 | $0 | $43,488 | $209,197 |
| VP OF PHILANTHROPY Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $179,200 | $0 | $15,918 | $195,118 |
| DIRECTOR OF AUDIENCE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $143,056 | $0 | $21,283 | $164,339 |
| EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $143,807 | $0 | $15,633 | $159,440 |
| EDITOR OF LOCAL NEWS, CHALKBEAT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $145,817 | $0 | $6,119 | $151,936 |
30 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Civic News Company (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.1M (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · 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–1b8 · 7 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 15aYes
- 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 4No
- 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 597
- Volunteers Part I, line 68
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| WP COMPANY LLC (DBA THE WASHINGTON POS Publishing services | $136,500 |
| BEACON HILL STAFFING GROUP LLC Staffing | $117,583 |
| RA ADVISORS LLC Administrative and consulting services | $111,000 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 3 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
25 private foundations reported grants to Civic News Company totaling $4.1M 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 Civic News Company's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Civic News Company, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Civic News Company spent in FY2025, $72.35 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Mose & Garrison Siskin Memorial FdnChattanooga, TN · revenue $10M · programs 74.8% · FY2025
- Teaneck Community Charter SchoolTeaneck, NJ · revenue $10M · programs 100.0% · FY2025
- Lutz Preparatory SchoolLutz, FL · revenue $10M · programs 99.2% · FY2025
- The Academy of AlamedaAlameda, CA · revenue $10M · programs 88.9% · FY2025
- Lake Forest Elementary Charter SchoolNew Orleans, LA · revenue $10M · programs 69.7% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of Civic News Company's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Civic News Company reported that 72.3% of its $13.4 million in expenses went to program services, 16.2% to management and general and 11.5% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Civic News Company pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Civic News Company reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $350,460, for the role of CO-FOUNDER AND CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Civic News Company get its money?
Of $10.2 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 93.2% came from contributions and grants and 1.3% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Civic News Company a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 90-0915846 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. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, object 202641359349311849 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202501359349317985 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202431369349313638 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202341329349309084 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202241169349300214 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202120629349300837 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 90-0915846: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.