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The Center for Investigative Reporting formrly Foundation for National Progress
The Center for Investigative Reporting formrly Foundation for National Progress reported $27.5 million in revenue and $25.2 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $83.91 went to program services, $9.58 to management and general costs and $6.51 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 80.0% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $285,744 (DC Bureau Chief). 69 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 67% between FY2020 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $25MFor context, the median across 185 covered public & societal benefit charities: $88.81 programs, $11.18 management, $0.01 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 $28MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 83.9% | 84.9% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 9.6% | 10.7% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 6.5% | 0.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.07 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 80.0% | 83.8% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 15.7% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $285,744 | $357,133 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.13% | 1.52% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 69 | 12 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 2.9 | 10.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 24 of 26 | 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 expenseProgram service accomplishment #1 Investigative ReportingThreats to Democracy:Mother Jones was the first national outlet to report on voter suppression regularly and deeply, exploring how the push for minority rule may be the greatest threat to our democracy. We are seeing critical stories playing out at the state and local level, where our team has built expertise. In Arizona, we reported on the slate of election deniers who nearly captured the states top offices, and on the regular citizens who worked tirelessly to stop them. In Georgia and Pennsylvania, we explored how voter intimidation…
Program service accomplishment #2 Fellowship ProgramSince 1980, Mother Jones has placed an emphasis on creating opportunities for aspiring journalists through the Ben Bagdikian Fellowship Program. While there are a number of general journalism and reporting internships available for students or recent college graduates, only Mother Jones puts such an emphasis on investigative reporting. Among the largest training programs in the independent media community, the Ben Bagdikian Fellowship Program gives aspiring journalists intensive training in what it takes to publish outstanding, independent…
Corruption:During this fiscal year, we devoted significant journalistic resources to exploring how shadowy wealth distorts public policy, most potently in our recent package How Private Equity Looted America. In it, we explored how private equity has become one of the most powerful hidden forces in our economy, touching nearly every sector of our lives, but is barely covered outside the business pages. We set out to change that, rallying the newsroom to produce a formidable online and print package of 15 stories, including in-depth features, first-person accounts, and a video investigating…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DC Bureau Chief Listed in Part VII, 37.50 hrs/week | $283,357 | $0 | $2,387 | $285,744 |
| President & CEO Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $258,974 | $0 | $18,475 | $277,449 |
| Editor in Chief Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $258,061 | $0 | $11,985 | $270,046 |
| General Counsel Listed in Part VII, 37.50 hrs/week | $243,987 | $0 | $20,999 | $264,986 |
| VP Media Sales Listed in Part VII, 37.50 hrs/week | $210,945 | $0 | $31,210 | $242,155 |
| VP Development Listed in Part VII, 37.50 hrs/week | $200,460 | $0 | $26,590 | $227,050 |
| COO Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $203,756 | $0 | $18,458 | $222,214 |
| Executive Editor Listed in Part VII, 37.50 hrs/week | $195,429 | $0 | $18,458 | $213,887 |
69 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Center for Investigative Reporting formrly Foundation for National Progress (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $786K (Part IX, line 5).
7 filings since FY2020
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–1b26 · 24 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 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5132
- Volunteers Part I, line 624
Largest outside contractors
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| Mal Warwick Inc Direct Mail Campaigns | $740,778 |
| The Ballantine Corporation Direct Mail Campaigns | $649,180 |
| Quad Graphics Inc Magazine Printing/Binding | $609,590 |
| SFG LLC Magazine fulfillment | $450,961 |
| Adstra Direct Mail | $200,201 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 7 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
9 private foundations reported grants to The Center for Investigative Reporting formrly Foundation for National Progress totaling $638K 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 Center for Investigative Reporting formrly Foundation for National Progress'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 Center for Investigative Reporting formrly Foundation for National Progress, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 The Center for Investigative Reporting formrly Foundation for National Progress spent in 2025, $83.91 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Durable Capital for Sustainable OutcomesWashington, DC · revenue $27M · programs 16.8% · 2024
- Association of Social Work BoardsCulpeper, VA · revenue $28M · programs 78.4% · 2025
- HealthixNew York, NY · revenue $27M · programs 84.1% · 2024
- Port of Miami Crane ManagementMiami, FL · revenue $28M · programs 92.6% · FY2025
- Public Citizen FoundationWashington, DC · revenue $27M · programs 82.9% · FY2025
All public & societal benefit charities · Largest charities in California
Questions people ask
How much of The Center for Investigative Reporting formrly Foundation for National Progress's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, The Center for Investigative Reporting formrly Foundation for National Progress reported that 83.9% of its $25.2 million in expenses went to program services, 9.6% to management and general and 6.5% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Center for Investigative Reporting formrly Foundation for National Progress pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Center for Investigative Reporting formrly Foundation for National Progress reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $285,744, for the role of DC Bureau Chief (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Center for Investigative Reporting formrly Foundation for National Progress get its money?
Of $27.5 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 80.0% came from contributions and grants and 15.7% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Center for Investigative Reporting formrly Foundation for National Progress a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 94-2282759 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))), 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 202631349349311788 · read the filing
- FY2024 (6 mo.): Form 990 for the 6-month short period ending December 31, 2024, object 202503179349306350 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202541349349312574 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202430899349301478 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202213569349301561 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202123169349308477 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202013109349302601 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 94-2282759: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.