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Alternative Newsweekly Foundation

EIN 30-0100369 · Washington, DC

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair64 out of 100GovernanceGood77 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE ALTERNATIVE NEWSWEEKLY FOUNDATION IS DEDICATED TO THE PROMOTION AND SUPPORT OF INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM.ANF SERVES AS A FISCAL SPONSOR TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE BUILDING AND SUSTAINING NEWS AND INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.AS PART OF ITS AFFILIATION WITH AAN PUBLISHERS (AAN.ORG), ANF SUPPORTS THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF JOURNALISTS AND CONNECTS YOUNG JOURNALISTS WITH MENTORS.ANF WORKS SIDE BY SIDE WITH AAN TO SUPPORT THE CORE PRINCIPLES OF THE ALTERNATIVE PRESS: SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER, TELLING STORIES THAT WOULD OTHERWISE GO UNTOLD, AND GIVING VOICE TO THOSE WHO WOULD OTHERWISE GO UNHEARD.

Income
$5.3 million
Spending
$3.9 million
Spent on programs
94%
Reserves
0.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 96%
Employees
5
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$73,545, executive director & secretary

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 64 out of 100. Higher than 26% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 27% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 3% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    94% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 77 out of 100. Higher than 22% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    11 of 11 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $1.5 million spent. FELN: FUND FOR EQUITY IN LOCAL NEWS, A FISCALLY SPONSORED PROJECT OF ANF, RECEIVED GRANT FUNDING FROM GOOGLE NEWS INITIATIVE TO PRODUCE THE TRANSFORMATION TECH LAB SERIES, WHICH DELIVERED TRAINING AND GRANT FUNDING TO 240 NEWS OUTLETS OVER A TWO-YEAR PERIOD (JUNE 2023-DEC2024).
  2. $392,459 spent. COAZ: CONECTA ARIZONA, A FISCALLY SPONSORED PROJECT OF ANF, IS AN INDEPENDENT NEWS ORGANIZATION THAT USES GRANT FUNDING AND SMALL DONATIONS TO PRODUCE A NEWS WEBSITE, NEWS PODCASTS, AND NEWS EVENTS IN ARIZONA. GRANT FUNDING PERIODS ARE SPREAD OVER MULTIPLE YEARS. COAZ HAS NOT YET SPENT ALL OF ITS GRANT FUNDING.
  3. $156,428 spent. ALTA: ALTAVOZ LAB, A FISCALLY SPONSORED PROJECT OF ANF, IS AN INDEPENDENT NEWS ORGANIZATION THAT MENTORS, TRAINS AND UPLIFTS LOCAL REPORTERS TO PRODUCE IMPACTFUL AND COLLABORATIVE ACCOUNTABILITY AND SERVICE-ORIENTED REPORTING PROJECTS AT OUTLETS SERVING HISTORICALLY DISINVESTED COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE U.S. ALTA HAS NOT YET SPENT ALL OF ITS GRANT FUNDING.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Worth knowing.

    Status was revoked on February 15, 2015 for not filing returns for three years, and reinstated on August 15, 2018.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since September 2018.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.