Fostering Media Connections
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
FOSTERING MEDIA CONNECTIONS IS A NON-PROFIT NEWS ORGANIZATION THAT USES A MIX OF INVESTIGATIVE, ACCOUNTABILITY AND SOLUTION-ORIENTED JOURNALISM TO DRIVE REFORM WITHIN THE SYSTEMS THAT SERVE VULNERABLE CHILDREN, YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES.
- Income
- $2.2 million
- Spending
- $2.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 77%
- Reserves
- 1.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 73%
- Employees
- 20
- Volunteers
- 7
- Highest pay
- $149,530, executive editor
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 66 out of 100. Higher than 40% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.6 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 25% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 6% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1577% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 258 of 9 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 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 (4)
- $927,230 spent. THE IMPRINT: THE IMPRINT IS AN ONLINE NEWS PUBLICATION COVERING CHILD WELFARE AND JUVENILE JUSTICE NEWS NATIONALLY, WITH A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON CALIFORNIA, NEW YORK, MINNESOTA, WASHINGTON AND TEXAS. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE IMPRINT HAS RUN MORE THAN 7,000 ARTICLES ON ISSUES IMPACTING CHILDREN, YOUTH, AND FAMILIES; WON NUMEROUS AWARDS; AND INSPIRED FOLLOW UP COVERAGE IN BOTH LOCAL MARKET AND NATIONAL MEDIA OUTLETS. DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025 THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY 1.1 MILLION PAGEVIEWS, 725,000 USERS AND 383 PUBLISHED ARTICLES..
- $324,942 spent. FOSTERING FAMILIES TODAY (FFT): FFT IS AN AWARD-WINNING BI-MONTHLY PRINT AND DIGITAL MAGAZINE DISTRIBUTED TO RESOURCE FAMILIES AND KIN CAREGIVERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. MORE THAN JUST A MAGAZINE, FFT ENSURES CAREGIVERS ARE EDUCATED ABOUT THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE AND PROVIDES THEM WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO EARN CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS THROUGH READING COMPREHENSION. DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025 THE ORGANIZATION PUBLISHED 6 ISSUES AND DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN 71,000 COPIES TO CAREGIVERS ACROSS THE US.
- $276,410 spent. YOUTH VOICES RISING PROGRAM (YVR): YVR WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2016 AS A JOURNALISM TRAINING PROGRAM FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE IN THE FOSTER CARE OR JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEMS, TO DATE, WE HAVE PUBLISHED HUNDREDS OF PERSONAL REFLECTIONS AND OPINION PIECES FROM YOUNG PEOPLE. SINCE THE PROGRAM LAUNCHED IN 2016, 597 YOUTH-WRITTEN PIECES HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED.
- $36,144 spent. FMC'S PUBLICATIONS INCLUDE THE IMPRINT AND FOSTERING FAMILIES TODAY; THE ORGANIZATION IS ALSO HOME TO SAFECAMP AUDIO, A PODCAST NETWORK, AND YOUTH VOICES RISING, A MEDIA TRAINING PROGRAM FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH FOSTER CARE OR JUVENILE JUSTICE EXPERIENCE.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
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.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
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.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 2012.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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 November 4, 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.