Children and Screens-Institute of Digital Media and Child Developmen
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
CHILDREN AND SCREENS: INSTITUTE OF DIGITAL MEDIA AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT IS DEDICATED TO UNDERSTANDING AND ADDRESSING COMPELLING QUESTIONS REGARDING MEDIA'S IMPACT ON CHILD DEVELOPMENT THROUGH INTERDISCIPLINARY DIALOGUE, PUBLIC INFORMATION, AND RIGOROUS, OBJECTIVE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH BRIDGING THE MEDICAL, NEUROSCIENTIFIC, SOCIAL SCIENCE, EDUCATION, AND ACADEMIC COMMUNITIES. OUR ORGANIZATION ADVANCES INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH, SUPPORTS HUMAN CAPITAL IN THE FIELD, INFORMS AND EDUCATES THE PUBLIC; AND ADVOCATES FOR SOUND PUBLIC POLICY FOR CHILD HEALTH AND WELLNESS. TOGETHER WITH OUR SUPPORTERS, WE ARE HELPING CHILDREN LEAD HEALTHY LIVES IN A DIGITAL WORLD.
- Income
- $1.3 million
- Spending
- $2.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 77%
- Reserves
- 22.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 81%
- Employees
- 19
- Volunteers
- 23
- Highest pay
- $300,000, executive director/ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 66% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 22.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 96% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 60% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1577% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 21 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
18 of 253 of 3 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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 December 31, 2024, 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 (1)
- $2.0 million spent. CHILDREN AND SCREENS WORKS TOWARDS DEVELOPING HUMAN CAPITAL IN THE FIELD THROUGH ENCOURAGING NEW AND MID-CAREER PROFESSIONALS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INSTITUTE'S MULTIDISCIPLINARY CONFERENCES, MEETINGS, AND EVENTS; PROVIDING SCHOLARSHIPS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS AND FELLOWS; AND, THROUGH ADMINISTERING A ROBUST INTERNSHIP/APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM. THE INSTITUTE'S CONVENINGS FOSTER COLLABORATION OF NEW PROFESSIONALS WITH MORE WELL-ESTABLISHED RESEARCHERS AND AS WELL AS DEVELOP A HOLISTIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE COGNITIVE, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL IMPACTS OF DIGITAL MEDIA AND TODDLERS, CHILDREN, AND ADOLESCENTS. THE INSTITUTE'S INTERNSHIP PROGRAM PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUDDING STUDENTS TO EXPLORE THIS FIELD OF RESEARCH, MEDIA OR EDUCATION, PROVIDE JOB EXPERIENCE AND MENTORSHIP, AND TO HELP BUILD FUTURE RESEARCHERS. THE INSTITUTE ALSO ENGAGES STUDENTS AND EARLY CAREER PROFESSIONALS IN ITS RETREAT PROGRAMS, SUCH AS THE "DIGITAL MEDIA AND THE DEVELOPING BRAIN" NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH RETREAT. ANOTHER PROJECT WHICH INVOLVES SEVERAL YOUNG INVESTIGATORS, THE MEDIA IMPACT SCREENING TOOLKIT, WILL EVENTUALLY PROVIDE A ROADMAP FOR CREATING A COMPREHENSIVE SET OF INSTRUMENTS TO IDENTIFY AND ASSESS HEALTH AND WELLNESS CONCERNS RELATED TO DIGITAL MEDIA IN THE PEDIATRIC POPULATION.CHILDREN AND SCREENS' COMMUNICATION, OUTREACH, AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS PROVIDE EVIDENCE-BASED, ACTIONABLE INFORMATION ABOUT CHILDREN'S USE OF DIGITAL MEDIA AND ITS IMPACT ON THEIR HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT TO PARENTS, EDUCATORS, HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERTS, ANDOTHER PROFESSIONALS AND STAKEHOLDERS. THESE PROGRAMS ALSO PROVIDE GUIDANCE REGARDING PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS' USE OF DIGITAL MEDIA AND ITS IMPACT ON CHILD HEALTH. THE INSTITUTE ACCOMPLISHES THIS FACET OF ITS MISSION THROUGH EXTENSIVE INFORMATION ON ITS WEBSITE, WORKSHOPS,SOCIAL MEDIA, PUBLIC SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS, MEDIA INTERVIEWS, PRESS RELEASES, BLOGS AND PARTICIPATION IN CONFERENCES. CHILDREN AND SCREENS HAS A MISSION TO ADVANCE AND SUPPORT OBJECTIVE, RIGOROUS AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH INTO THE IMPACTS OF DIGITAL MEDIA ON CHILD HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT THROUGH GRANT FUNDING, INTERDISCIPLINARY CONVENINGS AND CURATION AND PUBLICATION OF STATE-OF-THE-ART RESEARCH. CHILDREN AND SCREENS ALSO WORKS ACTIVELY TO INCORPORATE QUESTIONS INTO EXISTING NATIONAL LONGITUDINAL STUDIES AND ASSIST IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW QUESTIONS. THE INSTITUTE HOSTED "DIGITAL MEDIA AND THE DEVELOPING BRAIN," A RESEARCH RETREAT CONVENING WORLD-RENOWNED EXPERTS ON THE COGNITIVE IMPLICATIONS OF DIGITAL MEDIA USE THROUGHOUT DEVELOPMENT. IN ADDITION, THE INSTITUTE FUNDED THE PUBLICATION OF A SCOPING REVIEW, A SYNTHESIS AND SYSTEMATIC UNDERSTANDING OF PUBLISHED SCREENING TOOLS USED TO ASSESS PROBLEMATIC INTERNET USE TOWARD THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MEDIA IMPACT SCREENING TOOLKIT FOR CLINICIANS AND RESEARCHERS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since April 2015.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 October 7, 2026.
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