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The 74 Media Inc

EIN 47-2788684 · New York, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair59 out of 100GovernanceStrong93 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE 74 IS A NON-PROFIT, NON-PARTISAN NEWS SITE COVERING EDUCATION IN AMERICA. WE BELIEVE OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM IS IN CRISIS. IN THE UNITED STATES, FEWER THAN HALF OUR STUDENTS CAN READ OR DO MATH AT GRADE-LEVEL, YET THE EDUCATION DEBATE IS DOMINATED BY MISINFORMATION.

Income
$3.2 million
Spending
$4.2 million
Spent on programs
84%
Reserves
11.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 95%
Employees
26
Volunteers
4
Highest pay
$283,885, chief executive officer

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

Fair: 59 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 11.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 27% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 32% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 59% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    84% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 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

Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 56% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    4 of 4 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a 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

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • 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 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 (6)
  1. $707,643 spent. STUDENT PROGRESS (AND STRUGGLES) AFTER COVID: NOW FOUR YEARS REMOVED FROM THE FIRST CLASSROOM CLOSURES CAUSED BY COVID, 2024 PROVED TO BE A PIVOTAL YEAR IN CONFRONTING STUDENT ABSENTEEISM AND DECLINING SCHOOL ENROLLMENT TRENDS AND COVERING THE RAPID EXPANSION OF INNOVATIVE SCHOOL MODELS, AS FAMILIES SOUGHT ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION OPTIONS. THE 74 WAS COMMITTED TO COVERING THIS SEA CHANGE IN THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, FROM SHIFTING FAMILY PREFERENCES TO THE EMERGENCE OF A NEW WAVE OF EDUCATIONAL ENTREPRENEURS AND EMERGING STATE POLICIES THAT GAVE FAMILIES GREATER AUTONOMY IN PURSUING ALTERNATIVE EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS.
  2. $530,732 spent. THE FUTURE OF COLLEGE AND CAREER: 2024 SAW CONTINUED DISRUPTIONS TO THE NATION'S COLLEGE PIPELINE AND A CORRESPONDING REASSESSMENT OF HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMAS. HOW SHOULD TODAY'S HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES BE PREPARED FOR BOTH COLLEGE AND CAREER TODAY? AND HOW SHOULD THE HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE BE RECONCEIVED, TO BETTER PREPARE THE TEENS OF 2024 FOR THE FUTURE WORKFORCE? THE 74 DEDICATED SIGNIFICANT BANDWIDTH TO EXPLORING THESE QUESTIONS, BY CONTINUING OUR "FUTURE OF HIGH SCHOOL" SERIES THAT CAST A SPOTLIGHT ON THE MOST UNIQUE CAMPUSES ACROSS THE NATION. FROM WORKFORCE PREPAREDNESS TO BETTER SUPPORT FOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADS TRANSITIONING TO BOTH COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND FOUR-YEAR PROGRAMS, OUR JOURNALISTS COVERED THE CAMPUSES ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF A HIGH SCHOOL REVOLUTION.
  3. $247,675 spent. EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY AND THE RISE OF AI TOOLS: WE DEEPENED OUR FEATURE REPORTING ABOUT THE CREATION OF CLASSROOM TOOLS TO AID BOTH TEACHERS IN THEIR JOBS AND STUDENTS IN THEIR LEARNING. AS WE PUT A SPOTLIGHT ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, WE ALSO PRIORITIZED COVERAGE OF HOW EDUCATORS ARE BEING BROUGHT INTO THE INNOVATIVE PROCESS AND CASE STUDIES OF HOW NEW TOOLS ARE BEING DEPLOYED (BOTH SUCCESSFULLY AND UNSUCCESSFULLY) IN THE CLASSROOM SETTING.
  4. $176,911 spent. SCHOOL DATA SECURITY AND STUDENT PRIVACY: THE 74 CONTINUED ITS AWARD WINNING COVERAGE OF SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY AND CYBERSECURITY, INCLUDING ADDITIONAL COVERAGE OF CYBERATTACKS THAT RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT DATA BREACHES AND THE LEAKING OF CONFIDENTIAL STUDENT DATA. AS SCHOOLS CONTINUE TO SERVE AS MAJOR TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY FOR HACKERS, AND AS THE NUMBER OF SUCH DATA INCIDENTS SKYROCKETED OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, THE 74 HAS TURNED A GREATER SHARE OF ITS ATTENTION TO FOCUSING ON HOW THESE ATTACKS IMPACT SCHOOL OPERATIONS, STUDENT DATA AND DISTRICT BUDGETS.
  5. $176,911 spent. EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT: THE 74 MADE A STRATEGIC INVESTMENT IN EXPANDING OUR COVERAGE OF EARLY EDUCATION AND CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT ISSUES. IN THE SUMMER OF 2024, THE ORGANIZATION FORMALIZED A PARTNERSHIP WITH EARLY LEARNING NATION TO LAUNCH NEW COVERAGE OF CHILDREN AGED ZERO TO 5, AND TO FURTHER AMPLIFY EARLY LEARNING NATION'S ARCHIVE OF CONTENT TO OUR NATIONAL MAINSTREAM AUDIENCE. WE INTEND TO EXPAND THIS WORK FURTHER IN 2025.
  6. $1.7 million spent. OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES: EXPANDED THE SEARCH AND IMPACT OF THE 74 THROUGH A POWERFUL MIX OF EDITORIAL, VIDEO, AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES, LIVE EVENTS AND MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES.

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

  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? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    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 December 2024.

    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 March 2015.

    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.