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Foothills Forum

EIN 52-1071448 · Washington, VA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceGood76 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Foothills Forum is a community-supported nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the residents of Rappahannock County, Virginia, through the creation and dissemination of deeply researched, well-sourced independent local journalism. Since 2014, Foothills Forum has earned -- through the production of its original, authoritative reporting and its distribution through the respected, century-old weekly broadsheet Rappahannock News and through virtual and social media platforms -- substantial backing throughout its rural county in the Virginia Piedmont.

Income
$384,247
Spending
$314,880
Spent on programs
81%
Reserves
17.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 95%
Employees
2
Volunteers
20
Highest pay
$67,500, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 88% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 17.8 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 18% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 19% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    81% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 76 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    16 of 16 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

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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, 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. $211,034 spent. 1. Journalism - Foothills Forum journalists produced a record number of outstanding deep-dive stories during 2025. Some of the top stories for Foothills Forum during 2025 emphasized issues of importance to the residents of Rappahannock County including the county budget and options being considered for a new county courthouse. In addition, stories addressed the continued expansion of data centers in neighboring counties, and the impact of federal budget cuts on the county. In the Virginia Press Association annual competition, Foothills Forum journalists won 30 awards, and together with our partners at the Rappahannock News, won a combined 46 awards, including the Grand Sweepstakes award as the top news organization of its size in Virginia for the fifth consecutive year. Over half of these awards were first place and many were in "open" competition, meaning they were from all news organizations including the Washington Post and Virginia's other major news outlets.
  2. $29,497 spent. 2. Community Outreach - In 2025, Foothills Forum offered the first Ethics Palooza, which was an entertaining evening event intended to demonstrate the ethical decisions faced by journalists when researching and writing stories. The event engaged about 70 people from the community, placing them in groups of 8 and presenting them with scenarios based on historical facts. Led by a facilitator, the groups presented and discussed their suggestions. Additionally, our Annual Meeting in October 2025 was well attended and featured a short presentation followed by a question-and-answer session with national journalist Judy Woodruff, with the primary topic of discussion being local journalism.
  3. $14,889 spent. 3. Youth and Journalism - Foothills Forum continued to offer and expand a countywide "Storytelling Contest." As in past years, a record number of local high school and middle school students (from public and private schools) submitted entries (written, digital, musical, artistic, etc.) telling stories about themselves and their community. In addition, Foothills Forum worked with the local public high school to develop a journalism class. The class has been offered during the first semester of 2026.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 May 15, 2015 for not filing returns for three years, and reinstated on May 15, 2015.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 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 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 December 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 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.