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Poynter Institute for Media Studies Inc

EIN 59-1630423 · St Petersburg, FL

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood89 out of 100GovernanceStrong90 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

THE POYNTER INSTITUE IS A SCHOOL DEDICATED TO TEACHING AND INSPIRING JOURNALISTS AND MEDIA LEADERS. IT PROMOTES EXCELLENCE AND INTEGRITY IN THE PRACTICE OF CRAFT AND IN THE PRACTICAL LEADERSHIP OF SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES. IT STANDS FOR A JOURNALISM THAT INFORMS CITIZENS AND ENLIGHTENS PUBLIC DISCOURSE. IT CARRIES FORWARD NELSON POYNTER'S BELIEF IN THE VALUE OF INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM.

Income
$17.4 million
Spending
$19.1 million
Spent on programs
87%
Reserves
21.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 59%
Employees
96
Volunteers
4
Highest pay
$378,849, trustee

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: 89 out of 100. Higher than 84% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 21.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 10% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 10% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    87% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 25% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 of 12 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

    0 of 10

    Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, 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 (3)
  1. $8.3 million spent. POYNTER PROVIDES IN-DEPTH, NON-PARTISAN FACT-CHECKING BOTH WITH GUIDELINES AND GOVERNANCE FOR FACT-CHECKERS WORLDWIDE. THE INTERNATIONAL FACT-CHECKING NETWORK (IFCN) IS A UNIT OF THE POYNTER INSTITUTE DEDICATED TO BRINGING TOGETHER FACT-CHECKERS WORDLWIDE. THE IFCN WAS LAUNCHED IN SEPTEMBER 2015 TO SUPPORT FACT-CHECKING INITIATIVES BY PROMOTING BEST PRACTICES AND EXCHANGES IN THIS FIELD. IN ADDITION TO SUPPORTING A CODE OF PRINCIPLES WITH OVER 170 ORGANIZATIONS PARTICIPATING IN THE VERIFICATION PROCESS FOR FACT-CHECKERS WORLDWIDE, THE IFCN ALSO PROVIDES GLOBAL TRAINING AND SUMMITS TO IMPROVE THE CRAFT. FOR ITS COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS, THE IFCN WAS NOMINATED IN 2021 FOR THE NOBEL PEACE PRICE. POYNTER ALSO MANAGES ONE OF THE FOREMOST NATIONAL FACT-CHECKING BRANDS, POLITIFACT. POLITIFACT PROVIDES DAILY FACT-CHECKING AND RESOURCES TO BOTH JOURNALISTS AND THE PUBLIC. IN ADDITION, POLITIFACT TRAINS AND EDUCATES OTHER FACT-CHECKERS AS WELL AS HOLDS CITIZEN TRAINING EVENTS.
  2. $6.6 million spent. THE POYNTER INSTITUTE IN ST.PETERSBURG,FL, IS A SCHOOL DEDICATED TO THE BELIEF THAT THE PRACTICE OF EXCELLENT JOURNALISM IS ESSENTIAL TO A SUCCESSFUL DEMOCRACY. POYNTER EMPLOYS A FULL-TIME FACULTY AND STAFF, AS WELL AS NUMBEROUS ADJUNCT TEACHERS TO REACH ITS PRINCIPAL AUDIENCES OF PROFESSIONAL AND NONPROFESSIONAL JOURALISTS, MEDIA LEADERS AND CONTENT CREATORS. IN ADDITION, THE INSTITUTE OFFERS REPORTING AND PROGRAMS FOR CITIZENS INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT JOURNALISM AND ITS IMPACT ON SOCIETY.
  3. $1.8 million spent. MEDIAWISE TEACHES DIGITAL MEDIA AND AI LITERACY TO EMPOWER ANYONE TO FIND FACTS AND AVOID MISLEADING OR FALSE CONTENT - WHETHER HUMAN OR AI GENERATED - SO THEY CAN MAKE HEALTHY, INFORMED DECISIONS BASED ON TIER VALUES AND MAINTAIN MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES. PROGRAMMING IS DESIGNED FOR YOUTH, COLLEGE STUDENTS AND OLDER ADULTS. IN 2024, MEDIAWISE RESOURCES GENERATED MORE THAN 15 MILLION VIEWS, AND SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2018, THE INTIATIVE HAS REACHED OVER 143 MILLION PEOPLE GLOABALLY.

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 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 July 1976.

    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.