Washington Monthly Institute Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
DEDICATED TO INCREASING PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE THROUGH WASHINGTON MONTHLY MAGAZINE AND WEBSITE WWW.WASHINGTONMONTHLY.COM PUBLISHED SINCE 1969, THE PRINT MAGAZINE IS THE COUNTRY'S MOST IMPORTANT WATCHDOG OF AMERICAN GOVERNMENT, FOCUSING ON WHAT'S WRONG AND HOW TO FIX IT.
- Income
- $2.1 million
- Spending
- $1.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- 3.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 86%
- Employees
- 10
- Highest pay
- $147,667, editor in ch
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: 81 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (social science, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.8 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 21% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 28% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 195% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% 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
Fair: 55 out of 100. Higher than 8% of charities in its peer group (social science, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 255 of 6 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no 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
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
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)
- $1.2 million spent. WHILE SMALL LOCAL NEWSPAPERS AND BIG DIGITAL OUTLETS ALIKE HAVE CONTINUED TO DOWNSIZE, THE WASHINGTON MONTHLY'S MEDIA OUTLET IS CELEBRATING ITS 56TH YEAR OF PUBLICATION, STILL DOING WHAT FEWER AND FEWER PUBLICATIONS DO TODAY: TELLING FASCINATING, DEEPLY REPORTED GROUNDBREAKING STORIES ABOUT THE PROBLEMS PREVENTING US FROM MOVING FORWARD AS A NATION AND PROVIDING THE INTELLECTUAL TOOLS NECESSARY TO REFORM OUR GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS AND ENHANCE THEIR PERFORMANCE. NO OTHER OUTLET DOES A BETTER JOB OF LOOKING AT THE IDEAS AND CHARACTERS THAT ANIMATE AMERICA'S GOVERNMENT, POLITICS, AND CULTURE. AMONG THE TOPICS COVERED DURING 2024 AGAIN WERE: WHAT TO DO ABOUT THE INCREASING DOMINANCE OF CORPORATE GOLIATHS; SAVING LOCAL JOURNALISM; REFORMING FEDERAL BUREAUCRACIES; CONGRESS AND ELECTORAL REFORM; THE PEOPLE AND IDEAS RESHAPING HIGHER EDUCATION; AND VOTE-BY-MAIL (A POLICY WE HAVE LONG ADVOCATED AND CHAMPIONED);. THE WASHINGTON MONTHLY INSTITUTE'S WORK GARNERED NATIONAL ATTENTION - IN THE MEDIA, ON SOCIAL MEDIA, AND ON CAPITOL HILL, WHERE WE HAND-DELIVER THREE COPIES OF EACH ISSUE OF OUR PRINT MAGAZINE. WE ALSO CONTINUE TO PUBLISH THE WIDELY ACCLAIMED COLLEGE GUIDE AND RANKINGS, FEATURING DEEPLY REPORTED ARTICLES ON HIGHER EDUCATION FOR UNDERGRADS, ADULT LEARNERS, AND CERTIFICATE SEEKS. THE GUIDE'S RANKINGS OF COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ARE BASED ON EACH INSTITUTION'S ABILITY TO ENROLL AND GRADUATE STUDENTS OF MODEST MEANS WHILE FOSTERING COMMUNITY SERVICE AND RESEARCH PRODUCTION. SINCE THESE RANKINGS WERE FIRST PUBLISHED IN 2005 THEY HAVE STEADILY GROWN IN INFLUENCE AND PUBLIC AWARENESS. THE WASHINGTON MONTHLY MEDIA OUTLET IS KNOWN FOR HAVING LAUNCHED THE CAREERS OF JOURNALISTS WHO HAVE RISEN TO THE PINNACLE OF THE PROFESSION AND CONTINUES TO TRAIN YOUNG JOURNALISTS WHO GO ON TO POPULATE THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA. FEATURED STORIES AND WHITE PAPERS HIGHLIGHT ISSUES AND FRAME ARGUMENTS THAT ARE OFTEN PICKED UP BY OTHER MEDIA OUTLETS MONTHS OR EVEN YEARS LATER, WHILE OUR WEBSITE (WWW.WASHINGTONMONTHLY.COM) PROVIDES ONLINE COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS THAT'S INFORMATIVE, UNIQUE, AND LASER-FOCUSED ON THE CHALLENGING ISSUES FACING OUR DEMOCRACY. WHILE SMALL LOCAL NEWSPAPERS AND BIG DIGITAL OUTLETS ALIKE HAVE CONTINUED TO DOWNSIZE, THE WASHINGTON MONTHLY'S MEDIA OUTLET IS CELEBRATING ITS 56TH YEAR OF PUBLICATION, STILL DOING WHAT FEWER AND FEWER PUBLICATIONS DO TODAY: TELLING FASCINATING, DEEPLY REPORTED GROUNDBREAKING STORIES ABOUT THE PROBLEMS PREVENTING US FROM MOVING FORWARD AS A NATION AND PROVIDING THE INTELLECTUAL TOOLS NECESSARY TO REFORM OUR GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS AND ENHANCE THEIR PERFORMANCE. NO OTHER OUTLET DOES A BETTER JOB OF LOOKING AT THE IDEAS AND CHARACTERS THAT ANIMATE AMERICA'S GOVERNMENT, POLITICS, AND CULTURE. AMONG THE TOPICS COVERED DURING 2024 AGAIN WERE: WHAT TO DO ABOUT THE INCREASING DOMINANCE OF CORPORATE GOLIATHS; SAVING LOCAL JOURNALISM; REFORMING FEDERAL BUREAUCRACIES; CONGRESS AND ELECTORAL REFORM; THE PEOPLE AND IDEAS RESHAPING HIGHER EDUCATION; AND VOTE-BY-MAIL (A POLICY WE HAVE LONG ADVOCATED AND CHAMPIONED);. THE WASHINGTON MONTHLY INSTITUTE'S WORK GARNERED NATIONAL ATTENTION - IN THE MEDIA, ON SOCIAL MEDIA, AND ON CAPITOL HILL, WHERE WE HAND-DELIVER THREE COPIES OF EACH ISSUE OF OUR PRINT MAGAZINE. WE ALSO CONTINUE TO PUBLISH THE WIDELY ACCLAIMED COLLEGE GUIDE AND RANKINGS, FEATURING DEEPLY REPORTED ARTICLES ON HIGHER EDUCATION FOR UNDERGRADS, ADULT LEARNERS, AND CERTIFICATE SEEKS. THE GUIDE'S RANKINGS OF COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ARE BASED ON EACH INSTITUTION'S ABILITY TO ENROLL AND GRADUATE STUDENTS OF MODEST MEANS WHILE FOSTERING COMMUNITY SERVICE AND RESEARCH PRODUCTION. SINCE THESE RANKINGS WERE FIRST PUBLISHED IN 2005 THEY HAVE STEADILY GROWN IN INFLUENCE AND PUBLIC AWARENESS. THE WASHINGTON MONTHLY MEDIA OUTLET IS KNOWN FOR HAVING LAUNCHED THE CAREERS OF JOURNALISTS WHO HAVE RISEN TO THE PINNACLE OF THE PROFESSION AND CONTINUES TO TRAIN YOUNG JOURNALISTS WHO GO ON TO POPULATE THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA. FEATURED STORIES AND WHITE PAPERS HIGHLIGHT ISSUES AND FRAME ARGUMENTS THAT ARE OFTEN PICKED UP BY OTHER MEDIA OUTLETS MONTHS OR EVEN YEARS LATER, WHILE OUR WEBSITE (WWW.WASHINGTONMONTHLY.COM) PROVIDES ONLINE COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS THAT'S INFORMATIVE, UNIQUE, AND LASER-FOCUSED ON THE CHALLENGING ISSUES FACING OUR DEMOCRACY.
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 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 October 13, 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 December 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 August 2010.
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 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.