Watchfire Media Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- Only 28% of its spending went to programs.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
Watchfire Media is dedicated to telling good stories through books curricula and films that help us envision the world that could be. We want young people and their adults to walk comfortably with the big questions of spirituality and meaning to be awed by the beauty of the world and to be committed to love kindness courage and justice. We are the publisher of Holy Troublemakers & Unconventional Saints Dear Mama God and the upcoming The Wren Magazine for tweens and teens.
- Income
- $195,922
- Spending
- $140,461
- Spent on programs
- 28%
- Reserves
- 7.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 90%
- Employees
- 2
- Volunteers
- 3
- Highest pay
- $77,200, executive director
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: 78 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 7.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 28% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 58% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1528% 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
Good: 82 out of 100. Higher than 80% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 253 of 5 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.
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 (3)
- $22,500 spent. Following the devastation of Hurricane Helene Watchfire Media partnered with Wild Abundance a local woman-owned carpentry school to fiscally sponsor The Wild Abundance Disaster Relief Fund. This fund helped support the greater Wild Abundance community in the Asheville NC area which was drastically affected by the storm. See Schedule 0 for more details.
- $13,170 spent. Watchfire Media continued to publish our books Holy Troublemakers & Unconventional Saints and Dear Mama God and their companion curricula. We developed a new curriculum for Holy Troublemakers & Unconventional Saints called Part II: We Are Made of Stories & Stardust. It focuses on the importance of the stories we tell individually and collectively and helps youth identify the stories told by 11 additional holy troublemakers and unconventional saints so they can find those that resonate with them and want to share or retell in their own ways.
- $3,698 spent. Watchfire Media began development of a new nature magazine for kids called The Wren Magazine. This is a beautifully handcrafted soul-nourishing publication for tweens teens and their families that invites readers to slow down look closely and rediscover joy gladness and wonder in the everyday world. It helps families cultivate mindful rhythms and home-based practices rooted in attentiveness gratitude and curiosity about the natural world.
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 2024.
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 March 2019.
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.