Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

American Journalism Project Inc

EIN 83-1772542 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE AMERICAN JOURNALISM PROJECT, INC. IS A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND VENTURE PHILANTHROPY DEDICATED TO BUILDING AND SUPPORTING LOCAL NEWS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. AMERICAN JOURNALISM PROJECT MAKES GRANTS TO NONPROFIT NEWS ORGANIZATIONS, PARTNERS WITH COMMUNITIES TO LAUNCH NEW ORGANIZATIONS, AND COACHES LEADERS AS THEY GROW AND SUSTAIN THEIR NEWSROOMS. AMERICAN JOURNALISM PROJECT PAIR FINANCIAL INVESTMENT WITH CAPACITY-BUILDING VENTURE SUPPORT, MAKING TRANSFORMATIVE INVESTMENTS IN THE BUSINESS AND OPERATIONAL CAPACITY OF LOCAL NEWS ORGANIZATIONS TO GROW AND SCALE SUSTAINABLY.

Income
$38.1 million
Spending
$30.3 million
Spent on programs
91%
Reserves
12.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 96%
Employees
90
Volunteers
12
Highest pay
$369,173, 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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 87% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 12.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 3% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 21% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 56% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    91% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    11 of 11 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 (4)
  1. $12.8 million spent. GRANTMAKING PROGRAM - THE AMERICAN JOURNALISM PROJECT SUPPORTS THE GROWTH OF INDEPENDENT, NON-PROFIT NEWS ORGANIZATIONS THAT HOLD THE POWERFUL ACCOUNTABLE, COMBAT DISINFORMATION, AND DEEPEN CIVIC PARTICIPATION IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. AS OF THE END OF 2021, AMERICAN JOURNALISM PROJECT HAS MADE GRANT COMMITMENTS TO 32 NEWS ORGANIZATIONS, SELECTED THROUGH A COMPETITIVE GRANTMAKING PROCESS WITH OVERSIGHT FROM OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
  2. $8.9 million spent. AS PART OF ITS WORK TO LAUNCH AND INCUBATE STARTUP LOCAL NEWS ORGANIZATIONS, AMERICAN JOURNALISM PROJECT SERVES AS THE EARLY-STAGE FISCAL SPONSOR TO THESE ENTITIES UNTIL THEY RECEIVE IRS TAX-EXEMPT STATUS AND CAN OPERATE INDEPENDENTLY. PRIOR TO SPINOFF, AJP PROVIDES FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFRASTRUCTURE, AND STRATEGIC GUIDANCE TO HELP THESE EMERGING ORGANIZATIONS BUILD CAPACITY AND SUSTAINABILITY.
  3. $3.9 million spent. GRANTEE SUPPORT PROGRAM - AMERICAN JOURNALISM PROJECT SETS GRANTEES UP FOR SUCCESS THROUGH A UNIQUE VENTURE SUPPORT MODEL. GRANTEES REPRESENT A VARIETY OF MODELS AND STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT, AND AMERICAN JOURNALISM PROJECT PROVIDES EACH WITH TAILORED SUPPORT BASED ON THEIR NEEDS AND BIGGEST STRATEGIC CHALLENGES. STAFF WORK AS A TEAM WITH GRANTEE LEADERS, PARTNERING WITH EACH ORGANIZATION TO HELP THEM STRENGTHEN AND SCALE THROUGH OPERATIONAL AND STRATEGIC SUPPORT, CURATION OF BEST PRACTICES FROM ACROSS THE SECTOR, AND FOSTERING OF PEER LEARNING ACROSS THE PORTFOLIO. SEED CAPITAL, STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, AND EQUITABLE ORGANIZATION DESIGN.
  4. $2.0 million spent. STARTUPS PROGRAM - AMERICAN JOURNALISM PROJECT WORKS WITH CIVIC LEADERS, PLACE-BASED FUNDERS, AND COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS TO IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS INFORMATION GAPS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. AMERICAN JOURNALISM PROJECT PROVIDES LOCAL PHILANTHROPIC PARTNERS WITH SERVICES SUCH AS COMMUNITY LISTENING, INFORMATION ECOSYSTEM RESEARCH, SOLUTION DESIGN, AND BUSINESS MODELING. ADDITIONALLY, EXPERIENCE AND RESOURCES ARE LEVERAGED TO INCUBATE NEW ORGANIZATIONS FROM THE GROUND UP. INCUBATION SUPPORT CAN INCLUDE ORGANIZATION ESTABLISHMENT, TEAM RECRUITMENT, VISIONING AND STRATEGIC PLANNING, RAISING SEED CAPITAL, STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, AND EQUITABLE ORGANIZATION DESIGN.

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 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 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 November 2018.

    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.