Mountain State Spotlight Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
To serve the general public as an independent, civic news organization that tells stories of importance to West Virginians about issues and challenges facing their communities.
- Income
- $1.3 million
- Spending
- $1.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 65%
- Reserves
- 5.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 98%
- Employees
- 0
- Highest pay
- $121,548, president
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
Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 58% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 12% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 10% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1565% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 7 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a 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.
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, 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 (1)
- $778,200 spent. Operation of digital news room serving universally-accessible information focused on major issues facing West Virginians, including public health threats, economic development challenges, environment issues, and government accountability. In 2025, the Organization continued its investigation of West Virginia's troubled foster care system, finding that state officials were returning millions of dollars meant to help foster youth transition to adulthood by providing assistance with educational opportunities, housing, and other needs. Following the Organization's reporting, state lawmakers passed a bill requiring foster care system officials to "maximize" their use of those federal funds and file a public report on their progress. The Organization reported extensively on data centers proposed around the state, lifting up the concerns of citizens about those projects, and published stories about ways the state's budget is shortchanging community needs, such as reducing funds for public schools while spending $300 million on a private school voucher program. The Organization also wrote repeatedly about the need to help West Virginians with rising costs of child care services, and lawmakers responded by passing legislation that addresses parts of that crisis. At the end of 2025, the Organization's website had an average monthly readership of 50,000 visitors and its weekly email newsletter had 15,000 subscribers, with stories continuing to be republished by newspapers and other online outlets around the state.
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
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 November 6, 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 November 2021.
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 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.