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Public Health Watch Inc

EIN 88-0600656 · Austin, TX

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood75 out of 100GovernanceFair65 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

OUR MISSION IS TO IMPROVE PEOPLE'S WELL-BEING THROUGH RIGOROUS, DATA-DRIVEN JOURNALISM. WE COLLABORATE WITH NEWSROOMS AROUND THE U.S. TO ENSURE BOTH TARGETED AND BROAD DISTRIBUTION OF OUR STORIES. WE EMPHASIZE PARTNERSHIPS THAT GIVE RESOURCE-CONSTRAINED LOCAL NEWS OUTLETS THE ABILITY TO DO AMBITIOUS REPORTING THEY'D OTHERWISE NEVER BE ABLE TO DO.

Income
$1.4 million
Spending
$1.2 million
Spent on programs
82%
Reserves
1.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
5
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$178,876, 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: 75 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 6% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 12% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 74% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    82% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 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: 65 out of 100. Higher than 15% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 of 10 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (1)
  1. $1.0 million spent. FROM LIFE-THREATENING AIR POLLUTION IN A HOUSTON-AREA COMMUNITY TO A RESURGENCE OF BLACK LUNG IN APPALACHIA AND THE REAL-WORLD CONSEQUENCES OF TEXAS'S WORST-IN-THE-NATION UNINSURED RATE, PUBLIC HEALTH WATCH PRODUCED CUTTING-EDGE JOURNALISM ON A WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS IN 2024. AMONG THE HIGHLIGHTS:* OUR "TOXIC TEXAS AIR" SERIES REVEALED THAT LEVELS OF BENZENE EMISSIONS IN CHANNELVIEW, TEXAS, HAD REACHED NEW HEIGHTS, EXCEEDING EVEN TEXAS'S GUIDELINES, THE WEAKEST IN THE NATION. THE SERIES PROMPTED A TEXAS LEGISLATOR TO INTRODUCE A TOUGH NEW BILL TO CURB POLLUTION IN THE COMMUNITY. PHW ALSO CONDUCTED A WELL-ATTENDED TOWN HALL IN CHANNELVIEW.* OUR STORY REPORTED THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS IN TEXAS HAVE SEEN A SURGE OF PREGNANT WOMEN IN THE WAKE OF THE U.S. SUPREME COURT'S DOBBS DECISION.* "THE HOLDOUTS," A COLLABORATIVE PROJECT ON THE UNINSURED, FEATURED WRITTEN AND AUDIO STORIES FROM PHW AND WUSF, A TAMPA PUBLIC RADIO STATION. THE REPORT RE-PUBLISHED BY OUTLETS NATIONWIDE AND AIRED BY NPR EXAMINED HOW FLORIDA AND OTHER STATES WITHOUT MEDICAID EXPANSION ARE MISSING THE CHANCE TO LOWER OPIOID DEATHS.* PHW AND THREE PARTNERS LAUNCHED A REVOLUTIONARY TOOL, FENCELINEDATA.ORG, THAT WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, JOURNALISTS AND RESEARCHERS TO FIND INFORMATION ON COMPANIES THAT RELEASE HARMFUL CHEMICALS AND CONTRIBUTE TO CLIMATE CHANGE. * FEDERAL REGULATORS FINALLY ACTED ON DEADLY SILICA DUST IN COAL MINES AFTER A PHW JOINT INVESTIGATION IN APPALACHIA. PHW'S STORY WAS CO-PUBLISHED BY LOUISVILLE PUBLIC MEDIA AND MOUNTAIN STATE SPOTLIGHT.* A CLIMATE-CHANGE STORY PORTRAYED HOW MORE FREQUENT AND FIERCE HEAT WAVES IN CALIFORNIA'S SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY ARE TAKING A DISPROPORTIONATE TOLL ON THE ELDERLY.* A PRE-ELECTION STORY FORESHADOWED EVENTS, EXPLAINING HOW A DONALD TRUMP PRESIDENCY COULD JEOPARDIZE MEDICAID BENEFITS FOR TENS OF MILLIONS OF LOW-INCOME PEOPLE.* PHW ACCELERATED ITS EFFORTS TO REPORT AND PRODUCE AN INVESTIGATIVE SERIAL PODCAST, "FUMED," ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE SHADOWS OF AMERICA'S CHEMICAL PLANTS AND OIL REFINERIES. THE PODCAST WAS SCHEDULED FOR RELEASE ON MAJOR PODCAST PLATFORMS IN EARLY 2025. SET IN CHANNELVIEW, TEXAS, IN THE HEART OF THE PETROCHEMICAL INDUSTRY, FUMED FOLLOWS TWO UNLIKELY ACTIVISTS AS THEY RISK EVERYTHING TO KEEP THE SAN JACINTO RIVER FROM BEING OVERRUN BY MASSIVE CHEMICAL BARGES. WE DEPLOYED AUDIO AND INVESTIGATIVE REPORTERS, A PROJECTS EDITOR, PRODUCERS, A DATA JOURNALIST, SOUND AND WEB SPECIALISTS, A COMPOSER AND OTHERS TO DRIVE OUR FIRST MAJOR AUDIO PROJECT NEARLY TO COMPLETION.

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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since May 2022.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.