Allbritton Journalism Institute
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
ALLBRITTON JOURNALISM INSTITUTE AIMS TO TRAIN A NEW GENERATION OF NON-PARTISAN POLITICAL REPORTERS FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS TO PRODUCE HIGH-QUALITY, FACT-BASED JOURNALISM.
- Income
- $10.1 million
- Spending
- $8.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 73%
- Reserves
- 4.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 52
- Volunteers
- 45
- Highest pay
- $624,639, executive dir. / vp/ editor in chief
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: 85 out of 100. Higher than 79% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 9% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 18% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 147% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1573% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 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: 50 out of 100. Higher than 1% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
5 of 251 of 3 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.
Independent check of accounts
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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)
- $6.0 million spent. ALLBRITTON JOURNALISM INSTITUTE (THE INSTITUTE) AIMS TO RESTORE JOURNALISM'S ROLE IN OUR DEMOCRACY BY FOSTERING A NEW GENERATION OF REPORTERS, FROM A WIDE VARIETY OF BACKGROUNDS AND PERSPECTIVES, WHO PRODUCE WORK THAT AMERICANS TRUST. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS GOAL, WE HAVE CREATED NOTUS, A NEW KIND OF D.C. PUBLICATION. THINK OF IT AS A TEACHING HOSPITAL FOR JOURNALISM: A PUBLICATION STAFFED BOTH BY SOME OF THE COUNTRY'S BEST POLITICAL JOURNALISTS AND BY AJI REPORTING FELLOWS - UP-AND-COMING, EARLY-CAREER JOURNALISTS WHO ARE CHOSEN THROUGH AN ANNUAL APPLICATION PROCESS, AND WHO WORK WITH, AND LEARN FROM, THEIR MORE ESTABLISHED COLLEAGUES. (SEE SCHEDULE O)THE INSTITUTE OFFERS A TWO-YEAR PROGRAM DESIGNED TO EQUIP STUDENTS FROM A DIVERSE RANGE OF BACKGROUNDS FOR CAREERS AS CREDIBLE, NON-PARTISAN REPORTERS. THE CURRICULUM PROVIDES OUR STUDENTS BOTH A RIGOROUS EDUCATION IN CORE JOURNALISTIC SKILLS AND HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE COVERING GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS. STUDENTS ARE ENROLLED FULL-TIME FOR THE DURATION OF THE TWO-YEAR PROGRAM, TAKING REGULARLY SCHEDULED COURSES TAUGHT BY THE INSTITUTE'S FACULTY AS WELL AS GUEST LECTURERS. FORMAL INSTRUCTION IS CONDUCTED IN A VARIETY OF FORMATS, INCLUDING LECTURES, SEMINARS AND DISCUSSION GROUPS. STUDENTS ALSO RECEIVE PRACTICAL, REAL-WORLD TRAINING BY WORKING TOGETHER WITH FACULTY MEMBERS WHO ARE PROFESSIONAL EDITORS AND REPORTERS TO PRODUCE A NEW DIGITAL PUBLICATION COVERING GOVERNMENT AND NATIONAL POLITICS. THROUGH THIS MIX OF CLASSROOM AND EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING, STUDENTS DEVELOP CORE COMPETENCIES IN FIVE DOMAINS: (1) TRUST & CREDIBILITY - COURSES WITHIN THIS DOMAIN WILL COVER FAIRNESS, INDEPENDENCE, BIAS, PRIVACY, STANDARDS AND ACCURACY, ATTRIBUTION, AND BOTH THE LEGAL AND MORAL OBLIGATIONS OF JOURNALISTS, INCLUDING THE OBLIGATION TO LIMIT HARM.(2) NEWS JUDGMENT - COURSES WITHIN THIS DOMAIN TEACH STUDENTS HOW TO DEFINE NEWS, ESPECIALLY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE PARTICULAR AUDIENCE THAT NEEDS IT, HOW TO IDENTIFY A STORY WORTH PURSUING, HOW TO IDENTIFY THE FACTS AND PERSPECTIVES THAT MUST BE OBTAINED AND INCLUDED IN A STORY, AND HOW TO APPROACH SENSITIVE SUBJECTS AND DIFFICULT PUBLISHING DECISIONS.(3) NEWSGATHERING - COURSES WITHIN THIS DOMAIN COVER SOURCE IDENTIFICATION AND SOURCE BUILDING, STORY PLANNING, INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES AND ORGANIZATIONAL TACTICS, AND THE USE OF GOVERNMENT RECORDS, FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS AND DISCLOSURES, DATA, POLLING AND ONLINE SOURCES IN REPORTING.(4) WRITING - COURSES WITHIN THIS DOMAIN TRAIN STUDENTS TO FRAME THEIR JOURNALISM IN WAYS THAT SERVE THE INTENDED AUDIENCE, TO IDENTIFY THE STORY FORM THAT BEST FITS THEIR REPORTING AND THEIR AUDIENCE, AND TO WRITE OR OTHERWISE PRESENT THEIR REPORTING WITH PRECISION, CLARITY AND FAIRNESS.(5) REACHING YOUR AUDIENCE - COURSES IN THIS DOMAIN TEACH STUDENTS HOW TO ENSURE THAT THEIR REPORTING REACHES AND RESONATES WITH THE INTENDED AUDIENCE. COURSEWORK COVERS SOCIAL MEDIA, NEWSLETTERS, AUDIO, VIDEO AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES. THE INSTITUTE'S COURSES ARE TAUGHT BY APPROXIMATELY 12 PAID FACULTY MEMBERS AND GUEST LECTURERS WHO CAN OFFER UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES OR AREAS OF EXPERTISE. FACULTY MEMBERS WERE RECRUITED FROM A POOL OF EXPERIENCED EDITORS, REPORTERS AND OTHERS WITH A TRACK RECORD OF PRODUCING AND PRESENTING HIGH-QUALITY, FACT-BASED AND FAIR JOURNALISM - AND WITH A PASSION FOR TEACHING A NEW GENERATION OF JOURNALISTS.
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 October 2023.
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.
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