THE REPORTERS COMMITTEE FOR FREEDOM OF THE PRESS Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

THE REPORTERS COMMITTEE FOR FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

EIN 52-0972043 · Censorship, Freedom of Speech & Press (R63)

What they do

to PROTECT THE RIGHT to GATHER and DISTRIBUTE NEWS; to KEEP GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABLE BY ENSURING ACCESS to PUBLIC RECORDS, MEETINGS and COURTROOMS; and to PRESERVE THE PRINCIPLES of FREE SPEECH and UNFETTERED PRESS, AS GUARANTEED BY THE FIRST AMENDMENT of THE U.S. CONSTITUTION.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $77.50 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2024The charity has a recent tax report to read.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders43 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

64.02%of revenue went to mission work77.5% of expenses · Program services

8.53%of revenue went to fundraising10.3% of expenses

$82.61spent for every $100 of revenueRevenue covered expenses this year.

10.07%of revenue went to management and office costs12.2% of expenses

$3.20in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

91.4%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $313,436 for BRUCE BROWN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2024

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

$100revenue

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$8,352,123

Mission workProgram services$5,346,80064.02% of revenue77.5% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$840,69810.07% of revenue12.2% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$712,4498.53% of revenue10.3% of expenses

Revenue left after expensesReported annual surplus$1,452,17617.39% of revenueShown in gray on the chart

Total expenses$6,899,94782.61% of revenue

Gray means reported revenue left after expenses for this filing year. It does not necessarily mean cash sitting in a bank account.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails

2024CurrentExpense mix: 77.5% mission · 12.2% management · 10.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 82.61% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 76.0% mission · 13.7% management · 10.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 171.53% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 65.7% mission · 22.6% management · 11.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 79.69% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 55.0% mission · 25.6% management · 19.4% fundraisingTotal expenses: 54.60% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 59.9% mission · 21.6% management · 18.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 92.20% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 76.4% mission · 16.2% management · 7.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 80.40% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 69.4% mission · 20.9% management · 9.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 67.88% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 72.7% mission · 16.0% management · 11.4% fundraisingTotal expenses: 46.94% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$8,352,123

Expenses$6,899,947

Annual surplus $1,452,176 Revenue was higher than expenses for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$5,346,800 · 77.5% of expenses

Management and office costs$840,698 · 12.2% of expenses

Fundraising$712,449 · 10.3% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$8,352,123

Expenses$6,899,947

Assets$22,087,216

Income$10,900,575

Contributions$7,635,162

Mission work (program services)$5,346,800

Fundraising$712,449

Management and general$840,698

Executive compensation (total)$243,579

Stocks and bonds$11,233,418

Accounting fees$23,873

Investing fees$59,821

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2024

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

BRUCE BROWNEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $313,436Base $279,855 · Other $33,581

KATIELYNN TOWNSENDDEPUTY EXECUTIVE AND LEGAL DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $266,551Base $241,671 · Other $24,880

DANIEL YUDIRECTOR OF FINANCE & OPERATIONS · 40 hrs/week $204,122Base $190,186 · Other $13,936

GABRIEL ROTTMAN POLICYPRESS FREEDOM PROJECT DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $199,764Base $178,577 · Other $21,187

MICHAEL ZWIRNDIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT · 40 hrs/week $192,790Base $171,364 · Other $21,426

LISA ZYCHERMAN DEPUTYLEGAL DIRECTOR & POLICY COUNSEL · 40 hrs/week $188,196Base $176,010 · Other $12,186

JENNIFER TOPPERCOMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $181,669Base $169,828 · Other $11,841

JENNIFER ANNE NELSONSENIOR STAFF ATTORNEY · 40 hrs/week $162,297Base $150,780 · Other $11,517

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (43)

BRUCE BROWNEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

KATIELYNN TOWNSENDDEPUTY EXECUTIVE AND LEGAL DIRECTOR

DANIEL YUDIRECTOR OF FINANCE & OPERATIONS

GABRIEL ROTTMAN POLICYPRESS FREEDOM PROJECT DIRECTOR

MICHAEL ZWIRNDIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

LISA ZYCHERMAN DEPUTYLEGAL DIRECTOR & POLICY COUNSEL

JENNIFER TOPPERCOMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

JENNIFER ANNE NELSONSENIOR STAFF ATTORNEY

NORMAN PEARLSTINEEXECUTIVE & DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

LYNETTE CLEMETSONFINANCE & INVESTMENT COMMITTEE

MANUEL GARCIASTEERING COMMITTEE

MARGARET LOWVICE CHAIR

MASSIMO CALABRESISECRETARY/TREASURER

MATTHEW THOMPSONSTEERING COMMITTEE

NABIHA SYEDFINANCE & INVESTMENT COMMITTEE

NIK DEOGUNSTEERING COMMITTEE

KAREN KAISERSTEERING COMMITTEE

SEWELL CHANSTEERING COMMITTEE

STEPHEN ADLERCHAIRMAN

SUSAN GOLDBERGSTEERING COMMITTEE UNTIL MAY

SUSAN ZIRINSKYSTEERING COMMITTEE UNTIL MAY

THEODORE BOUTROUSSTEERING COMMITTEE

THOMAS RUBINEXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

VICKIE WALTON-JAMESSTEERING COMMITTEE

WOLF BLITZERSTEERING COMMITTEE

GAIL GOVESTEERING COMMITTEE

ALEXANDER GIBNEYSTEERING COMMITTEE

BRUCE SANFORDSTEERING COMMITTEE UNTIL MAY

CHARLES SAVAGESTEERING COMMITTEE

COLLEEN MCCAIN NELSONSTEERING COMMITTEE

DAVID BOARDMANEXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

DAVID LAUTERAUDIT COMMITTEE

DIEGO IBARGUENEXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

EMILIO GARCIA-RUIZSTEERING COMMITTEE

LAURA HANDMANEXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

JAMES GRIMALDIAUDIT COMMITTEE

JAMES NEFFSTEERING COMMITTEE

JASON CONTI POLICY PROGRAM& DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE AS OF MAY

JENNIFER SONDAGFINANCE & AUDIT COMMITTEE

JEREMY JOJOLASTEERING COMMITTEE UNTIL MAY

JOSH GERSTEINSTEERING COMMITTEE

ADAM SYMSONSTEERING COMMITTEE

KIMBRIELL KELLYSTEERING COMMITTEE

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1973
Location: 1156 15TH ST NW STE 1020, WASHINGTON, DC 20005-1754
County: District of Columbia
In care of: % BRUCE D BROWN
Primary officer: BRUCE BROWN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Phone(202) 795-9300

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: January 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: JM&M
NTEE classification: Censorship, Freedom of Speech & Press (R63)
IRS tax category: Censorship, Freedom of Speech & Press