AMERICAN JOURNALISM PROJECT INC Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

AMERICAN JOURNALISM PROJECT INC

EIN 83-1772542 · Media & Communications (A30)

What they do

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.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $91.10 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 leaders20 people are listed in the latest report.

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

Money made simple

72.39%of revenue went to mission work91.1% of expenses · Program services

2.69%of revenue went to fundraising3.4% of expenses

$79.44spent for every $100 of revenueRevenue covered expenses this year.

4.37%of revenue went to management and office costs5.5% of expenses

$2.20in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

95.7%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 $369,173 for SARABETH BERMAN (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER). 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$38,097,727

Mission workProgram services$27,577,75872.39% of revenue91.1% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$1,663,5644.37% of revenue5.5% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$1,023,5212.69% of revenue3.4% of expenses

Revenue left after expensesReported annual surplus$7,832,88420.56% of revenueShown in gray on the chart

Total expenses$30,264,84379.44% 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: 91.1% mission · 5.5% management · 3.4% fundraisingTotal expenses: 79.44% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 87.7% mission · 8.0% management · 4.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 83.31% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 90.5% mission · 6.2% management · 3.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 48.68% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 86.9% mission · 8.1% management · 5.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 51.03% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 85.5% mission · 7.6% management · 7.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 70.84% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 67.3% mission · 20.2% management · 12.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 15.98% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$38,097,727

Expenses$30,264,843

Annual surplus $7,832,884 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)$27,577,758 · 91.1% of expenses

Management and office costs$1,663,564 · 5.5% of expenses

Fundraising$1,023,521 · 3.4% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$38,097,727

Expenses$30,264,843

Assets$66,446,853

Income$38,392,029

Contributions$36,460,872

Mission work (program services)$27,577,758

Fundraising$1,023,521

Grants given$75,177,744

Average grant$319,905

Management and general$1,663,564

Executive compensation (total)$904,309

Stocks and bonds$38,818,473

Accounting fees$19,000

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

SARABETH BERMANCHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $369,173Base $336,383 · Other $32,790

PATTY SLUTSKYCHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $263,507Base $223,802 · Other $39,705

MICHAEL OUIMETTECHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $257,729Base $247,725 · Other $10,004

LORETTA CHAOHEAD OF STARTUP STUDIO & LOCAL PHILANTHROPY PARTNE · 40 hrs/week $250,086Base $231,620 · Other $18,466

FREDERICK KRIFTCEO, FREE PRESS INDIANA · 40 hrs/week $238,651Base $210,252 · Other $28,399

AMAR RAJWANICHIEF FINANCIAL & ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $231,836Base $211,854 · Other $19,982

DARRIN KERRHEAD OF GROWTH INVESTMENTS · 40 hrs/week $227,690Base $209,147 · Other $18,543

MICHELLE SRBINOVICHVICE PRESIDENT, GROWTH INVESTMENTS · 40 hrs/week $218,788Base $200,510 · Other $18,278

RENE GORNALLCHIEF OF STAFF · 40 hrs/week $216,025Base $198,197 · Other $17,828

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 (20)

SARABETH BERMANCHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

PATTY SLUTSKYCHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER

MICHAEL OUIMETTECHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER

LORETTA CHAOHEAD OF STARTUP STUDIO & LOCAL PHILANTHROPY PARTNE

FREDERICK KRIFTCEO, FREE PRESS INDIANA

AMAR RAJWANICHIEF FINANCIAL & ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER

DARRIN KERRHEAD OF GROWTH INVESTMENTS

MICHELLE SRBINOVICHVICE PRESIDENT, GROWTH INVESTMENTS

RENE GORNALLCHIEF OF STAFF

JEFF COHENDIRECTOR

JELANI COBBDIRECTOR

JOE NATOLICHAIRPERSON

JOHN THORNTONSECRETARY

IRVING WASHINGTONVICE CHAIRPERSON

MARIA THOMASDIRECTOR

HILLARY SCHNEIDERDIRECTOR

MICHELLE DE LA ISLADIRECTOR

PETER LATTMANDIRECTOR

ROSENTHAL ALVESDIRECTOR

TERESA GORMANDIRECTOR

About this charity

Recognized since: January 2018
Location: 6218 GEORGIA AVENUE NW 1-599, WASHINGTON, DC 20011
County: District of Columbia
In care of: SARABETH BERMAN
Primary officer: SARABETH BERMAN, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Emailhello@theajp.org Phone(301) 615-2145

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: January 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: SB & COMPANY LLC
NTEE classification: Media & Communications (A30)
IRS tax category: Media & Communications
Grant-giving organization: Yes