2022-04-26T10:01:52-05:00 2021-06-30 271728945 PKF O'CONNOR DAVIES LLP 245 PARK AVENUE 12TH FLOOR NEW YORK NY 10167 990 2020-07-01 900915846 CHALKBEAT INC CHAL 9173889035 450 SEVENTH AVENUE 32ND FLOOR NEW YORK NY 10123 KENDRA IRVING CFO 9173889035 2022-05-15 1 KENDRA IRVING XXX-XX-XXXX EVA MRUK P00543254 2122862600 2022-04-26 2 AAL1 IAL1 2020 2022-09-23 18:48:47Z X ELIZABETH GREEN 450 SEVENTH AVENUE 32ND FLOOR NEW YORK NY 10123 10569827 0 X WWW.CHALKBEAT.ORG X 2012 DE TO PROVIDE DEEP LOCAL COVERAGE OF IMPORTANT ISSUES IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS SO AS TO INFORM THE DECISIONS AND ACTIONS THAT LEAD TO BETTER OUTCOMES FOR THOSE AFFECTED BY THOSE ISSUES. 8 7 77 10 176165 7084 7314781 10356192 15755 0 9820 5551 104808 208084 7445164 10569827 0 0 0 0 6562837 7364040 0 0 817547 1301532 1765267 7864369 9129307 -419205 1440520 6166474 7430342 506283 329631 5660191 7100711 X TO INFORM THE DECISIONS AND ACTIONS THAT LEAD TO BETTER OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES BY PROVIDING DEEP, LOCAL COVERAGE OF EDUCATION POLICY AND PRACTICE. 1 0 6268195 0 0 CHALKBEAT/EDUCATION REPORTING:THROUGH UNBIASED REPORTING, OUR REPORTERS HELP THE PUBLIC EXAMINE HOW SCHOOLS ARE TRULY OPERATING, SCRUTINIZE KEY POLICY AND LEGISLATIVE DEVELOPMENTS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE HAPPEN BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, AND GAIN ACCESS TO IMPORTANT DATA AND CONTEXT THAT WOULD NOT OTHERWISE BE MADE TRANSPARENT. BY BUILDING OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES' UNDERSTANDING OF THE COMPLEX DEVELOPMENTS, INNOVATIONS, AND CHALLENGES THAT AFFECT STUDENT OUTCOMES, WE CAN IMPROVE THEIR ABILITY TO SERVE STUDENTS BETTER - WHETHER THROUGH THEIR WORK AS PRACTITIONERS, POLICYMAKERS, AND LAWMAKERS, OR THROUGH THEIR DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION AS PARENTS, STUDENTS, AND VOTERS. THE FOLLOWING IS A DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES THAT CHALKBEAT UNDERTAKES IN ITS EDUCATION/REPORTING PROGRAM: 1. REPORTING, WRITING, EDITING, AND PUBLISHING ORIGINAL NEWS CONTENT RELATED TO EDUCATION, WITH A FOCUS ON THE COMMUNITIES WHERE CHALKBEAT HAS BUREAUS: THE VAST MAJORITY OF ORIGINAL NEWS CONTENT IS PRODUCED BY FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES OF THE ORGANIZATION. THE ACTIVITY IS CONDUCTED ON A DAILY BASIS IN OUR BUREAUS IN NEW YORK, COLORADO, INDIANA, TENNESSEE, DETROIT, CHICAGO, NEWARK AND PHILADELPHIA. ADDITIONALLY, CHALKBEAT DOES NATIONAL EDUCATION COVERAGE, WHICH KNITS TOGETHER REPORTING FROM LOCAL BUREAUS AND SITUATES IT WITHIN THE BROADER NATIONAL CONTEXT. THE MAJORITY OF CHALKBEAT'S EDITORIAL STAFF TIME IS DEDICATED TO THIS ACTIVITY. 2. REACHING AND ENGAGING A BROAD AUDIENCE THROUGH STRATEGIC DISTRIBUTION OF CONTENT AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH: CHALKBEAT'S EDITORIAL STAFF OVERSEES THE DISTRIBUTION OF CONTENT TO DECISION-MAKERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC AT NO COST. THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, WEB PUBLICATIONS, EMAIL NEWSLETTERS, DISTRIBUTION PARTNERSHIPS, AND PUBLIC APPEARANCES, CHALKBEAT ENSURES THAT ITS CONTENT REACHES AS DEEP AND BROAD AN AUDIENCE AS POSSIBLE. CHALKBEAT ALSO HOSTS AND PARTICIPATES IN EVENTS TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR READERS TO DIRECTLY INTERACT WITH OUR CONTENT, OUR EDITORIAL STAFF, AND ONE ANOTHER. TO FURTHER EXPAND AND DEEPEN THE CONVERSATION ABOUT EDUCATION, CHALKBEAT'S WEBSITE INCLUDES A "FIRST PERSON" SECTION, FEATURING OP-ED PIECES AND COMMENTARIES FROM A DIVERSE ASSORTMENT OF INDIVIDUALS REPRESENTING A VARIETY OF OPINIONS. THESE ACTIVITIES FURTHER CHALKBEAT'S EXEMPT PURPOSES BY EDUCATING A BROAD CROSS-SECTION OF THE PUBLIC ON PRESSING ISSUES IN PUBLIC EDUCATION. 3. DEVELOPMENT, MAINTENANCE, UPDATING AND UPGRADING OF CHALKBEAT'S NEWS WEBSITE (INCLUDING RELATED PRODUCTS LIKE MOBILE PLATFORMS AND DATABASES), WHICH IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF CHALKBEAT'S CONTENT DELIVERY: TO ENSURE THAT THE CHALKBEAT WEBSITE IS USER-FRIENDLY, EMPLOYS THE LATEST INNOVATIONS IN CONTENT DELIVERY AND IMPACT MEASUREMENT, AND ATTRACTS AND RETAINS READERS, OUR STAFF WORK CONSTANTLY ON MAINTENANCE AND UPGRADES. KEEPING THE WEBSITE RUNNING SMOOTHLY ENSURES THAT CONTENT IS READILY AVAILABLE TO USERS ON A VARIETY OF PLATFORMS (MOBILE PHONES, TABLETS, PCS) AND IS PRESENTED COMPELLINGLY. 141667 0 0 VOTEBEAT/REPORTING ON ELECTION INTEGRITY:IN 2020, CHALKBEAT EXPANDED ITS LOCAL NEWS REPORTING BY LAUNCHING THE "POP UP NEWSROOM" VOTEBEAT PROVIDING INDEPENDENT NONPARTISAN COVERAGE OF ELECTION INTEGRITY IN EIGHT LOCATIONS AROUND THE UNITED STATES. DURING VOTEBEAT'S PILOT AS A THREE-MONTH NEWS PROJECT AMID THE 2020 ELECTION, VOTEBEAT SCALED TO 15 REPORTERS IN 10 NEWSROOMS ACROSS EIGHT STATES. VOTEBEAT'S MOST POPULAR ARTICLES HAVE BEEN READ BY 20,000 TO 85,000 PEOPLE EACH, AND ITS TOP ARTICLES HAVE BEEN REPRINTED THOUSANDS OF TIMES. VOTEBEAT PUBLISHED OVER 300 ARTICLES ABOUT A HUGE RANGE OF ISSUES AND NEWS DEVELOPMENTS IN EIGHT STATES, INCLUDING: "VOTING LAWSUITS; "BARRIERS TO THE BALLOT BOX FOR MARGINALIZED VOTERS; "NEW VOTE-BY-MAIL PROCESSES; "POLL WORKER SHORTAGES; "VOTER INTIMIDATION; "THE EFFECT OF COVID-19 ON VOTING; "FACTS ABOUT VOTING MACHINES; "BALLOT-COUNTING AND RESULTS-REPORTING LOGISTICS; "BALLOT RECOUNTS, CANVASSING, AND AUDITING; "HARASSMENT OF ELECTION WORKERS; "VOTER TURNOUT; AND "THE TRUTH ABOUT FABRICATED VOTE-FRAUD CLAIMS."VOTEBEAT PARTNERED WITH 10 LOCAL NEWS OUTLETS INCLUDING THREE RADIO STATIONS TO EDIT AND PUBLISH THE WORK. THE PILOT'S JOURNALISM WAS REPUBLISHED ON MORE THAN 100 LOCAL NEWS SITES AND NATIONAL NETWORKS. JOURNALISTS WERE INTERVIEWED FOR TV OR RADIO NEWS SPOTS.VOTEBEAT'S REPORTING HAS INFORMED DEBATES AT STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE LEVELS, AND HAS GENERATED DISCUSSION AMONG COUNTY OFFICIALS ABOUT HOW TO IMPROVE AND PROTECT ELECTIONS. VOTERS HAVE ALSO RELIED ON VOTEBEAT'S JOURNALISM TO FACT-CHECK FALSE CLAIMS OF VOTE FRAUD AND ELECTION MANIPULATION. 6409862 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 34 0 77 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 8 7 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 AL AR CA FL GA HI IL KS KY MD MA MI MN MS NH NJ NM NY NC OR PA RI SC TN UT VA WV WI X X X KENDRA IRVING 9173889035 450 SEVENTH AVENUE 32ND FLOOR NEW YORK NY 10123 ELIZABETH GREEN CO-FOUNDER AND CEO 50.00 X X 201366 0 40430 SUE LEHMANN CHAIRPERSON 2.50 X X 0 0 0 GIDEON STEIN TREASURER 2.00 X X 0 0 0 JILL BARKIN DIRECTOR 1.00 X 0 0 0 SHANI HILTON DIRECTOR 1.00 X 0 0 0 KANG-XING JIN DIRECTOR 2.00 X 0 0 0 KAREN WISHART DIRECTOR 1.00 X 0 0 0 ROBERTO YANEZ DIRECTOR 1.00 X 0 0 0 REBECCA ROSS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER THRU DEC 2020 50.00 X 185925 0 41476 KENDRA IRVING CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AS OF DEC 2020 50.00 X 10341 0 0 MARY CIPOLLA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 50.00 X 169333 0 17879 MEREDITH BRAMBLE CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER AS OF JAN 2020 40.00 X 149432 0 690 ALISON GO CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER 50.00 X 123831 0 15257 HAROLD WHACK SENIOR DIRECTOR, DEVELOPMENT 40.00 X 147070 0 12339 MARIA ARCHANGELO VICE PRESIDENT, PARTNERSHIPS 50.00 X 146598 0 19100 CAROLYN MELAGO MANAGING EDITOR, LOCAL NEWS 40.00 X 123815 0 13742 1257711 0 160913 14 0 1 0 TRINET PARK PLACE SUITE 600 DUBLIN CA 94568 PEO MANAGEMENT SERVICES 107615 1 402580 9953612 10356192 5551 5551 27224 27224 JOBS BOARD 511190 99505 99505 ADVERTISING 541800 76660 76660 HONORARIA FEES 900099 3100 3100 1595 1595 180860 10569827 0 176165 37470 719239 437565 213633 68041 5307224 3996216 759301 551707 171671 131768 26659 13244 692948 529347 111116 52485 472958 350587 77283 45088 113587 84198 18561 10828 44654 16983 25578 2093 23300 8862 13346 1092 627784 238768 359594 29422 45147 31179 3246 10722 114663 72399 29517 12747 538979 431326 95097 12556 157218 44320 112898 4071 3172 836 63 8489 2356 5225 908 19297 19297 TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT 30852 14050 16253 549 RECRUITING 22545 8575 12914 1056 DUES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS 9950 7400 1544 1006 COMMUNITY EVENTS 4731 791 3940 9129307 6409862 1901898 817547 1026286 1026631 2709241 3860792 2138095 2254039 63312 128095 184065 141328 45475 19457 6166474 7430342 71528 243712 30450 85919 404305 0 506283 329631 X 689782 1235239 4970409 5865472 5660191 7100711 6166474 7430342 1440520 0 X X 0 1 X 1 0 X 3580581 6553789 6767283 7314781 10356192 34572626 3580581 6553789 6767283 7314781 10356192 34572626 4205602 30367024 0 10 1165 13218 32775 47168 3924 3924 1059 4167 5558 5241 4695 20720 34644438 37033 0.87650 0.83690 X SCHEDULE A, PART II, LINE 10, EXPLANATION OF OTHER INCOME: OTHER INCOME - 2016 AMOUNT: $ 1,059. 2018 AMOUNT: $ 570. 2019 AMOUNT: $ 82. 2020 AMOUNT: $ 1,297. CREDIT CARD REWARDS - 2017 AMOUNT: $ 4,167. 2018 AMOUNT: $ 4,988. 2019 AMOUNT: $ 5,159. 2020 AMOUNT: $ 298. HONORARIA FEES - 2020 AMOUNT: $ 3,100. RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 0 X 10755527 185700 185700 10569827 0 10569827 9315007 185700 185700 9129307 0 9129307 PART X, LINE 2: CHALKBEAT RECOGNIZES THE EFFECT OF INCOME TAX POSITIONS ONLY IF THOSE POSITIONS ARE MORE LIKELY THAN NOT OF BEING SUSTAINED. MANAGEMENT HAS DETERMINED THAT CHALKBEAT HAD NO UNCERTAIN TAX POSITIONS THAT WOULD REQUIRE FINANCIAL STATEMENT RECOGNITION OR DISCLOSURE. TAX YEARS SINCE 2018 REMAIN OPEN TO EXAMINATION. THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO EXAMINATIONS IN PROGRESS. X X 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ELIZABETH GREEN CO-FOUNDER AND CEO 201366 0 0 0 0 0 7950 0 32480 0 241796 0 0 0 REBECCA ROSS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER THRU DEC 2020 185925 0 0 0 0 0 7821 0 33655 0 227401 0 0 0 MARY CIPOLLA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 169333 0 0 0 0 0 6864 0 11015 0 187212 0 0 0 MARIA ARCHANGELO VICE PRESIDENT, PARTNERSHIPS 146598 0 0 0 0 0 6000 0 13100 0 165698 0 0 0 HAROLD WHACK SENIOR DIRECTOR, DEVELOPMENT 147070 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12339 0 159409 0 0 0 MEREDITH BRAMBLE CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER AS OF JAN 2020 149432 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 690 0 150122 0 0 0 FORM 990, PART III, LINE 2 IN 2020, CHALKBEAT EXPANDED ITS LOCAL NEWS REPORTING BY LAUNCHING THE "POP UP NEWSROOM" VOTEBEAT PROVIDING INDEPENDENT NONPARTISAN COVERAGE OF ELECTION INTEGRITY IN EIGHT LOCATIONS AROUND THE U.S. DURING VOTEBEAT'S PILOT AS A THREE-MONTH NEWS PROJECT AMID THE 2020 ELECTION, VOTEBEAT SCALED TO 15 REPORTERS IN 10 NEWSROOMS ACROSS EIGHT STATES. VOTEBEAT'S MOST POPULAR ARTICLES HAVE BEEN READ BY 20,000 TO 85,000 PEOPLE EACH, AND ITS TOP ARTICLES HAVE BEEN REPRINTED THOUSANDS OF TIMES. VOTEBEAT PUBLISHED OVER 300 ARTICLES ABOUT A HUGE RANGE OF ISSUES AND NEWS DEVELOPMENTS IN EIGHT STATES, INCLUDING: VOTING LAWSUITS; BARRIERS TO THE BALLOT BOX FOR MARGINALIZED VOTERS; NEW VOTE-BY-MAIL PROCESSES; POLL WORKER SHORTAGES; VOTER INTIMIDATION; THE EFFECT OF COVID ON VOTING; FACTS ABOUT VOTING MACHINES; BALLOT-COUNTING AND RESULTS-REPORTING LOGISTICS; BALLOT RECOUNTS, CANVASSING, AND AUDITING; HARASSMENT OF ELECTION WORKERS; VOTER TURNOUT; AND THE TRUTH ABOUT FABRICATED VOTE-FRAUD CLAIMS. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION A, LINE 3 THE ORGANIZATION HAS AN AGREEMENT FOR CERTAIN ADMINISTRATIVE AND CONSULTING SERVICES WITH TRINET. ALL EMPLOYEES ARE CO-EMPLOYEES OF THE ORGANIZATION AND TRINET. TRINET PROVIDES PAYROLL, HR CONSULTING SERVICES AND PERFORMS OTHER OUTSOURCED HR FUNCTIONS. THE ORGANIZATION INCURRED $113,587 FOR SERVICES IN FISCAL YEAR 2021. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 11B THE FORM 990 WAS PREPARED BY AN OUTSIDE CPA FIRM. THE FORM 990 WAS REVIEWED BY INTERNAL MANAGEMENT. UPON COMPLETION OF THEIR REVIEW THE FORM 990 WAS BE CIRCULATED TO CHALKBEAT'S BOARD MEMBERS AND WAS REVISED FOR ANY CHANGES RECOMMENDED BY THE BOARD MEMBERS BEFORE FILING WITH THE IRS. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 12C CHALKBEAT HAS A WRITTEN CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY THAT APPLIES TO ALL BOARD MEMBERS AND OFFICERS; IN ADDITION, THE CONFLICTS SECTION OF THE CODE OF ETHICS APPLIES TO EMPLOYEES. THE BOARD REVIEWS THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY ON AN ANNUAL BASIS AND EACH MEMBER OF THE BOARD AND ALL OFFICERS MUST SIGN AN ANNUAL DISCLOSURE STATEMENT, WHERE THEY ARE ASKED TO DISCLOSE ANY POSSIBLE CONFLICT OF INTEREST. STAFF ARE REQUIRED TO AFFIRM THE CODE OF ETHICS, INCLUDING THE CONFLICTS SECTION, ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. IF A POTENTIAL CONFLICT ARISES, THE INTERESTED PARTY IS ASKED TO DISCLOSE ALL RELATED DETAILS TO THE BOARD OR CONFLICTS COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD. AFTER MAKING A PRESENTATION REGARDING HIS OR HER FINANCIAL INTEREST, THE INTERESTED PERSON LEAVES THE MEETING WHILE THE COMMITTEE OR BOARD DISCUSSES AND VOTES ON THE TRANSACTION OR ARRANGEMENT TO DETERMINE WHETHER THERE IS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST. THE COMMITTEE OR BOARD RECOMMENDS WHETHER THE ORGANIZATION SHOULD ENTER INTO THE TRANSACTION OR AGREEMENT. THE DECISION OF ANY ACTUAL OR POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST IS DOCUMENTED IN THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD MEETING. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 15 CHALKBEAT HAS IN PLACE A SET OF COMPENSATION STANDARDS, WHICH INCLUDE SALARY GUIDANCE FOR THE CEO, TOP OFFICERS AND STAFF. THESE STANDARDS ARE REVIEWED AT LEAST EVERY TWO YEARS TO MAKE SURE THEY REFLECT THE CURRENT MARKET. THE STANDARDS INCLUDE SALARY RANGES, BY POSITION, AS WELL AS DIFFERENTIATION OF SALARIES BASED ON EMPLOYER COMPENSATION DATA IN DIFFERENT REGIONS WHERE STAFF LIVE (SUCH AS FORM 990S OF SIMILAR NON-PROFITS). THE STANDARDS ARE INFORMED BY A REVIEW OF PEER ORGANIZATIONS' COMPENSATION DATA AND ARE REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY CHALKBEAT'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS. THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVES COMPENSATION AND ANY RELATED INCREASES FOR THE CEO BASED ON A PERFORMANCE REVIEW PROCESS LED BY THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD. GIVEN THE DEMANDS POSED BY THE PANDEMIC, IN LIEU OF A FULL PERFORMANCE REVIEW THE BOARD DOCUMENTED UNANIMOUS APPROVAL OF THE CEO'S PERFORMANCE IN JULY 2020, AND THE CEO RECEIVED A BOARD-APPROVED MARKET INCREASE IN JANUARY 2021. THIS WAS DOCUMENTED IN THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD MEETINGS. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION C, LINE 19 THE ORGANIZATION MAKES ITS FORM 990 AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION AS REQUIRED UNDER SECTION 6104 OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE. THE RETURN IS POSTED ON THE ORGANIZATION'S WEBSITE, CHALKBEAT.ORG, AS WELL AS GUIDESTAR.ORG AND OTHER SIMILAR TYPES OF WEBSITES. IN ADDITION, THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY, ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION AND BY-LAWS ARE AVAILABLE UPON WRITTEN REQUEST AT 450 SEVENTH AVENUE, 32ND FLOOR, NEW YORK, NY 10123, OR BY CALLING THE ORGANIZATION DIRECTLY AT (917)-388-9035. FORM 990, PART XII, LINE 2C: THE ORGANIZATION HAS AN AUDIT COMMITTEE THAT ASSUMES RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE OVERSIGHT OF THE AUDIT AND THE SELECTION OF AN INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANT. THE PROCESS HAS NOT CHANGED FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.