2022-11-10T09:31:11-06:00 2022-06-30 FORVIS LLP 1201 Walnut Suite 1700 Kansas City MO 641062246 990 2021-07-01 311650883 RELIGION NEWS FOUNDATION % LAURA WILSON RELI 8447676397 PO BOX 1808 COLUMBIA MO 65205 DEBORAH CALDWELL CEO/PRESIDENT 5738829257 2022-11-15 true DEBORAH CALDWELL 999009999 April Arnold CPA P01559426 8162216300 2 2021 2022-09-23 18:48:47Z X DEBORAH CALDWELL 30 NEFF ANNEX COLUMBIA MO 65211 2640911 false X RELIGIONNEWSFOUNDATION.ORG X 1999 OH TO ADVANCE THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF RELIGION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF RELIGION JOURNALISM. 10 9 17 9 91657 0 3377351 2337019 364736 302341 625 558 1173 691 3743885 2640609 9500 25691 0 0 1431163 1556213 5000 0 263095 2072925 1306677 3518588 2888581 225297 -247972 3281750 2784139 399196 149557 2882554 2634582 X TO ADVANCE THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF RELIGION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF RELIGION JOURNALISM. false false 2198385 25691 303032 SEE SCHEDULE O 2198385 true true false false false false false false false false true false false false false false false true false true true false false false false false false false true true false false false false false false false false false false false false true true false false false true 85 0 17 true true true false false false false false false false false false false false X 10 9 false false true false false true false true true false false true true true true true true true false false CA FL NY OH PA X LAURA WILSON 5738841327 30 NEFF ANNEX COLUMBIA MO 65211 DEBORAH CALDWELL CEO AND PUBLISHER/SECRETARY 40.0 0.0 X X 175419 0 9376 PAUL O'DONNELL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 40.0 0.0 X 108879 0 41383 ROXANNE STONE MANAGING EDITOR 40.0 0.0 X 104705 0 15784 BETSY SHIRLEY BOARD MEMBER 1.0 1.0 X 0 0 0 DAWN ARAUJO-HAWKINS BOARD MEMBER 1.0 1.0 X 0 0 0 JOHN TERRILL BOARD CHAIR 2.0 1.0 X X 0 0 0 KEN CHITWOOD VICE CHAIR 2.0 1.0 X X 0 0 0 MUHAMMED CHAUDHRY BOARD MEMBER 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 STEVEN WALDMAN BOARD MEMBER 1.0 1.0 X 0 0 0 THOMAS LEVINSON BOARD MEMBER 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 KIM WON BOARD MEMBER 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 DAVE ROBERSON TREASURER 2.0 0.0 X X 0 0 0 389003 0 66543 3 false true false 0 395671 1941348 2337019 Subscription Revenue 519130 49653 49653 Press Release Income 519130 67163 40908 26255 Program Collaboration Sales 519130 74612 74612 Contractual Income 519130 41900 41900 Advertising 541800 65688 286 65402 3325 3325 302341 860 860 0 691 691 0 0 0 302 -302 -302 -302 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2640609 211375 91657 558 0 25691 25691 0 0 194397 4226 44373 145798 0 1041860 869778 149764 22318 54167 42247 8095 3825 265789 200954 40381 24454 0 0 27672 12912 14760 71984 71984 0 0 0 939470 833945 71414 34111 0 20297 14567 3167 2563 79056 56754 12325 9977 0 10050 7215 1567 1268 26283 15005 11278 0 72401 72401 2137 1534 333 270 0 33269 23884 5187 4198 20129 14451 3138 2540 Bad Debt 3929 2821 613 495 2888581 2198385 427101 263095 106673 285439 1638313 348506 1317000 2012000 92299 17442 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 29811 48563 45289 28663 14907 16626 0 0 0 0 0 0 82747 55563 0 0 3281750 2784139 159321 126842 0 0 6523 22715 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 233352 0 0 0 399196 149557 X 249916 482114 2632638 2152468 2882554 2634582 3281750 2784139 -247972 X false true X true false X X X 1 RELIGION NEWS ASSOCIATION 541486927 7 true 41784 0 1 41784 0 true false true true true false false false false false false false false false false false false true false SCHEDULE A, PART IV, SECTION A, LINE 3B THE ORGANIZATION RETAINS A COPY OF THE IRS DETERMINATION LETTER OF ITS SUPPORTED ORGANIZATION. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO RECEIVED A COPY OF THE SUPPORTED ORGANIZATION'S PRO FORMA PUBLIC SUPPORT TEST SHOWING THAT IT MEETS THE 509(A)(2) TEST. SCHEDULE A, PART IV, SECTION A, LINE 3C THE SUPPORTED ORGANIZATION PROVIDES GRANT AND CONTRACTED REVENUE FUNDS TO PAY FOR EDUCATIONAL SERVICES. TRAINING AND EDUCATION IS THE QUALIFIED CHARITABLE PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION. STIPEND AGREEMENTS ARE SIGNED WITH SUMS DOCUMENTED FOR ALL CONFERENCE SCHOLARSHIP EXPENSES TO THE SUPPORTED ORGANIZATION. RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 45289 28663 16626 16626 2746136 105527 105527 2640609 2640609 2994108 105527 105527 2888581 2888581 SCHEDULE D, PART X, LINE 2 MANAGEMENT HAS EVALUATED THEIR INCOME TAX POSITIONS UNDER THE GUIDANCE INCLUDED IN ASC 740. BASED ON THEIR REVIEW, MANAGEMENT HAS NOT IDENTIFIED ANY MATERIAL UNCERTAIN TAX POSITIONS TO BE RECORDED OR DISCLOSED IN THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. Europe (Including Iceland and Greenland) 1 Program Services JOURNALISM 101384 SOUTH ASIA PROGRAM SERVICES JOURNALISM 3142 SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA PROGRAM SERVICES JOURNALISM 4290 NORTH AMERICA PROGRAM SERVICES JOURNALISM 905 MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA PROGRAM SERVICES JOURNALISM 460 1 1 110181 110181 false false false false false false SCHEDULE F, PART 1, LINE 3, COLUMN F THE ORGANIZATION ACCOUNTS FOR FOREIGN EXPENDITURES ACCORDING TO THE ACCRUAL BASIS OF ACCOUNTING USING EXPENSE REPORTS AND OTHER APPROPRIATE DOCUMENTATION. true RNA SCHOLARSHIP 15 9691 IFYC FELLOWSHIP 4 16000 SCHEDULE I, PART I, LINE 2 RNA Scholarship - A selection committee composed of RNA and RNF board and staff was formed to review RNF/RNA Conference Scholarship applications. Upon selection, all grantees sign a "Scholarship Acceptance Agreement" whereby they agree that funds will be used exclusively for travel to the RNA conference. Any funds not used to attend the conference must be returned. IFYC Fellowship - Fellowship recipients were jointly recruited by Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC) and Religion News Service (RNS). The RNS Editor in Chief selected the final awardees. Fellowship stipends were paid in the course of a nine-month fellowship during which grantees worked alongside veteran reporters. X X false false false false false false false false false DEBORAH CALDWELL CEO AND PUBLISHER/SECRETARY 175419 0 0 0 0 0 8324 0 1052 0 184795 0 0 0 PAUL O'DONNELL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 108879 0 0 0 0 0 1692 0 39691 0 150262 0 0 0 SCHEDULE J, LINE 3 A compensation review was performed by board chair Muhammed Chaudhry and board member John Turner. Compensation was determined by comparison to the prior CEO's compensation, as well as review of the most recent Guidestar (Candid) nonprofit compensation reports available in spring of 2020. This review was conducted in closed executive session. Muhammed Chaudry completed contemporaneous substantiation of the deliberation and decision by email to other board members. FORM 990, PART III, LINE 4A Editorial: Enhanced RNS's editorial efforts by focusing on breaking stories and coverage of important issues including Christian nationalism, COVID-19, immigrant religious communities volunteering and impacting their communities, racial justice, and voter participation; enha coverage on the Black church, Catholicism, Hinduism, nonbelievers, and paganism/Wicca; continued Religion Hub on the RNS website; continued an award-winning podcast, Saved by the City; published two new newsletters; hired new columnists; and expanded partnerships with Columbia University/Scripps Howard Foundation/INN, Interfaith America, and Public Religion Research Institute (PPRI); and won awards, including from the American Academy of Religion. Audience Development: Grew website traffic by better understanding the RNS audience to develop a more loyal readership; enlarged RNS's email list and social following; made newsletters more engaging, and expanded RNS's digital footprint, achieving milestones in web and social media. Revenue Growth, Development and Diversification: Transitioned RNS's business model to a digital journalism hub; grew and diversified RNS's revenue through initiatives including developing a more personalized platform for small individual and major donors; expanded fundraising outreach to foundations and high net worth individuals. Organizational Development and Operations: Aligned RNF/S procedures with nonprofit journalism best practices and improved RNS's technological/web capacity. Impact: Enhanced RNS's reach by taking into account our readers' comments and increasing citations and republication in other publications. FORM 990, PART V, LINE 2B RNF USES A THIRD PARTY PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYER ORGANIZATIO (PEO), AND THE EMPLOYEES ARE REPORTED UNDER PEO'S EIN. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION A, LINE 4 THE BYLAWS WERE AMENDED TO CHANGE THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF BOARD MEMBERS FROM 20 TO 21. ALSO, OFFICERS ARE NOW ELECTED FOR ONE-YEAR TERMS INSTEAD OF TWO-YEAR TERMS. OFFICERS MAY BE RE-ELECTED FOR TWO ADDITIONAL ONE-YEAR TERMS. THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD IS NO LONGER REQUIRED TO BE THE CEO OF RNF. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION A, LINE 7A THE RELIGION NEWS ASSOCIATION HAS THE RIGHT TO APPOINT 51% OF THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF THE RELIGION NEWS FOUNDATION, WITH THE PRESUMPTION THAT THE SUPPORTED ORGANIZATION'S (SO) BOARD OF DIRECTORS WOULD APPROVE CANDIDATES WHO HAVE BEEN VETTED AND APPROVED BY A COMMITTEE MADE UP EQUALLY OF MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE SUPPORTED ORGANIZATION'S (SO) BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THOSE ELECTED BY THE FOUNDATION'S BOARD OF TRUSTEES. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 11B AN INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTING FIRM PREPARES AND REVIEWS THE FORM 990. THE FORM 990 IS THEN REVIEWED BY THE FINANCE DIRECTOR AND CEO. ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS MANAGEMENT HAS ARE ADDRESSED AND ANY CORRECTIONS OR CLARIFICATIONS ARE MADE BEFORE FILING. A COPY OF THE FORM 990 IS PROVIDED TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS BEFORE THE FORM IS FILED. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 12C DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS ARE REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE ANY CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. RELIGION NEWS FOUNDATION REGULARLY MONITORS THE POTENTIAL FOR CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND RAISES POTENTIAL ISSUES WHEN THEY ARISE FOR EVALUATION. IF A CONFLICT IS DISCLOSED, THE BOARD OR MEMBERS OF COMMITTEES WITH GOVERNING BOARD DELEGATED POWERS SHALL DECIDE IF A CONFLICT OF INTEREST EXISTS. IF A CONFLICT DOES EXIST, THE PERSON IS REQUIRED TO LEAVE THE MEETING DURING THE DISCUSSION AND VOTE ON THE TRANSACTION OR ARRANGEMENT. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 15A & 15B A COMPENSATION REVIEW WAS PERFORMED BY BOARD CHAIR MUHAMMED CHAUDHRY AND BOARD MEMBER JOHN TURNER. COMPENSATION WAS DETERMINED BY COMPARISON TO THE PRIOR CEO'S COMPENSATION, AS WELL AS REVIEW OF THE MOST RECENT GUIDESTAR (CANDID) NONPROFIT COMPENSATION REPORTS AVAILABLE IN SPRING OF 2020. THIS REVIEW WAS CONDUCTED IN CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION. MUHAMMED CHAUDRY COMPLETED CONTEMPORANEOUS SUBSTANTIATION OF THE DELIBERATION AND DECISION BY EMAIL TO OTHER BOARD MEMBERS. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION C, LINE 19 ALL GOVERNING DOCUMENTS ARE MADE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. FORM 990 PART IX LINE 11G DESCRIPTION:CONSULTING FEES TOTAL FEES:401802 FORM 990 PART IX LINE 11G DESCRIPTION:CONTRACTED JOURNALISTS TOTAL FEES:190370 FORM 990 PART IX LINE 11G DESCRIPTION:CONTRACTED COLUMNISTS TOTAL FEES:99342 FORM 990 PART IX LINE 11G DESCRIPTION:MARKETING & ADVERTISING SVCS TOTAL FEES:91549 FORM 990 PART IX LINE 11G DESCRIPTION:STRINGERS TOTAL FEES:83132 FORM 990 PART IX LINE 11G DESCRIPTION:OTHER CONSULTING FEES TOTAL FEES:40454 FORM 990 PART IX LINE 11G DESCRIPTION:WIRE SERVICE TOTAL FEES:32821 RELIGION NEWS SERVICES LLC 30 NEFF ANNEX COLUMBIA MO 65203 CHARITABLE OH 300544 235742 RNF RELIGION NEWS ASSOCIATION 30 NEFF ANNEX COLUMBIA MO 65211 541486927 MBRSHP ORG VA 501(C)(6) NA false false false false false false false false false false false false false true false false true false true false