2017-02-15T00:00:00-06:00 2016-06-30 131655065 LUTZ AND CARR CPAS LLP 300 EAST 42ND STREET NEW YORK NY 10017 990 2015-07-01 134167155 WITNESS INC WITN 7187832000 80 HANSON PLACE NO 510 BROOKLYN NY 11217 YVETTE ALBERDINGK-THIJM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 7187832000 2017-02-16 1 FREDERICK MARTENS P00298107 2126972299 2015 2021-01-29 14:40:06Z YVETTE ALBERDINGK-THIJM 80 HANSON PLACE NO 510 BROOKLYN NY 11217 3449348 0 X WWW.WITNESS.ORG X 2001 DE SEE SCHEDULE O 14 14 36 87 0 0 3122437 2777078 0 0 14877 31891 41133 51774 3178447 2860743 0 0 0 0 2681568 2586642 25920 0 440947 1054337 1004672 3761825 3591314 -583378 -730571 3630587 2930058 329911 406306 3300676 2523752 X WITNESS USES VIDEO TO OPEN THE EYES OF THE WORLD TO HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS. WITNESS EMPOWERS PEOPLE TO TRANSFORM PERSONAL STORIES OF ABUSE INTO POWERFUL TOOLS FOR JUSTICE, PROMOTING PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND POLICY CHANGE. 0 0 2153609 2668 TRAINING AND CAMPAIGNS:WITNESS IS RESPONDING TO CRITICAL SITUATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSE AND ATROCITIES. THROUGH HOLISTIC, RESPONSIVE SUPPORT, WE EMPOWER BROAD GROUPS OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS IN USING VIDEO TO OVERCOME SIGNIFICANT CRISES AND CREATE IMPACT. IN 2016, WITNESS ENGAGED SIGNIFICANTLY IN PROJECTS IN WESTERN SAHARA, UKRAINE, BRAZIL AND THE UNITED STATES, WHERE OUR WORK FOCUSES ON STRENGTHENING CALLS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND JUSTICE SURROUNDING THE ISSUE OF POLICE VIOLENCE, GOVERNMENT SUPPRESSION AND WAR CRIMES. THROUGHOUT MAY AND JUNE 2016, WITNESS HELD A NUMBER OF TRAININGS IN THE UKRAINE THROUGH THEIR VIDEO AS EVIDENCE PROGRAM TO TRAIN ACTIVISTS ON HOW TO DOCUMENT WAR CRIMES SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY. IN JULY, WITNESS TRAINED ACTIVISTS ON THE USE OF VIDEO IN ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS AT THE 2016 AFRICAN COALITION FOR CORPORATE ACCOUNTABILITY CONFERENCE IN PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA.IN AUGUST, WITNESS ORGANIZED A NUMBER OF TRAININGS AND ACTIVITIES IN BRAZIL TO TRAIN ACTIVISTS ON HOW TO DOCUMENT HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AND PROTESTS TAKING PLACE WITHIN THE REGION, AS A RESULT OF THE SUMMER 2016 OLYMPICS. IN MARCH, WITNESS JOINED THE JUSTICE FOR BERTA CAMPAIGN, A HONDURAN ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST AND HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER WHO WAS ASSASSINATED. WITNESS CONDEMNED THE KILLING AND CALLED FOR JUSTICE FOR BERTA AND HER FAMILY AND RELEASED A VIDEO CAMPAIGN ON BEHALF OF WITNESS SUPPORTER SUSAN SARANDON AND FOUNDER, PETER GABRIEL. 261616 14581 OUTREACH AND EDUCATION:WITNESS RECOGNIZES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IMPACT AS A RESULT OF THE VAST NUMBER OF NEW WITNESSES EMPOWERED BY VIDEO-ENABLED CELL PHONES AND INTERNET ACCESS. AT THE SAME TIME, WE UNDERSTAND THE RISKS THESE WITNESSES FACE, AND THE NEED FOR ON-THE-GROUND INTENSIVE TRAININGS ON HOW TO USE VIDEO EFFECTIVELY AND SAFELY. HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF THE OVERWHELMING NEED FOR VIDEO-ACTIVISM TRAINING, IN ORDER TO MEET THE DEMAND FOR OUR SUPPORT, WITNESS DEVELOPS EASY-TO-USE RESOURCES (TIP SHEETS, VIDEOS, GUIDES, ETC.), TRANSLATES AND ADAPTS THEM FOR USE WHERE THEY ARE MOST NEEDED AND DISTRIBUTES THEM AS BROADLY AS POSSIBLE. OUR FOCUS IS ON REACHING MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES WHERE VIDEO CAN "TIP THE BALANCE AND ACHIEVE ACCOUNTABILITY WHERE OTHER EFFORTS HAVE FALLEN SHORT. THROUGH A REDESIGN OF OUR WEBSITE, WHICH INCLUDED THE CREATION OF A WITNESS LIBRARY FOR OUR FULL SUITE OF TRAINING MATERIALS, WE HAVE GREATLY INCREASED THE EASE AND ACCESSIBILITY OF OUR RESOURCES FOR BROAD AUDIENCES. ALL MATERIALS ARE OPEN-SOURCE AND AVAILABLE TO BE DOWNLOADED AND RE-MIXED THROUGH OUR GITHUB PAGE. IN OCTOBER, WITNESS LAUNCHED A NEW WEBSITE FOR OUR VIDEO ARCHIVING WORK, WHICH FEATURES INFORMATION AND COMPREHENSIVE RESOURCES FOR ARCHIVISTS AND ACTIVISTS ON HOW TO ARCHIVE AND PRESERVE THEIR VIDEO SO THAT IMPORTANT FOOTAGE CAPTURING HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES CAN NOT BE FORGOTTEN. WITNESS ALSO PRODUCED A NUMBER OF NEW TRAINING RESOURCES, INCLUDING A FULL-LENGTH REPORT ON TRANSGENDER VIOLENCE, TITLED 'CAPTURING HATE,' AS WELL AS TRANSLATED A NUMBER OF PREEXISTING RESOURCES INTO ADDITIONAL LANGUAGES SO THEY ARE ABLE TO REACH A LARGER AUDIENCE. 219768 ADVOCACY TO TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES AND THOUGHT LEADERSHIP: WE ARE ENCOURAGING LARGE TECH INDUSTRY LEADERS TO OPTIMIZE AND ADAPT THEIR PRODUCTS, PLATFORMS AND TOOLS TO ACCOMMODATE HUMAN RIGHTS USES. WITNESS HAS DEVELOPED SIGNIFICANT RELATIONSHIPS WITH GOOGLE AND YOUTUBE, ENGAGING IN REGULAR CLOSED-DOOR MEETINGS WITH THE POLICY, PRIVACY, NEWS, AS WELL AS OTHER TEAMS AT THE COMPANIES. WITNESS ADVOCATES FOR "PROOF-MODES" FOR PLATFORMS AND PRODUCTS TO MAKE SURE USERS EXPLICITLY CHOOSE WHETHER TO ADD POTENTIALLY RISKY METADATA WHILE PARTICIPATING ON THESE PLATFORMS, ALONG WITH OTHER WAYS TO MAINTAIN THE INTEGRITY AND VERIFIABILITY OF ANY VIDEOS THEY SHARE. WE HAVE ALSO ADVOCATED FOR MORE ADVANCED SECURITY TACTICS, SUCH AS FACE BLURRING FUNCTIONALITIES, THAT WOULD ADDRESS PRIVACY AND SECURITY CONCERNS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS USERS, AND THAT WOULD OFFER BETTER ON-DEMAND GUIDANCE FOR VULNERABLE USERS. MOST RECENTLY, YOUTUBE RELEASED A FACEBLURRING TOOL, WHICH WITNESS CONTRIBUTED TO. ADDITIONALLY, WE ARE DEVELOPING SPECIFIC TOOLS DESIGNED TO BRIDGE GAPS FOR USERS MORE IMMEDIATELY. OUR AWARD-WINNING TOOL, CAMERAV (FORMERLY KNOWN AS INFORMACAM), DEVELOPED IN CONTINUING COLLABORATION WITH THE GUARDIAN PROJECT, ALLOWS USERS TO EASILY UNDERSTAND AND CONTROL WHAT AND HOW METADATA IS EMBEDDED IN THEIR MEDIA, EMPOWERING THEM TO PROTECT THEIR OWN PRIVACY AND SECURITY, OR TO VERIFY, VALIDATE AND PROVE A VIDEO'S AUTHENTICITY. THE APP IS ALSO A REFERENCE DESIGN FOR "PROOF MODE," WHICH WITNESS IS USING TO ENGAGE KEY USERS IN THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND HUMAN RIGHTS SYSTEMS ABOUT THE NEED TO MAKE EVIDENTIARY DATA PORTABLE ACROSS PLATFORMS AND DEVICES, AS WELL AS USER-FRIENDLY. THE WITNESS MEDIA LAB DEVELOPS, MODELS AND SUPPORTS INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO SOURCING, VERIFYING AND CONTEXTUALIZING EYEWITNESS VIDEOS AND ENSURING THAT FOOTAGE TAKEN BY AVERAGE CITIZENS CAN SERVE AS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR HUMAN RIGHTS. MOST RECENTLY, THE WITNESS MEDIA LAB RELEASED A GROUNDBREAKING REPORT, TITLED 'CAPTURING HATE,' WHICH STUDIED VIEWER ENGAGEMENT WITH EYEWITNESS VIDEOS THAT SHOW TRANSPHOBIC VIOLENCE FILMED, SHARED AND ENGAGED WITH AS ENTERTAINMENT. THE REPORT AIMED TO HIGHLIGHT THE ABUSIVE AND OFTEN LIFE THREATENING ENVIRONMENTS THAT TRANSGENDER AND GENDER NONCONFORMING PEOPLE NAVIGATE DAILY. 122466 5518 MEDIA PRODUCTION AND ARCHIVES 122466 5518 2757459 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 24 0 36 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 X 14 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 NY DE IL CA X X GRACE LILE 7187832000 80 HANSON PLACE 5TH FLOOR BROOKLYN NY 11217 REGAN RALPH PRESIDENT 1.00 X X 0 0 0 PETER GABRIEL CHAIRMAN 1.00 X X 0 0 0 HELEN ENRIGHT TREASURER 1.00 X X 0 0 0 MICHAEL HIRSCHHORN SECRETARY 1.00 X X 0 0 0 HARVEY ANDERSON BOARD MEMBER 1.00 X 0 0 0 RONIT AVNI BOARD MEMBER 1.00 X 0 0 0 GAEL GARCIA BERNAL BOARD MEMBER 1.00 X 0 0 0 JOHN HASS BOARD MEMBER 1.00 X 0 0 0 CESAR RODRIGUEZ-GARAVITO BOARD MEMBER 1.00 X 0 0 0 JIM SALZANO BOARD MEMBER 1.00 X 0 0 0 LEKHA SINGH BOARD MEMBER 1.00 X 0 0 0 JEFFREY TARRANT BOARD MEMBER 1.00 X 0 0 0 AMY TOWERS BOARD MEMBER 1.00 X 0 0 0 MICHAELANGELO VOLPI BOARD MEMBER 1.00 X 0 0 0 NICOLE WONG BOARD MEMBER 1.00 X 0 0 0 YVETTE ALBERDINGK THIJM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40.00 X 169028 0 17660 GRACE LILE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS 40.00 X 103675 0 35916 SAMUEL GREGORY PROGRAM DIRECTOR 36.00 X 116098 0 36420 388801 0 89996 3 0 1 0 0 335219 424061 2017798 22591 2777078 30406 30406 355105 353620 1485 1485 1485 234985 335219 234985 0 5518 0 5518 5518 MISCELLANEOUS 900099 46256 17249 29007 46256 2860743 22767 0 60898 309307 207012 52358 49937 1771512 1348765 211481 211266 44328 33861 5239 5228 307909 231971 36005 39933 153586 114989 19258 19339 1214 1214 35998 35998 5077 5077 260463 236025 24438 46670 37292 1863 7515 79529 66763 911 11855 216480 175743 15009 25728 141673 140446 424 803 61175 53020 300 7855 57194 46402 3975 6817 STAFF AND OTHER PROGRAM 41950 37886 1119 2945 EVENT EXPENSE 38042 8880 1874 27288 PROGRAM EQUIPMENT 17869 17759 110 0 MISCELLANEOUS 693 0 693 0 645 645 3591314 2757459 392908 440947 382773 101190 398249 203785 1845799 1623887 6200 9950 102096 99224 1798667 1678800 63954 119867 786266 726905 45250 45250 3630587 2930058 112860 113059 217051 293247 329911 406306 X 533756 332068 2766920 2191684 3300676 2523752 3630587 2930058 X -730571 -9608 -36745 X 0 1 X 1 0 X 3476066 4215003 5754420 3122437 2777078 19345004 3476066 4215003 5754420 3122437 2777078 19345004 6759233 12585771 11070 14770 16916 17207 30406 90369 15230 41285 27320 32009 46256 162100 19597473 73977 0.64220 0.59170 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 249537 246149 3388 743293 626814 116479 805837 805837 0 119867 CAPITAL LEASE OBLIGATION 93247 REFUNDABLE ADVANCE 200000 293247 3212961 -9608 403648 -36745 357295 2855666 5077 5077 2860743 3989885 403648 403648 3586237 5077 5077 3591314 PART XI, LINE 2D - OTHER ADJUSTMENTS: FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGE LOSS -36,745. EUROPE 0 2 PROGRAM SERVICES SEE PART V 25660 MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA 0 2 PROGRAM SERVICES SEE PART V 2358 NORTH AMERICA 0 2 PROGRAM SERVICES SEE PART V 40960 SOUTH ASIA 0 0 PROGRAM SERVICES SEE PART V 88 SOUTH EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC 0 2 PROGRAM SERVICES SEE PART V 54153 SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA 0 0 PROGRAM SERVICES SEE PART V 17681 SOUTH AMERICA 0 3 PROGRAM SERVICES SEE PART V 41000 RUSSIA AND NEIGHBORING STATES - ARMENIA, AZERBIJAN, BELARUS, 0 1 PROGRAM SERVICES SEE PART V 9592 0 12 0 0 0 12 191492 0 191492 0 0 0 0 0 0 SCHEDULE F, PART I, LINE 3, COLUMN E EMPOWERING PEOPLE TO TRANSFORM PERSONAL STORIES OF ABUSE INTO POWERFUL TOOLS FOR JUSTICE, PROMOTING PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND POLICY CHANGE. GALA BENEFIT 570204 335219 234985 13000 94711 13971 113303 570204 335219 234985 13000 94711 13971 113303 234985 0 X X X X 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 YVETTE ALBERDINGK THIJM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 168890 0 0 0 138 0 5130 0 12530 0 186688 0 0 0 SAMUEL GREGORY PROGRAM DIRECTOR 116038 0 0 0 60 0 3684 0 32736 0 152518 0 0 0 X 1 15466 FAIR MARKET VALUE X EQUIPMENT 12 7125 FAIR MARKET VALUE 0 1 0 3 WITNESS IS AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR ANYONE, ANYWHERE TO USE VIDEO AND TECHNOLOGY TO PROTECT AND DEFEND HUMAN RIGHTS. WITH MORE CAMERA-ENABLED MOBILE PHONES THAN PEOPLE ON EARTH, WITNESS PROVIDES CUSTOMIZED TRAINING, TOOLS, AND TIMELY SUPPORT SO THAT ANYONE CAN USE VIDEO FOR HUMAN RIGHTS MONITORING. WITNESS IDENTIFIES CRITICAL SITUATIONS AND PROVIDES INTENSIVE, ON-THE-GROUND SUPPORT TO THOSE AFFECTED BY ABUSE, INCLUDING TRAINING HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS IN DOCUMENTATION FOR EVIDENCE, VIDEO PRODUCTION, SAFE AND ETHICAL FILMING TECHNIQUES, ONLINE SECURITY AND ADVOCACY STRATEGIES. WE ADVOCATE TO TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES THAT THEY INNOVATE AND CREATE CHANGES AT THE SYSTEMS LEVEL SO THAT DIGITAL TOOLS AND PLATFORMS PROTECT THE PRIVACY AND SECURITY OF PEOPLE FILMING, BEING FILMED AND SHARING VIDEO ONLINE. IN ORDER TO ENSURE ANYONE, ANYWHERE HAS THE GUIDANCE AND TOOLS THEY NEED TO HARNESS VIDEO AND TECHNOLOGY FOR CHANGE, WITNESS SYSTEMATICALLY DISTRIBUTES RESOURCES ONLINE, LIKE THE GROUNDBREAKING VIDEO AS EVIDENCE GUIDE, WHICH PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK FOR THE USE OF VIDEO AS LEGAL EVIDENCE TO MILLIONS AROUND THE WORLD. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO IDENTIFIES AND EQUIPS KEY INFLUENCERS WHO CAN SHARE WITNESS' METHODOLOGY AT SCALE. IN 2015, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE NEWS LAB AT GOOGLE, WE LAUNCHED THE WITNESS MEDIA LAB TO RESEARCH AND INNOVATE SOLUTIONS TO SOME OF TODAY'S MOST PRESSING ISSUES AROUND TECHNOLOGY, VIDEO AND HUMAN RIGHTS. FOR OVER TWO DECADES, WITNESS HAS PARTNERED WITH HUNDREDS OF ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE WORLD, TRAINED AND EQUIPPED THOUSANDS OF ACTIVISTS, AND MADE CUSTOMIZED RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO MILLIONS SO THAT EVERYONE, EVERYWHERE CAN HARNESS THE POWER OF VIDEO FOR HUMAN RIGHTS CHANGE. FORM 990, PART I, LINE 6, NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS: THE ORGANIZATION HAD A TOTAL OF 87 VOLUNTEERS DURING THE FISCAL YEAR, COMPRISED OF THE FOLLOWING: -15 BOARD MEMBERS -21 GALA VOLUNTEERS FOR FFC GALA - NOVEMBER 2015 -4 MARATHON RUNNERS FOR NYC MARATHON - NOVEMBER 2015 -9 FIVE-BORO BIKE TOUR CYCLISTS - MAY 2016 -1 VOLUNTEER CONSULTING ATTORNEY - OCTOBER 2015 TO CURRENT -1 VOLUNTEER OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT - MAY 2016 TO CURRENT -2 VOLUNTEER TRANSLATORS -6 INTERNS -28 ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 11 SENIOR MANAGEMENT REVIEWS AND EVALUATES THE INFORMATION BEING COMPILED FOR THE 990 IN ADVANCE OF PREPARING A DRAFT, AND REVIEWS THE FINAL 990 PRIOR TO IRS FILING. THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS REVIEWS A FINAL DRAFT OF THE 990, AND THEN THE FINAL 990 IS CIRCULATED TO THE FULL BOARD PRIOR TO IRS FILING. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 12C ALL APPLICABLE PERSONNEL, INCLUDING BOARD OF DIRECTORS, OFFICERS AND KEY EMPLOYEES, SIGN A CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT, IN CONJUNCTION WITH WITNESS' PUBLISHED CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY, ON AN ONGOING BASIS. ANY POTENTIAL CONFLICTS ARE DISCUSSED AS THEY MAY ARISE, AND RESOLVED AT THE SEMIANNUAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETINGS. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 15 BASE SALARY AND SALARY INCREASES FOR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ARE REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION, AND STAYING WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF THE ORGANIZATION'S SALARY STRUCTURE, WHICH IS UPDATED EVERY TWO YEARS AFTER ORIGINALLY BEING CREATED BY AN EXTERNAL COMPENSATION CONSULTING FIRM IN 2005. THIS SALARY STRUCTURE INCLUDES SALARIES FOR ALL STAFF, INCLUDING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND OTHER KEY STAFF. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION C, LINE 19 THE ORGANIZATION'S CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY IS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. THE ORGANIZATION'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC ON ITS WEBSITE, WWW.WITNESS.ORG, AND BY REQUEST. FORM 990, PART XI, LINE 9: FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGE LOSS -36,745.