Trusting News has officially secured nonprofit status
Trusting News is granted tax-exempt status
Trusting News has officially secured 501(c)(3) status and has been recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt nonprofit. The organization became independent and applied for exempt status earlier this year after more than eight years of being co-hosted by two other institutions, the American Press Institute and the Reynolds Journalism Institute.
Nonprofit status will strengthen our ability to fundraise and continue to support newsrooms. We’re so grateful to the people who helped us reach this milestone.
First, thank you to Rusty Coats and Journalism Funding Partners for serving as our fiscal sponsor as we’ve made this transition. Rusty’s guidance, flexibility and support have been instrumental.
Second, thank you for the hours of pro bono advice and support provided by Kay Murray and Audrey Tanenbaum at Lawyers for Reporters. In addition to helping us navigate the legalities of establishing a new organization, they took the guesswork out of the IRS application and set us up for success.
Third, thank you to our inaugural board of directors for being willing to invest in our foundation and pave the way for the future. Joining staff members Joy Mayer and Lynn Walsh on the initial board are Andrew DeVigal, director of the Agora Journalism Center at the University of Oregon, Reuben Stern, director of the Missouri School of Journalism’s New York program, and Richard T. Griffiths, retired head of CNN’s editorial quality control team.
New to Trusting News, or looking to engage further?
- Get started earning trust with Trust Kits.
- Sign up for the weekly Trust Tips newsletter.
- Check out current training opportunities.
- Learn about the impact of Trusting News through newsroom case studies, research and journalists’ testimonials.
Looking for support with election coverage?
- Our Election Trust Kit walks through several steps newsrooms can take to understand audience perceptions of political news, demonstrate the credibility of their work and actively earn trust day to day.
- We’re offering one-on-one, customized coaching for journalists or newsroom teams who could use support with a specific piece of their election coverage. The coaching is designed to be efficient and helpful, and we will adapt it to be as quick and informal as needed. Fill out this form to get in touch.
- We’re hosting a series of training webinars on tangible, last-minute strategies for election coverage. Next up: Avoiding polarization when reporting on hot-button issues. Register here.
Interested in becoming a funding partner?
The Trusting News team is actively fundraising to support its research and programming. With ideas or questions about funding Trusting News, email joy@TrustingNews.org.
At Trusting News, we learn how people decide what news to trust and turn that knowledge into actionable strategies for journalists. We train and empower journalists to take responsibility for demonstrating credibility and actively earning trust through transparency and engagement. Learn more about our work, vision and team. Subscribe to our Trust Tips newsletter. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.