Council for the Advancement of Science Writing Inc

Overview

Mission

To improve the quality and quantity of science news reaching the public.

What it reported doing in 2024

THE NATIONAL SCIENCE-HEALTH-ENVIRONMENT REPORTING FELLOWSHIPS The program is intended to support early-career journalists who are pursuing or have a strong interest in pursuing careers reporting on science, health, or environmental issues (or all three). The fellowship is designed to enable fellows to maintain their regular employment while attending concentrated training opportunities across the country, many of which will lead to stories for their employer or clients. Fellowship leaders and mentors will provide support and guidance through seminars, calls and e-mail consultations.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 80% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Hybrid. The nonprofit split its reported program spending across 65% for direct work, and 35% for grants.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
131953314
IRS 990 coverage
2014–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Headquarters
Seattle, WA, USA
Phone
2068800177
Rating
81
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
General Science

Official website

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. The filing does not identify recipients for some grant dollars and some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 85
  • Transparency & Controls: 73
  • Accountability: 90
  • Sustainability: 51
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 85.8%; rating input score 86
  • Program expense ratio: 84.6%; rating input score 85
  • Fundraising efficiency: $67.95 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 82; 82nd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 84.6%; rating input score 85; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 49.7%; rating input score 50; 29th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 6 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 75
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: Fail
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 3.4%; rating input score 46; 46th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.85; rating input score 74; 74th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.05; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 18.5%; rating input score 17; 17th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 4.8% per year; rating input score 100; 41st percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 1.6% per year; rating input score 100; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 7.1% per year; rating input score 100; 48th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 85.8% of revenue deployed · 84.6% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 16 of 16 board members independent · 6 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $619K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $108K · 18 people listed
  • Consistency: 29 of 31 current checks pass · 2 findings to review
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 10 annual filings from 2014 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 3 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 1 filed related-organization link
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Leadership & pay

18 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • ROSALIND REID (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (RESIGNED SEPT 2024)): $108,343 total reported compensation
  • MEAGHAN PARKER (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (STARTED OCT 2024)): $26,780 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.