Allbritton Journalism Institute

What it reported doing in 2024

Allbritton journalism institute (the institute) aims to restore journalism's role in our democracy by fostering a new generation of reporters, from a wide variety of backgrounds and perspectives, who produce work that americans trust. To accomplish this goal, we have created notus, a new kind of d.c. Publication. Think of it as a teaching hospital for journalism: a publication staffed both by some of the country's best political journalists and by aji reporting fellows - up-and-coming, early-career journalists who are chosen through an annual application process, and who work with, and learn from, their more established colleagues. (see schedule o)the institute offers a two-year program designed to equip students from a diverse range of backgrounds for careers as credible, non-partisan reporters. The curriculum provides our students both a rigorous education in core journalistic skills and hands-on experience covering government and politics. Students are enrolled full-time for the duration of the two-year program, taking regularly scheduled courses taught by the institute's faculty as well as guest lecturers. Formal instruction is conducted in a variety of formats, including lectures, seminars and discussion groups. Students also receive practical, real-world training by working together with faculty members who are professional editors and reporters to produce a new digital publication covering government and national politics. Through this mix of classroom and experiential learning, students develop core competencies in five domains: (1) trust & credibility - courses within this domain will cover fairness, independence, bias, privacy, standards and accuracy, attribution, and both the legal and moral obligations of journalists, including the obligation to limit harm.(2) news judgment - courses within this domain teach students how to define news, especially in the context of the particular audience that needs it, how to identify a story worth pursuing, how to identify the facts and perspectives that must be obtained and included in a story, and how to approach sensitive subjects and difficult publishing decisions.(3) newsgathering - courses within this domain cover source identification and source building, story planning, interview techniques and organizational tactics, and the use of government records, financial documents and disclosures, data, polling and online sources in reporting.(4) writing - courses within this domain train students to frame their journalism in ways that serve the intended audience, to identify the story form that best fits their reporting and their audience, and to write or otherwise present their reporting with precision, clarity and fairness.(5) reaching your audience - courses in this domain teach students how to ensure that their reporting reaches and resonates with the intended audience. Coursework covers social media, newsletters, audio, video and new technologies. The institute's courses are taught by approximately 12 paid faculty members and guest lecturers who can offer unique perspectives or areas of expertise. Faculty members were recruited from a pool of experienced editors, reporters and others with a track record of producing and presenting high-quality, fact-based and fair journalism - and with a passion for teaching a new generation of journalists.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 59.8%; rating input score 60
• Program expense ratio: 72.9%; rating input score 73
• Fundraising efficiency: $18.88 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 55; 55th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 33.3%; rating input score 33; 7th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 4 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • Document-retention policy: Fail
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 18.1%; rating input score 80; 80th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.39; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.09; rating input score 76; 76th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 20.6%; rating input score 4; 4th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 108% per year; rating input score 100; 99th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 84.6% per year; rating input score 100; 99th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 71.2% per year; rating input score 100; 99th percentile among comparable filings