Barn Raising Media Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
882659178
IRS 990 coverage
2022–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Chicago, IL, USA
Phone
7735621887
Rating
72
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Media, Communications Organizations

Reported finances

Revenue
$488,435
Expenses
$416,079
Assets
$123,957
Liabilities
$14,644

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

4 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • JOEL BLEIFUSS (PRESIDENT)
  • ANNE MOLLO-CHRISTENSEN (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER)

Highest reported compensation

  • JOEL BLEIFUSS (PRESIDENT): $95,668 total reported compensation
  • JUSTIN PERKINS (CLERK): $73,677 total reported compensation
  • ANNE MOLLO-CHRISTENSEN (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER): $72,180 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The organization publishes independent news, analysis and information to support diverse, civically engaged and dynamically connected rural and small town communities. We champion the free exchange of public dialogue by bringing together underrepresented voices and perspectives on the intractable issues facing communities and policymakers. We seek to convene a space where big questions and bold ideas enliven proximate connections, where daring criticism, rational debate and compassionate care will renew the social imagination to build common ground, encourage democratic participation and inspire change.

What it reported doing in 2024

The organization developed and launched its website, barn raiser, as an independent source for rural and small town news. The site hosts news and investigative reports, interviews, opinion pieces, and articles on topics such as politics & policy, native life, history, environment, culture, religion, and agriculture. The organization also produces and disseminates a newsletter on a periodic basis.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 99% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and a large share of available resources goes toward mission work. A relatively small share of voting board members are independent and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 66
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 56
  • Sustainability: 40
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 64.4%; rating input score 64
  • Program expense ratio: 75.5%; rating input score 75
  • Fundraising efficiency: $12.59 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 46; 46th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • 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; 15th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 14.8%; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.3; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.12; rating input score 25; 25th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 58%; rating input score 3; 3rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 30.4% per year; rating input score 100; 91st percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 26.4% per year; rating input score 100; 92nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 14.1% per year; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 64.4% of revenue deployed · 75.5% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 1 of 3 board members independent · 8 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $314K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $96K · 4 people listed
  • Consistency: 22 of 22 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 3 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 3 filing years from 2022 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 3 filed money-flow records
  • 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.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Moderate — Accountability: Independent voting board scored 33/100.
  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 46/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 16/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 3/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 25/100.