Disinformation Index Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
852450338
IRS 990 coverage
2020–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
San Antonio, TX, USA
Phone
2403667361
Rating
78
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate

Reported finances

Revenue
$3,006,917
Expenses
$2,999,025
Assets
$804,661
Liabilities
$63,071

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

Leadership & pay

4 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • DANNY ROGERS (PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • DANNY ROGERS (PRESIDENT): $24,034 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Disinformation index is a nonpartisan organization that combats disinformation both in the united states and globally through the creation of public ratings of media sources that assess their disinformation risk using objective criteria.

What it reported doing in 2024

Disinformation index provides educational tools, materials, and opportunities to increase public understanding and the media industry's understanding about disinformation on the internet and in the media.disinformation index's activities focus on four key approaches to combating disinformation:(1) public education on disinformation: disinformation index will provide educational tools and materials through a website, conferences and seminars, and discussion groups to increase understanding among the public regarding disinformation on the internet and in the media. These activities will constitute approximately 30% of disinformation index's overall activities.(2) education and engaging media on disinformation: disinformation index will provide forums and lectures for the public and industry to increase awareness and educate the public on issues concerning disinformation on the internet and in the media. These activities will constitute approximately 30% of disinformation index's overall activities.(3) public ratings on disinformation: disinformation index will make available to the public ratings of websites and media sources, assessing their disinformation risk using objective published criteria on a nonpartisan basis. These activities will constitute approximately 15% of disinformation index's overall activities.(4) research tools related to disinformation: disinformation index will facilitate access to technology research tools and applications for educational purposes regarding disinformation on the internet and in the media. These activities will constitute approximately 15% of disinformation index's overall activities.disinformation index will conduct the above activities directly, by contracting with local organizations and entities in foreign countries, and through global partnerships.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Hybrid. The nonprofit split its reported program spending across 50% for direct work, and 50% for grants.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. The filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad and some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 84
  • Transparency & Controls: 77
  • Accountability: 74
  • Sustainability: 36
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 94.7%; rating input score 95
  • Program expense ratio: 94.9%; rating input score 95
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: 1 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 12
    • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
    • Requires narrative reports: Fail
    • Conducts field audits: Fail
    • May suspend future funding: Fail
    • Requires financial reports: Fail
    • Conducts site visits: Fail
    • Requires grant agreements: Fail
    • May require repayment: Fail
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd 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: 3 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 38
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • 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: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 0.3%; rating input score 35; 35th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.27; rating input score 8; 8th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.08; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0.8%; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 35.7% per year; rating input score 100; 94th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 30.2% per year; rating input score 100; 94th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 15.6% per year; rating input score 100; 75th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 94.7% of revenue deployed · 94.9% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 4 of 4 board members independent · 3 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $2.8M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $24K · 4 people listed
  • Consistency: 27 of 27 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors and foreign activity
  • Filing history: 4 filing years from 2020 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • 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.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Key Signals

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

  • High — Transparency & Controls: Foreign activity oversight: 7 of 8 not reported.
  • Moderate — Accountability: Governance controls: 5 of 8 not reported.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 35/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 8/100.