Solutions Journalism Network Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

Systems change - see schedule osystems change: solutions journalism network, inc. (the organization") leverages its curriculum and network to catalyze and sustain the practice of solutions journalism in news organizations, journalism schools, and with individual journalists around the world. The organization cultivates relationships with individual outlets or with groups of outlets, often resulting in high-impact, solutions-focused reporting projects. The organization provides trainings, webinars, and research and editorial consulting support to reporters, producers, and editors. In some cases, the organization offers modest financial support for reporter time and travel, audience engagement activities, or other high-value activities in the form of subgrants.in certain special relationshipscases that promise to generate great visibility, impact, and learningthe organization invests in longer-term, higher-impact newsroom projects. The organization complements its direct service work with news organizations by network mechanisms that seek to advance the adoption of the solutions approach by individual journalists, journalism schools, and newsrooms, including through webinars, online and in-person communities of practice, online resources, and train the trainers programs, which have accredited 144 trainers worldwide. Since its founding, sjn has trained over 550 newsrooms and 68,000 journalists in the practice of solutions journalism.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 74.8%; rating input score 75
• Program expense ratio: 81.3%; rating input score 81
• Fundraising efficiency: $13.11 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 47; 47th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 92.9%; rating input score 93; 13th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: 4 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
  • Requires narrative reports: Pass
  • Conducts field audits: Fail
  • May suspend future funding: Fail
  • Requires financial reports: Pass
  • Conducts site visits: Fail
  • Requires grant agreements: Pass
  • May require repayment: Fail
• Grant itemization coverage: 89.3%; rating input score 89; 25th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 83.3%; rating input score 83; 16th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • 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: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 9.1%; rating input score 61; 61st percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.08; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.05; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 22.4%; rating input score 10; 10th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 16.7% per year; rating input score 100; 81st percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 11.1% per year; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 13.7% per year; rating input score 100; 71st percentile among comparable filings