World Press Institute

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN: 416044706
IRS 990 coverage: 2010–2024
Forms available: Form 990 2024, Form 990-EZ 2020
Location: St Paul, MN, USA
Phone: 6512453306
Rating: 66
Verdict: SUPPORTED
Rating confidence: Moderate

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue: $475,039
Expenses: $407,423
Assets: $360,737
Liabilities: $1,671

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

Leadership & pay

18 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

ZACH MULLINAX (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

ZACH MULLINAX (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $80,000 total reported compensation
DAVID MCDONALD (EXECUTIVE CHAIR): $32,308 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

To promote and strengthen press freedom throughout the world.

What it reported doing in 2024

For its fiscal year that ended on may 31, 2025, the world press institute (wpi) focused on international collaboration and the important role of the media within democratic processes. It held a major conference in sofia, bulgaria, in april 2025, bringing together journalists and media leaders to discuss press freedom, media innovation, and the evolving challenges facing global journalism. In addition, wpi conducted its flagship u.s. Fellowship program, providing international journalists with an immersive experience across the united states. Through briefings, site visits, and dialogue with leading media professionals, policymakers, and academic experts, fellows gained insight into the american media landscape, democratic institutions, and the role of a free press in society.these initiatives reaffirm wpi's commitment to advancing journalism internationally through education, professional exchange, and cross-cultural engagement.

Operating model

Revenue model: Donor-supported. 94% 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 - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and most voting board members are independent. The filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad and the filing does not identify recipients for some grant dollars.

Rating breakdown

Financial Efficiency: 69
Transparency & Controls: 47
Accountability: 86
Sustainability: 49
Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

Mission deployment rate: 62.9%; rating input score 63
Program expense ratio: 73.4%; rating input score 73
Fundraising efficiency: $78.37 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 83; 83rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
Pay-setting controls: 1 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 17
- Compensation committee: Missing
- 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: Scored; rating input score 0
Grant itemization coverage: Scored; rating input score 0
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 9 controls in place; rating input score 67
- Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
- Whistleblower policy: Pass
- Document-retention policy: Pass
- CEO compensation review process: Pass
- Other executive compensation review process: Fail
- Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
- Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
- Audit committee oversight: Fail
- Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

Operating margin: 14.2%; rating input score 66; 66th percentile among comparable filings
Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.89; rating input score 37; 37th percentile among comparable filings
Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 50; 50th percentile among comparable filings
Officer compensation ratio: 27.6%; rating input score 13; 13th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

Program expense growth: 5% per year; rating input score 100; 54th percentile among comparable filings
Revenue growth: 2.8% per year; rating input score 100; 40th percentile among comparable filings
Asset growth: 7.1% per year; rating input score 100; 56th percentile among comparable filings

Details

Where the money goes: 62.9% of revenue deployed · 73.4% of spending went to programs
Governance: 17 of 17 board members independent · 6 of 9 filing controls reported
Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $299K in reported program spending
Leadership: top reported pay $80K · 18 people listed · 1 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
Consistency: 23 of 23 current checks pass
Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, and executive pay
Filing history: 14 filing years from 2010 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.

High — Transparency & Controls: Foreign activity oversight scored 0/100.
High — Transparency & Controls: Grant itemization coverage scored 0/100.
Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 3 of 9 not reported.
Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 37/100.
High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 13/100.
Review — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 50/100.