PLATINUM2022

The Center for Investigative Reporting

aka Reveal   |   Emeryville, CA   |  http://www.revealnews.org/

Mission

The Center for Investigative Reporting engages and empowers the public through investigative journalism and groundbreaking storytelling that sparks action, improves lives and protects our democracy. The stories we tell hold the powerful accountable and uncover information that would otherwise remain hidden from the public – revealing injustices, exposing threats to public safety, protecting vulnerable communities, championing human rights, speaking out against environmental degradation, and shining a light on government fraud and misuse of taxpayer funds.

Ruling year info

1978

Chief Executive Officer

Robert Rosenthal

Main address

P.O. Box 8307

Emeryville, CA 94662 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

94-2434026

NTEE code info

Media, Communications Organizations (A30)

Public, Society Benefit - Multipurpose and Other N.E.C. (W99)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

Sign in or create an account to view Form(s) 990 for 2021, 2020 and 2019.
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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Advances in social justice, challenges to inequality, and the public’s ability to seek accountability from those in power all rely on the availability of unbiased, credible information. Verifiable, nonpartisan facts inform solutions-oriented conversations, inspire empathy and understanding, and empower the public with information they need to engage and take action. Such “truth telling” stands apart from much of what passes for news these days, including stories created solely to drive traffic to advertisers, sponsored content, partisan rhetoric that fuels discord and intolerance, and even pseudo-investigative reporting that rushes to judgment without meticulous fact-checking and on-the-record sources. At CIR, our goal is to protect the public interest by informing the public and allowing them to use our verifiable, fact-based stories to address important issues in their lives, communities and for our democracy as a whole.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Investigative Journalism in the Public Interest

The Center for Investigative Reporting empowers the public through investigative journalism and groundbreaking storytelling in order to spark action, improve lives, and protect our democracy. Founded in 1977 as the nation’s first nonprofit investigative journalism organization, The Center for Investigative Reporting has earned a reputation for being among the most innovative, credible and relevant media organizations in the country. We publish our multiplatform work on our website, public radio program and podcast, and social media platforms, reaching over a million people weekly on nearly 600 stations. We produce documentaries and television news stories, publish in-depth investigative reports, and partner with local and regional outlets to support and empower local news coverage. Our reporting ignites real-world change, from civil and criminal investigations, to new laws and policies, the instigation of public discourse, and solutions-oriented community action.

Population(s) Served
Adults

Where we work

Awards

General Excellence Award 2010

Online News Association (ONA)

Named "Journalists of the Year" 2010

Northern California chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ)

Journalism Innovation Award 2011

Northern California chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ)

MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions 2012

John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

George Polk Award 2012

Long Island University, New York

Radio Winner, "Mississippi Goddam" 2022

Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards

Domestic TV Winner, "Unrelinquished: When Abusers Keep Their Guns" 2022

Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards

National Radio Excellence in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion 2022

Edward R. Murrow Awards

Large Audio Winner 2022

Investigative Reports & Editors

Morton Frank Award 2022

Overseas Press Club

Excellence in Online/Digital Journalism for Data 2022

Asian American Journalists Association Awards

Best in Business Award: Audio Winner 2021

SABEW

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Number of podcast and radio show audience members

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Related Program

Investigative Journalism in the Public Interest

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

Reveal airs on nearly 600 stations.

Number of localized versions of our national stories

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Related Program

Investigative Journalism in the Public Interest

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

Through support of our approximately 1,000-member Reveal Reporting Network we aim to produce stories that are localized versions of our national investigations

Number of multi-platform investigations that lead to impact.

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Related Program

Investigative Journalism in the Public Interest

Type of Metric

Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues

Direction of Success

Increasing

Context Notes

Publish major, multi-platform investigations that reach and engage target audiences, have the potential to be localized by other news organizations and lead to impact.

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

We believe in the power of an informed public. Our goal, therefore, is to uncover and publish verifiable facts, data and on-the-record sources that can be used to help end injustice, improve lives and hold the powerful accountable. Nonpartisan and nonprofit, we measure our success not by profit or clicks but rather by the improvements in lives and communities that result from the public’s engagement with the information we share. Our impact is evidenced by a wide range of outcomes, including: new laws and regulations sparked by our reporting; corporate and government policy reforms, government investigations, and other institutional responses; pick up of our stories by other media; social media activity; community organizing; and increased attention toward the issues about which we report.

The public can read, watch, listen to and interact with our stories. “Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting” is our publishing brand; all of our work is published on our website revealnews.org.

Our public radio show Reveal, co-produced with the Public Radio Exchange (PRX), is the first one-hour weekly broadcast showcasing investigative reporting in the public interest and one of the fastest growing shows in public radio history; Reveal is also released on podcast. We broadcast weekly on nearly 600 public radio stations across the nation.

CIR is collaborative by design and committed to ensuring the public has access to the best investigative journalism we can find. To that end, we partner with local, regional and national newsrooms worldwide.

In addition to our Reveal radio show, we publish text and data interactives. We also produce documentary films for television and video platforms; our video partners include, among others, Netflix, NBC News, Univision and the PBS NewsHour.

There is abundant evidence that the majority of Americans support freedom of the press and strongly value reporting that takes on injustice and improves lives. This is an important validation for Reveal, where we measure success by the real world changes that stem from our reporting and the trust our audiences place in our work.

CIR has engendered a level of trust from its audience that is diametrically opposed to the polling data about “mainstream media.” We surveyed our audience last fall and learned that 72% of respondents never or rarely miss an episode of the Reveal podcast and 88% of them have recommended Reveal to a friend.

Our success in earning this trust is grounded in our commitment to reporting stories that matter to people in their day-to-day lives, meeting audiences where they are by publishing on multiple platforms and in narratively-compelling ways, investing in collaborations and capacity building so that trusted local newsrooms can co-publish and/or localize our work, following up on the impact from our reporting, and deeply engaging with our audiences.

We meticulously track impact resulting from the public’s engagement with our work, which may include new laws and policy reforms, government and criminal investigations, changes in the public conversation, grassroots organizing, and other solutions-oriented action.

CIR's investigative journalism is an essential component of the checks and balances that protect and strengthen our democracy. Throughout our history, we have found and told stories that others don't, won't and can't – stories that present facts in a transparent and nonpartisan manner, adhere to the highest standards of journalism, and help the public seek solutions to real world problems. Publicly supported and not beholden to any special interests, we follow our leads wherever they take us and publish the facts as we find them.

Through its Reveal Local Labs initiative, CIR has also stepped up to address the decimation of investigative reporting at the local level in ways that no other organization has done. Through a unique collaborative initiative, we are succeeding in helping local newsrooms increase their capacity to undertake investigative reporting and reach both local and national audiences to help address injustices, improve lives and hold the powerful accountable.

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We shared information about our current feedback practices.
  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback

Financials

The Center for Investigative Reporting
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

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lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

The Center for Investigative Reporting

Board of directors
as of 12/22/2022
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Rob King

ESPN

Term: 2021 -

Jon Logan

Jonathan Logan Family Foundation

Susan Sachs

Financial Consultant

Susan Hirsch

Hirsch & Associates

Gabriel Stricker

Niantic, Inc.

Suzette Clarke

CxO Communication Specialist

Rob King

ESPN

Robert Rosenthal

CIR

Gina Pell

Founder THE WHAT

Omar Alam

Salesforce

Ashok Ramani

Davis Polk

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 12/22/2022

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Male, Not transgender (cisgender)
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

No data

 

No data

Sexual orientation

No data

Disability

No data

Equity strategies

Last updated: 12/22/2022

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Policies and processes
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.