The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. Add to that more than 3,000 tipsheets from our national conferences on how to cover specific beats or do specific stories and you have a resource that no reporter or editor should be without. These stories and tipsheets are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Logged-in members can view the tipsheets free online:
Search results for "form 990s" ...
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Investigative Business Journalism
Cohn's detailed tipsheet discusses investigative tips and techniques for covering foundations, nonprofits and charities with examples of the types of documents and resources critical to this type of reporting - from 990s to human sources. Part 2 of the tipsheet explores investigations of private companies.
Tags: nonprofit; charity; foundation; private business; Internal Revenue Service; IRS; Form 990; 990s; consolidated financial statements; civil court; criminal court; federal agencies; FOIA
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Dissecting 990s
Kamb explains the 990 tax form that nonprofits must submit to the IRS in lieu of a tax return. He discusses who files them; variations of the form; resources for understanding them; your rights in requesting them; where to request a 990; and problems & limitations. He also includes a detailed comparison of the old vs. new 990 forms.
Tags: nonprofit; charity; tax form; tax-exempt; taxpayer bill of rights; Guidestar; Internal Revenue Service; IRS; transparency
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Covering Nonprofits with CAR
This Power Point presentation discusses how to utilize 990 forms when covering nonprofits. Hall covers which organizations file 990s, as well as what information can be found in each line of the form. Hall also includes some questions to ask charities that can lead to good stories.
Tags: nonprofits; charities; data analysis; statistics; public records
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Getting Inside the Non-Profit World
This tipsheet specifically covers how to report on charities after a disaster. It offers tips such as making connections at local charities and checking in with churches. The tipsheet also offers some more general tips advice like what forms to request and resources to use as background information.
Tags: 990s; 501(c)3 status; charity; non-profit; not for profit
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A Teaching Tool: Covering nonprofits through back doors
"Nonprofits are a great unexplored area of coverage at most media operations. They also are a great resource for teaching student reporters the basics of using financial records and governmental documents to pierce the veil of secrecy that private groups work behind. Unlike private businesses, nonprofits do have to file a public income tax return and this can be a great starting point in the teaching process."
Tags: nonprofits; investigative reporting; educator; teaching; form 990s; covering nonprofits
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Tips for covering non-profit organizations
A summary of how to investigate non-profit organizations, this tipsheet covers 990 forms, grant requests, financial audits, internal budgets, and financial reports.
Tags: 990s; financial audits; internal budgets; GuideStar; Federal Audit Clearinghouse
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Tipsheet No: 728
This handout covers tips for making sense of IRS 990 forms. The handout includes information on what a 990 is, what to look for on a 990, and where to get more information on 990s. Audio tape is available for purchase from the IRE Resource Center. Contact us at (573) 882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org.
Tags: Non-profit Organizations