CENTER FOR MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY INC

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Financial Vulnerability Assessment (Tuckman-Chang)

4 risk indicators measuring financial stability and operational resilience

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Financial Trends

Organization Details

Formation Year

1993

Legal Domicile

Principal Officer

ARN PEARSON

Phone

6082609713

Tax Period

2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31

CENTER FOR MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY INC, founded in 1993, is a small nonprofit in the Arts, Culture & Humanities sector that reported $930K in total revenue in fiscal year 2024. Revenue fell 48% from the prior year — a significant decline worth monitoring. Expenses of $1.1M exceeded revenue, resulting in a 16% operating deficit.

Mission

CENTER FOR MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY, INC. (CMD) IS AN INDEPENDENT, NON-PARTISAN ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO INVESTIGATING AND PUBLICIZING THE HIDDEN INFLUENCE OF POWERFUL SPECIAL INTERESTS ON AMERICA'S MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY, AND ITS IMPACT ON PUBLIC OPINION, PUBLIC POLICY, LAW, AND ELECTIONS.

Program Service Accomplishments

Program 1

Expenses: $828,069 Revenue: $0

THE CENTER FOR MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY (CMD) IS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED WATCHDOG THAT LEADS IN-DEPTH, AWARD-WINNING INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE CORRUPTION THAT UNDERMINES OUR DEMOCRACY, ENVIRONMENT, AND...

THE CENTER FOR MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY (CMD) IS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED WATCHDOG THAT LEADS IN-DEPTH, AWARD-WINNING INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE CORRUPTION THAT UNDERMINES OUR DEMOCRACY, ENVIRONMENT, AND ECONOMIC PROSPERITY. CMD PUBLISHES EXPOSEDBYCMD, SOURCEWATCH, AND SEVERAL PROJECT WEBSITES. SOURCEWATCH PROFILES THE ACTIVITIES OF FRONT GROUPS, PR SPINNERS, INDUSTRY-FRIENDLY EXPERTS, INDUSTRY-FUNDED ORGANIZATIONS, AND THINK TANKS TRYING TO INFLUENCE PUBLIC OPINION ON BEHALF OF CORPORATIONS OR THE GOVERNMENT IN AN ENCYCLOPEDIC FORMAT THAT INCLUDES COMPILATION OF OUR ORIGINAL REPORTING. EXPOSEDBYCMD PROFILES THESE SAME TOPICS IN THE FORMAT OF DAILY ORIGINAL REPORTING INCLUDING REFERENCES TO RESEARCH COMPILED IN SOURCEWATCH ENTRIES. TOPICS COVERED ON EXPOSEDBYCMD, SOURCEWATCH, AND PROJECT WEBSITES IN 2024 INCLUDED DARK MONEY AND CORPORATE FRONT GROUPS, DISINFORMATION, CLIMATE, PUBLIC HEALTH, LABOR, EDUCATION, AND DEMOCRACY ISSUES.

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Trantor Score

Financial Health Score (300–850) · Liquidity · Solvency · Sustainability · Efficiency

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Liquidity (40%) • Solvency (30%) • Sustainability (20%) • Efficiency (10%)

Financial Overview (2024)

Revenue Breakdown

Contributions & Grants $835,630

Program Service Revenue $0

Investment Income $93,112

Other Revenue $918

TOTAL REVENUE $929,660

Expense Breakdown

Grants Paid $0

Salaries & Benefits $867,334

Fundraising Expenses $129,725

Program Expenses $828,069

Other Expenses $212,579

TOTAL EXPENSES $1,079,913

Year-over-Year Comparison

	2024	2023	Change
Revenue	$929,660	$1,793,730	-0.5%
Expenses	$1,079,913	$1,073,976	+0.0%
Net Income	$-150,253	$719,754	-1.2%

Key Indicators

✗ Grants to Organizations ✗ Grants to Individuals ✓ Lobbying ✗ Political Activity ✗ Foreign Activities ✗ Donor Advised Fund ✓ Schedule B Required

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Financial Health Indicators

Comprehensive financial analysis: Altman Z-Score, liquidity, solvency, sustainability, efficiency, and growth metrics

Financial Distress Indicator

Liquidity & Cash Position

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Altman Z-Score • Liquidity Ratios • Solvency Analysis • Growth Indicators • Efficiency Metrics

Governance

Voting Members

Independent Members

Employees

Volunteers

Governance Policies

✗ Conflict of Interest Policy

✓ Whistleblower Policy

✓ Document Retention Policy

Special Practices & Reported Activities

✗ Operated a School

✗ Operated a Hospital

✗ Provided First Class Travel

✗ Reported Conflict of Interest

✗ Reported Asset Diversion

✗ Excess Benefit Transaction

✗ Made Political Expenditures

✓ Engaged in Lobbying

✗ Operated Donor Advised Fund

✗ Maintained Art Collections

✗ Filed Form 720

Compensation of Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Total Officers

$208,062

Total Directors

Key Employees

$233,061

Highest Compensated

reported

Name	Title	Hours/Week	Role	Reportable Comp	Other Comp	Total
BO YERXA	DIRECTOR	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
COSMO HARRIGAN	DIRECTOR	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
DEBORAH BEY	DIRECTOR	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
ELLEN BRAUNE	DIRECTOR	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
GORDON LAFER	DIRECTOR	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
JAN MIYASAKI	DIRECTOR	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
LISA GRAVES	PRESIDENT	1.00	Officer Director	$0	$0	$0
NANCY MACLEAN	DIRECTOR	1.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
ARN PEARSON	EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR	40.00	Officer	$185,000	$23,062	$208,062
ERIC WITTSTEIN	DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS	40.00	Key Emp	$227,451	$5,610	$233,061
DAVID ARMIAK	RESEARCH DIRECTOR	40.00	Highest	$113,000	$23,970	$136,970

Note: Compensation data is self-reported by the organization on their Form 990. "Reportable Comp" includes salary, bonuses, and other reportable compensation from the organization and related organizations. "Other Comp" includes benefits, deferred compensation, and non-taxable benefits.

Historical Data

Year	Revenue	Expenses	Assets	Net Income
2025	No data	No data	No data	No data
2024	$929,660	$1,079,913	$2,561,774	$-150,253
2023	$1,793,730	$1,073,976	$2,711,432	$719,754
2022	$1,140,052	$819,340	$1,991,473	$320,712
2021	$1,898,218	$680,065	$1,670,070	$1,218,153
2020	$829,683	$667,430	$495,164	$162,253
2019	$1,015,543	$773,352	$377,848	$242,191
2018	$722,372	$837,074	$186,069	$-114,702