irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $214KTHE MISSION OF THE FUND IS TO IDENTIFY AND NURTURE THE NEXT GENERATION OF INDEPENDENT JOURNALISTS AND MEDIA PROFESSIONALS, OFFER TRAINING AND OUTLETS FOR THEIR WRITING, AND HELP STUDENTS DEVELOP VITALLY IMPORTANT CRITICAL THINKING SKILLSTHE FUND COMMENCED THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM AND IS CURRENTLY FUNDING AND RUNNING THE INTERN PROGRAM,
- #2 $150KTHE STUDENT NATION PROGRAM AIMS TO ENCOURAGE, PROMOTE, AND EXPAND THE IMPACT OF A RISING GENERATION OF STUDENT JOURNALISTS BY HELPING THEM DEVELOP A HIGH STANDARD OF PROFESSIONALISM IN THE EDITORIAL AND PUBLICATION PROCESSES. STUDENTS RECEIVE MENTORSHIP AND OVERSIGHT FROM THE NATION STAFF AND ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO NETWORK WITH FELLOW STUDENT JOURNALISTS. EACH YEAR, STUDENTNATION PUBLISHES MORE THAN 100 PIECES OF ORIGINAL CONTENT, INCLUDING FIRST PERSON ACCOUNTS OF CAMPUS CAMPAIGNS, LOCAL STUDENT REPORTING, AND COVERAGE OF LEGISLATIVE ISSUES RELEVENT TO STUDENTS AND YOUNG PEOPLE
named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Fiscal Sponsorship Program
Provides fiscal sponsorship to media projects aligned with the organization's mission of strengthening independent journalism.
Puffin Nation Fund Student Journalism Conference
Annual conference for student journalists featuring workshops, seminars, and networking with professionals from independent media outlets.
StudentNation Program
Supports student journalists through mentorship, publication opportunities, and networking, producing over 100 original pieces annually.
Victor S. Navasky Internship Program
Provides paid editorial and publishing internships for emerging journalists, offering training, mentorship, and opportunities to publish with The Nation.
activities · 9 groups
What they do
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Paid Internships in Media & Publishing 2 activities
- Operates paid internship program for early-career journalistsOffers six full-time paid internships annually—five editorial and one business—providing mentorship, training in fact-checking, ethics, article pitching, and publishing opportunities. The 2026 Spring/Summer cohort includes five editorial interns and one publishing intern.
- Provides journalism training and mentorship to early-career journalistsOffers training programs, seminars, and editorial development in fact-checking, ethics, and reporting led by experienced columnists, editors, and guests to equip emerging journalists with skills to distinguish factual information from conjecture.
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Youth Workforce Readiness Programs 1 activity
- Administers paid fellowship program for high school studentsRuns a 21-month paid fellowship for high school students from New York City public schools, including training through a custom curriculum, mentorship, and opportunities for published work; graduated the first cohort of seven students in April 2025.
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Youth Writing Contests & Recognition Programs 1 activity
- Announces annual cohort of Puffin Nation Student Writing FellowsSelects and publicly announces a cohort of student writing fellows each year as part of its fellowship initiative for emerging journalists.
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Public Media Funding 1 activity
- Awards grants and provides fiscal sponsorship to support independent mediaFunds and provides fiscal sponsorship to organizations engaged in activities that strengthen independent media and amplify diverse journalistic voices.
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History Education Curriculum Development 1 activity
- Develops educational teaching modules using The Nation archivesCreates and distributes over 50 pages of educational materials, including student and teacher resources, based on The Nation magazine’s archival content to teach U.S. history.
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Youth-Led Student Publications 1 activity
- Funds and publishes student journalism through Student Nation programProduces and publishes over 100 original journalistic pieces annually written by student journalists, covering campus campaigns, legislative issues, and local topics relevant to youth.
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Professional Conference & Symposium Organization 1 activity
- Hosts annual Puffin Nation Student Journalism ConferenceOrganizes an annual conference for student journalists featuring workshops, seminars, discussions, and networking events, with free attendance, meals, housing, travel reimbursements for up to 50 students, and free subscriptions to The Nation provided to all attendees.
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Nonprofit Investigative & Community Journalism 1 activity
- Produces investigative journalism on local community issuesConducts and publishes investigative reporting on public issues affecting communities, such as transportation changes in Eastern Queens.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Conducts research on social issues affecting marginalized communitiesConducted a 2022 study on gambling impacts among Asian American populations in the greater northeast region, examining motivations and social consequences including domestic violence, mental health, and family disruption, and published the findings.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$982K
Contributions & grants$982K100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$932K
Program expenses89%
Admin / overhead7%
Fundraising4%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineOther
balance sheet
Total assets$183K
Cash$177K
Investments$0
Liabilities$75K
Net assets$108K
Liquid reserves2.3 mo
4 years on record · 2021–2024 · YoY revenue +50.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 9
- BHASKER SUNKARA — Executive Dir.
- JULIA OTT — Director
- JULYE WILLIAMS — Trustee
- KRISHEN MEHTA — Treasurer
- LEAH HUNT-HENDRIX — Director
- MALIA LAZU — Secretary
- MICHELE WILLENS — Trustee
- NEIL BLACK — Trustee
- RUTH MESSINGER — Director
relationships · 14
Who they work with
- Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund Partner — Collaborated with a staff attorney from the organization in reporting on Metropolitan Park's targeted outreach to Asian communities.
- Eric Foner Partner — Conducts educational seminars with editorial interns as a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian.
- Fellows for the Future of Journalism Partner — Collaborates with the organization to conduct journalistic fieldwork and public surveys.
- MTA Government — Subject of investigative reporting on bus route and terminal changes in Eastern Queens.
- Pinkerton Foundation Funder — Provided generous support enabling the expansion of the Fellowship for the Future of Journalism to a second cohort.
- Puffin Foundation Funder — Primary funder of the Puffin Nation Student Writing Fellows program.
- Rachel Aviv Partner — Conducts educational seminars with editorial interns as a New Yorker staff writer.
- THE NATION Partner — Provides mentorship and editorial oversight to student journalists in the Student Nation program.
- Ta-Nehisi Coates Partner — Conducts educational seminars with editorial interns as an author and journalist.
- The Nation Partner — Provides internship programming and training for early-career journalists.
- The Nation Magazine Network — Longstanding affiliation focused on supporting independent journalism and journalist training.
- The New School Partner — Hosts the annual Puffin Nation Fund Student Journalism Conference in Manhattan.
- The Puffin Foundation Funder — Provides funding for the StudentNation program.
- Vivian Gornick Partner — Conducts educational seminars with editorial interns as an author and critic.
strategies · 2
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Amplifying Community Voices Through Participatory Journalismmethodology: community-centered_journalismBy centering community perspectives—through methods like vox pop, resident reporting, and intersectional analysis—the organization produces more balanced, relevant journalism and strengthens public engagement, because involving affected communities in storytelling increases authenticity, trust, and responsiveness in independent media.
- Investing in Next-Generation Journalism Leadershipmethodology: next-generation-leadership-trainingBy training, mentoring, and providing publishing opportunities to early-career and student journalists—particularly from diverse backgrounds—the organization strengthens independent media and builds a pipeline of skilled professionals who can lead in editorial and business roles, because sustained development and real-world experience produce higher-quality, more resilient journalism.