irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $55KCROSS CURRENTS JOURNAL: APRIL OWNS AND OPERATES THE CONTENT OF THE QUARTERLY SCHOLARLY JOURNAL, CROSSCURRENTS. IT WAS FOUNDED IN 1950 AND IS PUBLISHED THROUGH THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS. FOUR ISSUES WERE PUBLISHED DURING OUR FISCAL YEAR.
named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Annual Summer Colloquia
Gathering of leading voices in religion and intellectual life to examine global spiritual and interreligious currents from historical and contemporary perspectives.
CrossCurrents Journal
Quarterly scholarly journal publishing interdisciplinary work on religion, culture, and public life, founded in 1950 and published in partnership with the University of North Carolina Press.
Theme Year: Representing Religion in Museums
Year-long initiative exploring the role of museums in shaping public understanding of religion through exhibitions, public programs, and scholarly discourse.
Varieties of Cinematic Experience Film Festival/Symposium
Annual film festival and symposium examining the intersection of religion, film, and public life, held at Judson Memorial Church in New York City.
activities · 9 groups
What they do
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Interfaith and Spiritual Dialogue Programs 2 activities
- Collaboration with KtB to advance critical religious discourseCollaborates with Killing the Buddha (KtB) to promote critical perspectives on religious life, emphasizing social justice and creative writing as tools to challenge boundaries between religious insiders and outsiders.
- Hosting of annual Summer Colloquium for scholars and practitionersOrganizes an annual three-week Summer Colloquium that brings together selected fellows—including scholars, clergy, artists, activists, and community leaders—for interdisciplinary dialogue, individual research, and collaborative exploration of contemporary questions in religious life and social justice, including co-hosted and themed editions such as “Memory” and “Gender and Fluidity.”
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Public Awareness and Educational Outreach 1 activity
- Co-sponsoring public webinars and theme years on religion in public institutionsCo-sponsors public educational initiatives such as webinars and multi-year thematic programs, including a 2026 theme year on “Representing Religion in Museums” and a webinar series with the American Academy of Religion, to shape public understanding of religion in cultural and educational contexts.
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Film Festival and Screening Programming 1 activity
- Hosting film festival-symposium on cinematic and spiritual experienceHosted a film festival-symposium featuring screenings, interactive engagements, and reflective prompts to explore the communal and spiritual dimensions of cinematic experiences, bringing together educators, filmmakers, religious leaders, and artists.
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Organization Website and Online Platform Management 1 activity
- Operation of digital platforms for organizational initiativesLaunched and maintains AprilOnline.org as a central digital platform to host and promote the organization’s programs, publications, and events.
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Literary and Cultural Publishing 1 activity
- Production of the online magazine The CommonsProduces The Commons, an online-only monthly magazine that features creative nonfiction, cultural commentary, socio-political analysis, interviews, and artistic contributions such as photo essays, poetry, and audio-visual documentation, focused on religion in public life.
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Professional Membership and Association Benefits 1 activity
- Provision of member benefits including digital content and discountsProvides individual members with digital access to the latest year of CrossCurrents, access to back issues from 2008 onward, monthly newsletters, early access to colloquium themes, and a 40% discount on books from UNC Press.
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Academic Journal and Scholarly Publication 1 activity
- Publication of the scholarly journal CrossCurrentsAcquires, edits, and publishes content for the quarterly scholarly journal CrossCurrents, producing four issues annually through the University of North Carolina Press, featuring works by contemporary religious thinkers at the intersection of religion, education, the arts, and social justice.
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Academic Research Dissemination 1 activity
- Supporting publication of colloquium research in CrossCurrents and The CommonsFacilitates the dissemination of research and creative work developed during the Summer Colloquium by making it eligible for publication in the journal CrossCurrents or the online platform The Commons, including special issues based on colloquium themes such as gender and fluidity.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Development and distribution of the Saints Tarot deckCreated and promotes use of a 78-card tarot deck that pairs each card with a female saint from diverse religious traditions, engaging individuals from varied spiritual backgrounds in its interpretation and application.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$62K
Contributions & grants$4K7%
Program service revenue$23K37%
Investment income$35K57%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$133K
Program expenses83%
Admin / overhead17%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$30K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$757K
Cash$25K
Investments$731K
Liabilities$4K
Net assets$753K
Liquid reserves68.0 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -75.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEPHEN BRENT RODRIGUEZ-PLATE | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 15 | $37K |
board members · 7
- BJORN KRONDORFER — PRESIDENT
- DANNY BALLON-GARST — BOARD MEMBER
- JOAO CHAVES — BOARD MEMBER
- JONAH BOYARIN — BOARD MEMBER
- JOY BOSTIC — BOARD MEMBER
- PAMELA WINFIELD — SECRETARY
- RANDALL STYERS — TREASURER
relationships · 24
Who they work with
- American Academy of Religion Partner — Co-sponsored a webinar on representing religion in museums as part of the Religion and America at 250 series.
- Association for Public Religion and Intellectual Life Network — Global network of leaders, scholars, and social change agents
- Association for Public Religion and Intellectual Life Network — Publishes the author's work on its platform, indicating affiliation or collaborative dissemination.
- Auburn Seminary Partner — Co-hosted the 2023 Summer Colloquium on “Memory” in New York City.
- CrossCurrents Network — APRIL's journal that publishes work by Colloquium participants.
- CrossCurrents Partner — Published a special issue compiling research from the 2018 colloquium on gender and fluidity.
- Duke University Press Partner — Partner with UNC Press for institutional print subscriptions to CrossCurrents.
- Duke University Press Partner — Provides membership fulfillment services through a partnership with UNC Press.
- Episcopal Church, USA Government — Established the Church Society for College Work in 1935.
- Henry Luce Foundation Funder — Provided significant financial support for the VCE film festival-symposium.
- Hillel Partner — Collaborated with the National Institute for Campus Ministry on campus ministry initiatives.
- INTERFILM Partner — Jointly operated the VCE film festival-symposium with APRIL as part of a European inter-religious collaboration.
- JSTOR Partner — Hosts back issues of CrossCurrents in its Arts & Sciences XIII Collection.
- Judson Memorial Church Partner — Co-hosted the VCE film festival-symposium with APRIL at its NYC location.
- Killing _the Buddha_ Partner — Collaborates on The Commons to advance critical perspectives on religious life through creative writing and social justice engagement.
- Lilly Endowment Funder — Provided funding for the establishment of the National Institute for Campus Ministry in 1972.
- Muslim Women’s Council Partner — Collaborated on a community research project about women’s experiences of wearing the niqab
- Project MUSE Partner — Provides digital access to CrossCurrents for institutions and individuals through its Hosted Journals Program.
- Project MUSE Partner — Provides digital access to CrossCurrents through a partnership with Project MUSE.
- SB Rodríguez-Plate Partner — Editor responsible for reviewing pitches and submissions to The Commons.
- The Commons Network — APRIL's online platform for publishing work by Colloquium participants.
- UNC Press Partner — Partner publisher that provides membership fulfillment and offers members 40% off books.
- UNC Press Partner — Publishing partner for CrossCurrents, offering print and digital distribution.
- University of North Carolina Press Partner — Partner in publishing the quarterly scholarly journal CrossCurrents
strategies · 3
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.
- Integrative Framing for Liberative and Inclusive Religious Discoursemethodology: liberative framingBy integrating spiritual traditions with liberative ethics, creative critique, and marginalized perspectives—including queer, BIPOC, and global South voices—we reframe public religion because such integration challenges dominant narratives and produces more just, expansive, and transformative discourse.
- Interreligious and Interdisciplinary Dialogue as Public Engagementmethodology: interreligious-dialogueBy convening diverse intellectual and spiritual voices through colloquia, publications, and inclusive editorial practices, we advance public understanding of religion because pluralistic discourse deepens ethical engagement and transforms how religion interfaces with education, arts, and social justice.
- Relational Community Building as Intellectual and Spiritual Catalystmethodology: relational_intellectual_communityBy fostering collegial relationships and communal reception practices, we deepen intellectual and spiritual exchange because shared relational and environmental contexts—such as collective viewing or dialogue spaces—generate transformative meaning and action beyond individual reflection.