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TRACE MEDIA INC
BROOKLYN, NY · EIN 474175513 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE A30 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Medium ($1M-$10M)
revenue
$6.3M
expenses
$5.2M
net assets
$4.4M
employees
33
volunteers
5
program ratio
82%
mission · from form 990

IN 2024, THE TRACE'S PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDED PUBLISHING MORE THAN 400 INVESTIGATIONS, NEWS ARTICLES, AND NEWSLETTER BRIEFINGS, INFORMING AN AUDIENCE OF NEARLY 10 MILLION PEOPLE VIA THETRACE.ORG, THIRD-PARTY PLATFORMS, AND REPUBLICATION OF OUR JOURNALISM BY OTHER NEWS OUTLETS. WHILE ENGAGING THE PERSPECTIVES OF SHOOTING VICTIMS, SURVIVORS, GUN OWNERS, SCHOLARS, AND POLICYMAKERS, THE TRACE REPORTED ON OVERLOOKED DIMENSIONS OF GUN VIOLENCE, INCLUDING THE RISE OF GUN HOMICIDES AND ASSAULTS IN SMALL CITIES AND RURAL COMMUNITIES; OUR COVERAGE ALSO IMPROVED UNDERSTANDING OF LIFE-SAVING INTERVENTIONS THAT HAVE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT. OTHER FOCUSES OF OUR COVERAGE IN 2024 WERE THE MOUNTING LEGAL CHALLENGES TO FIREARM LAWS AND SOURCES OF CRIME WEAPONS. THROUGH THE TRACE'S LOCAL REPORTING INITIATIVE, WE HELD OFFICIALS IN CHICAGO AND PHILADELPHIA ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR RESPONSES TO GUN VIOLENCE.

profile · synthesized from sources

The Trace is a nonprofit news organization focused on gun violence and gun policy in the United States. It produces investigative journalism, news articles, and briefings that inform a national audience of nearly 10 million people annually. The organization covers underreported aspects of gun violence, including impacts on rural communities and evidence-based interventions, while also tracking legal developments and sources of crime guns.

named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Bipartisan Interventions Reporting
Highlights life-saving gun violence prevention strategies with bipartisan support, aiming to inform policymakers and the public
Local Reporting Initiative
Focuses on city-level accountability in places like Chicago and Philadelphia by reporting on local responses to gun violence and public safety policies
National Coverage of Gun Violence
Produces investigations and news briefings on gun homicides, assaults, legal challenges to firearm laws, and sources of crime weapons across the U.S.
activities · 2 groups

What they do

  • Gun Violence Prevention & Intervention 3 activities
    • Coverage of legal challenges to firearm laws and sources of crime weapons
      Provided in-depth reporting on legal challenges to gun legislation and the origins and distribution pathways of crime guns in 2024.
    • Local accountability reporting on gun violence responses in major cities
      Conducted local reporting initiatives holding public officials in Chicago and Philadelphia accountable for their policies and actions related to gun violence.
    • Reporting on underreported aspects of gun violence and bipartisan solutions
      Reported on rising gun homicides and assaults in small cities and rural communities, and increased public understanding of life-saving interventions with bipartisan support.
  • Nonprofit Investigative & Community Journalism 1 activity
    • Investigative and public interest journalism on gun violence
      Published over 400 investigations, news articles, and newsletter briefings in 2024 on gun violence, reaching nearly 10 million people through thetrace.org, third-party platforms, and republication by other news outlets.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$6.31M
Contributions & grants$6.26M99%
Program service revenue$3K0%
Investment income$26K0%
Other revenue$25K
expenses
Total expenses$5.17M
Program expenses82%
Admin / overhead8%
Fundraising10%
Salaries & benefits$3.90M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$4.54M
Cash$2.31M
Investments$0
Liabilities$104K
Net assets$4.43M
Liquid reserves5.3 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +3.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 6
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
TALIESIN WOODWARD EDITOR IN CHIEF 40 $280K
JAMES BURNETT MANAGING DIRECTOR 40 $259K
CRAIG HUNTER EXECUTIVE EDITOR 40 $190K
SAMANTHA HEATHER ALLEN STOREY MANAGING EDITOR 40 $188K
CHRISTIAN VAN SANT STAFF WRITER 40 $171K
MICHAEL SPIES SENIOR WRITER 40 $162K
board members · 5
  • ELIZABETH HANSEN — DIRECTOR
  • JELANI COBB — DIRECTOR
  • JOHN FEINBLATT — PRESIDENT
  • MIKE BROUILLARD — SECRETARY AND TREASURER
  • STEPHAN FRIEDMAN — DIRECTOR
relationships · 1

Who they work with

  • other news outlets Partner — Republish The Trace's journalism, extending its reach to a broader audience.
strategies · 1

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.

  • Inclusive-Perspective Journalism
    methodology: inclusive_perspective_journalism
    By engaging diverse perspectives—including shooting victims, survivors, gun owners, scholars, and policymakers—we uncover underreported aspects of gun violence because multiplicity of lived and expert experience reveals systemic truths that single-source reporting cannot.