named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Economy for All
Fellowship program supporting journalism and analysis on economic justice, inequality, and progressive policy alternatives
Human Bridges
Research and fellowship initiative exploring human social evolution, prehistory, and cognitive development through interdisciplinary scholarship and publication
IMI Scholar Registry
Open-access platform for publishing interdisciplinary research across life sciences, social sciences, and humanities, with peer-reviewed scholarly outputs
Local Peace Economy
Initiative promoting community-based economic models that prioritize peace, sustainability, and social equity through research and media
World Affairs Writing Fellowship
Supports journalists producing in-depth reporting and analysis on international affairs, geopolitics, and global justice issues
activities · 8 groups
What they do
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Podcast and Radio Production 2 activities
- Developing educational encyclopedias and informational resources on social issuesProduces comprehensive, accessible encyclopedic content and informational resources on major social issues to help the public navigate modern life and support public engagement.
- Producing accessible research syntheses on human origins and biologyProduces accessible syntheses of scientific research on human origins, evolution, and biology, integrating these discoveries into public discourse on social and political issues to support educational use and public understanding.
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Nonprofit Investigative & Community Journalism 2 activities
- Producing and distributing original reporting on political and social issuesCreated and distributed content on political and social issues through independent media for over three decades, including founding and operating AlterNet, an award-winning news website that published original reporting and syndicated content, reaching up to 6.5 million unique monthly visitors at its peak in 2016 and publishing 1,000 articles per month. Ownership of AlterNet was transferred in early 2018 to refocus on core content production.
- Producing environmental journalism on sustainable lifestyles and ethical dietsProduces environmental journalism focused on sustainable living, ethical dietary practices, and issues related to climate, environment, food, agriculture, and animal rights, with an emphasis on promoting ethical sustainability and individual action.
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Education Policy Research and Analysis 1 activity
- Advocating against public education privatizationReports on and advocates against charter schools, voucher programs, and corporate-style education reforms by producing investigative reporting and commentary that highlights community resistance to school privatization.
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Civil Rights Advocacy & Litigation 1 activity
- Advocating for accurate historical narratives and removal of Confederate monumentsWorks with activists, artists, historians, and media outlets to promote accurate historical narratives and support the removal of Confederate monuments as part of broader advocacy for social justice.
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Policy Advocacy & Research 1 activity
- Advocating for general welfare and progressive policiesAdvocates for policies and values that promote the general welfare of American society and the global community through public discourse and media engagement.
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Academic Research Dissemination 1 activity
- Facilitating collaboration with volunteer researchers and editorsFacilitates collaboration with volunteer researchers and editors through reader feedback and input mechanisms to support content development and knowledge sharing.
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Oral History Collection and Preservation 1 activity
- Sharing stories of community-driven economic reinvestmentShares narratives and stories about local community efforts to reshape, rebuild, and reinvest in local economies as part of public interest storytelling.
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Uncategorized 3 activities
- Co-founding and leading research and editorial initiativesCo-founded the Observatory and led editorial work on environment, animal rights, and Local Peace Economy content; also co-founded the Human Bridges project and founded Tell Lucy in 2014 to make complex topics more understandable.
- Conducting and publishing original scientific researchConducts and publishes original research in areas including cortical organization across animal lineages, prehistoric footprint data analysis, modular cortical reorganization in primates, steelhead trout breeding fitness decline, and linguistic analysis, with fully replicable methodologies and data transparency.
- Providing free digital educational resources on social issuesProvides a free digital education resource featuring accessible, wiki-style content on important social issues and modern life navigation, published using MediaWiki software and created by a team of expert contributors.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.54M
Contributions & grants$1.54M100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$1.56M
Program expenses62%
Admin / overhead30%
Fundraising8%
Salaries & benefits$761K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$737K
Cash$675K
Investments$0
Liabilities$106K
Net assets$631K
Liquid reserves5.2 mo
5 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -1.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan Frel | Executive Dir. | 40 | $176K |
board members · 4
- Buff Ross — President
- Gabriel Pacheco — Treasurer
- Leo Bottrill — Secretary
- Louise Hartman — Board Member
relationships · 44
Who they work with
- AlterNet Partner — Former employer and publishing platform for IMI fellows April M. Short and Reynard Loki.
- AlterNet Partner — Founded and operated AlterNet from 1998 to 2018 as a core platform for publishing and syndicating independent journalism.
- AlterNet Partner — Founded and supported by IMI as an award-winning news website publishing original reporting.
- AlterNet Partner — Shared organizational leadership and editorial roles with Independent Media Institute staff.
- Art Press Partner — Publisher where IMI fellow Yann Perreau has contributed articles.
- Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution Partner — Research institution where IMI fellow Deborah Barsky conducts research.
- Deborah Barsky Partner — Writing fellow contributing to the Human Bridges project.
- East of Borneo Partner — Publisher where IMI fellow Yann Perreau has contributed articles.
- Education Opportunity Network Partner — Collaborates through shared leadership, as Jeff Bryant serves as director of the Education Opportunity Network and is a writing fellow for Our Schools.
- Elsevier Partner — Employer where IMI fellow Lucy Goodchild van Hilten served as senior marketing communications manager.
- Feral House Partner — Publisher of Neighbors From Hell: An American Bedtime Story, co-authored by Jan Ritch-Frel.
- Foreign Policy Partner — Publisher where IMI fellow Alexander Zaitchik has contributed writing.
- Free Speech TV Partner — Host platform for "Rising Up With Sonali," a program produced by IMI fellow Sonali Kolhatkar.
- French Embassy in London Government — Diplomatic institution where IMI fellow Yann Perreau served as cultural attaché.
- Human Bridges Network — Affiliated organization jointly listed with Independent Media Institute on published research.
- Human Bridges Partner — Project led by Jan Ritch-Frel under the Independent Media Institute.
- Imperial College London Partner — Educational institution from which IMI fellow Lucy Goodchild van Hilten holds an MSc degree.
- Indian Express Partner — Former employer of Ruhi Bhasin, senior journalist affiliated with the Institute.
- Libération Partner — Publisher where IMI fellow Yann Perreau has contributed articles.
- MediaWiki Partner — Uses MediaWiki software to publish content
- No Longer Empty Partner — Previously collaborated as curator, supporting community-responsive exhibitions in unconventional spaces.
- Observatory Partner — Co-founded and contributes editorial content to the Observatory, a collaborative wiki platform.
- Observatory Partner — Co-founded by Jan Ritch-Frel, affiliated knowledge platform.
- Observatory Partner — Co-founded by Reynard Loki, who serves as environment and animal rights editor.
- Observatory Partner — Collaborates with Observatory, where April M. Short serves as Local Peace Economy editor.
- Observatory Science Research Group Partner — Collaborative research partner on multiple scholarly publications in paleoanthropology, linguistics, and neuroscience.
- Open University of Catalonia Partner — Academic institution where IMI fellow Deborah Barsky is affiliated.
- Pacifica stations Partner — Broadcast network for "Rising Up With Sonali," a program produced by IMI fellow Sonali Kolhatkar.
- Rolling Stone Partner — Publisher where IMI fellow Alexander Zaitchik has contributed writing.
- Rovira i Virgili University Partner — Academic institution where IMI fellow Deborah Barsky serves as associate professor.
+ 14 more
strategies · 5
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.
- Amplification Network for Independent Mediamethodology: amplification_networkBy providing editorial, design, technical, fundraising, and promotional support to partner journalists and independent media producers, the organization increases the reach and impact of critical public interest content because enhanced production capacity and distribution amplify visibility and influence within social change movements.
- Collaborative Knowledge-Building Through Narrative Platformsmethodology: collaborative knowledge-buildingBy using collaborative platforms like the Observatory wiki and narrative-driven projects, the organization builds public understanding of interconnected social issues because collective knowledge creation fosters deeper engagement and systemic awareness across environmental, animal rights, and peace economy domains.
- Interconnected Systems Approach to Social Changemethodology: interconnected systems approachBy treating environmental, food, and animal rights issues as interdependent systems, the organization drives systemic change because individual actions are positioned as part of a larger collective force that can transform structural conditions over time.
- Peace Economy Framing via Everyday Economic Behaviormethodology: peace economy modelBy framing routine economic decisions as acts of community reinvestment, the organization promotes a peace economy model because individuals are more likely to shift behavior when they see their daily choices as politically and socially consequential.
- Science-Informed Social Discoursemethodology: science-informed-social-discourseBy translating complex scientific findings—particularly in human evolution, biology, and brain development—into accessible narratives, the organization reshapes public discourse on social and cultural development because scientific literacy strengthens the foundation for progressive policy and systemic change.