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Non-profit

International Center for Journalists (ICJ)

Website:

www.icfj.org/
Location:

Washington, DC
Tax ID:

11-2724905
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2022):

Revenue: $12,212,252
Expenses: $22,753,936
Assets: $33,518,992
Type:

Media advocacy group
Formation:

1984
President:

Sharon Moshavi
Budget (2023):

Revenue: $10,990,969
Expenses: $17,189,736
Total Assets: $21,537,345

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The International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) is a left-of-center journalism and media nonprofit organization that connects journalists and reporters from around the world through a network of shared research, resources, and training. 1

Background

The International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) was founded in 1984 by Tom Winship, editor of the Boston Globe; Jim Ewing, publisher of the Keene Sentinel in New Hampshire; and George Krimsky, an Associated Press correspondent and editor. In 2006, ICFJ established the ICFJ Founders Award for Excellence in Journalism as a tribute to Winship, Ewing and Krimsky. 2

ICFJ has provided media coverage and journalistic training for reporters. It has covered global events such as post-apartheid South Africa, 9/11, the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russian war against Ukraine, and the Israel-Hamas War. 3

In 2024, ICFJ reported having 23,000 participants in 69 different programs. That same year, ICFJ gave 320 grants to journalists and newsrooms and contributed to the publication of 409 stories. ICFJ also claimed to grow its overall network of journalists in 2024 to 177,000. 1 4

Activities

The International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) claims to provide network training and resources related to media innovation, investigative journalism, critical-issues reporting, financial sustainability, and research and resources. 5 6 The Disarming Disinformation program is used as an app to network and develop new technologies for media and journalism such as social media videos and directly answering questions from viewers. 7 3 8

ICFJ also has several programs tied to U.S. Department of State grants, such as the 2017 First Hundred Days Reporting Program which brought twelve international journalism fellows to Washington, D.C. for three days to receive training about the U.S. executive branch of government. 9

ICFJ also has an International Journalists Network (IJNet) to share tips and advice related to reporting, journalism, and media strategy. 10

IJNet also has a program called the Pamela Howard Forum on Crisis Reporting which trains journalists in reporting on issues such as “disinformation, disease, climate change, rising authoritarianism, financial crises, [and] technology disruptions.” 11

Biden Administration

In 2022, then-President Joe Biden nominated International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) deputy vice president of global impact and strategy Luis Botello to be a member of the International Broadcasting Advisory Board, United States Agency for Global Media. 12

In April 2023, ICFJ signed a coalition letter written by the National Press Club advocating that the Biden administration prioritize the release of two American hostages held abroad at the time: Austin Tice, a freelance journalist kidnapped and held in Syria since 2012, and Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journalist detained in Russia in earlier in 2023. 13 14 Gershkovich was released in a prisoner exchange with the Russian government in August 2024. 15

Anti-Trump Activism

Following the second election of President Donald Trump in November 2024, ICFJ President Sharon Moshavi released a statement claiming then-President-elect Trump would use “authoritarian” tactics against American media. She further claimed, “[i]t’s not one thing — it’s not ‘we’re going to jail journalists.’” 16

Leadership

Sharon Moshavi is the president of the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ). 17 Moshavi previously worked as an international reporter for over 15 years in New Delhi, Jerusalem, and Tokyo. She joined ICFJ in 2007 as the Digital Media Director and has also worked as ICFJ’s Senior Vice President of New Initiatives. Before joining ICFJ, Moshavi worked at the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. She is a member of the board of directors of the News Product Alliance, the steering committee of the Global Forum for Media Development, and the Board of Advisors for the Howard Center for Investigative Reporting at the University of Maryland. 17

Carrie Budoff Brown is chair of the board of directors at the ICFJ. 18 She is the senior vice president of politics at NBC News. Budoff Brown was previously the editor of Politico, managing editor of Politico Europe, and a White House correspondent for the outlet. 19 20

Finances

In 2023, the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) reported $10,990,969 in total revenue, $17,189,736 in total expenses, and $21,537,345 in total assets. 21 That year, $5,682,271 (nearly 52 percent) of ICFJ’s funding came from government grants. 22

From 2021 through 2025, the ICFJ received several grants from the U.S Department of State under the Biden administration, totaling roughly $6.2 million. These included efforts against  “technology-facilitated gender-based violence” against female reporters in India and Nepal, creating a Kenya-based “investigative hub for transnational collaborative journalism,” and various journalism training grants in countries including Georgia, Ethiopia, Tunisia, Pakistan, Algeria, and Guinea and in Central America. 23

References

  1.  “About.” ICFJ. Accessed April 21, 2025. https://www.icfj.org/about
  2. “About – Founders.” ICFJ. Accessed April 21, 2025. https://www.icfj.org/about/founders
  3. “ICFJ_Impact Report 2023_Final.pdf.” ICFJ. 2023. Accessed April 21, 2025. https://www.icfj.org/sites/default/files/2024-03/ICFJ_Impact%20Report%202023_Final.pdf
  4. “Our Impact.” ICFJ. Accessed April 21, 2025. https://www.icfj.org/icfj-our-impact
  5. “Our Programs.” ICFJ. Accessed April 21, 2025. https://www.icfj.org/our-programs
  6. “Our Research.” ICFJ. Accessed April 21, 2025. https://www.icfj.org/our-work/our-research
  7. “Disarming Disinformation.” ICFJ. Accessed April 21, 2025. https://www.icfj.org/our-work/disarming-disinformation
  8. “Journalists and Technologists Develop Innovative Products to Make the Truth go Viral.” ICFJ. December 18, 2024. Accessed April 21, 2025. https://www.icfj.org/news/journalists-and-technologists-develop-innovative-products-make-truth-go-viral
  9. “2017 First Hundred Days Reporting Program.” ICFJ. Accessed April 21, 2025. https://www.icfj.org/our-work/2017-first-hundred-days-reporting-program
  10. “Home.” IJNet. Accessed April 21, 2025. https://ijnet.org/en
  11. “IJNet Pamela Howard Forum on Crisis Reporting.” ICFJ. Accessed April 21, 2025. https://www.icfj.org/our-work/ijnet-pamela-howard-forum-crisis-reporting
  12. “President Biden Announces Key Nominees.” Biden White House. March 11, 2022. Accessed April 21, 2025. https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/03/11/president-biden-announces-key-nominees-6/
  13. “Journalism Organizations Call On Administration To Prioritize Reporters Taken Hostage.” National Press Club. April 14, 2023. Accessed April 21, 2025. https://www.press.org/newsroom/journalism-organizations-call-administration-prioritize-reporters-taken-hostage
  14. Fischer, Sara. “Biden administration under pressure to address press freedoms.” Axios. May 3, 2023. Accessed April 21, 2025. https://www.axios.com/2023/05/03/world-press-freedom-day-biden
  15. Hansler, Jennifer Hansler Kylie Atwood and Ivana Kottasová. “Russia releases Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan in historic prisoner swap with West.” CNN August 1, 2024. https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/01/politics/russia-us-prisoner-swap/index.html
  16. Gold, Hadas. “‘Death by a thousand cuts’: How experts warn Trump could use an authoritarian playbook to go after the media.” CNN. November 8, 2024. Accessed April 21, 2025. https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/08/media/trump-authoritarian-press-media-attacks/index.html
  17. “Sharon Moshavi.” ICFJ. Accessed April 21, 2025. https://www.icfj.org/about/profiles/sharon-moshavi
  18. “Board of Directors.” ICFJ. Accessed April 21, 2025. https://www.icfj.org/about/board-directors
  19. Johnson, Ted. “Carrie Budoff Brown Expands Duties At NBC News As Senior VP Of Politics.” Deadline. March 17, 2023. Accessed April 21, 2025. https://deadline.com/2023/03/nbc-news-carrie-budoff-brown-politics-1235303073/
  20. “NBC News’ Carrie Budoff Brown Named Chair of ICFJ Board.” ICFJ. November 2, 2023. Accessed April 21, 2025. https://www.icfj.org/news/nbc-news-carrie-budoff-brown-named-chair-icfj-board
  21. “International Center For Journalists Inc – 2023 Federal Form 990.” ProPublica. Accessed April 21, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/112724905/202403199349309225/full
  22. “International Center For Journalists Inc – 2023 Federal Form 990, Section VIII.” ProPublica. Accessed April 21, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/112724905/202403199349309225/full
  23. Thayer, Parker. “DOGE and the Department of State.” Capital Research Center. February 13, 2025. Accessed April 21, 2025. https://capitalresearch.org/article/doge-and-the-department-of-state/
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: April 1, 1985

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2022 Dec Form 990 $12,212,252 $22,753,936 $33,518,992 $5,669,960 Y $12,418,643 $150,173 $228,088 $898,169 PDF
    2021 Dec Form 990 $26,921,477 $20,645,154 $46,320,077 $6,080,620 Y $26,381,095 $134,335 $191,756 $1,139,135 PDF
    2020 Dec Form 990 $25,106,814 $17,016,213 $35,656,295 $825,783 Y $24,753,679 $75,677 $136,149 $1,168,852
    2019 Dec Form 990 $21,597,562 $19,188,397 $27,677,539 $1,647,352 Y $21,495,185 $96,044 $194,378 $1,074,137 PDF
    2018 Dec Form 990 $17,910,004 $12,740,141 $24,236,414 $1,324,416 Y $17,695,413 $99,781 $168,699 $491,665 PDF
    2017 Dec Form 990 $6,758,779 $12,304,327 $19,679,662 $962,578 N $6,810,837 $89,950 $146,746 $458,442
    2016 Dec Form 990 $11,015,291 $12,573,141 $24,876,260 $1,083,321 N $11,133,860 $91,443 $116,034 $490,195 PDF
    2015 Dec Form 990 $11,948,044 $10,822,372 $26,221,973 $1,016,384 N $12,014,489 $82,372 $102,387 $491,481 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990 $12,768,036 $11,690,083 $25,140,893 $699,760 N $12,694,487 $80,171 $234,581 $455,686 PDF
    2013 Dec Form 990 $13,066,486 $10,356,211 $23,892,019 $491,100 N $13,090,973 $81,304 $156,043 $844,164 PDF
    2012 Dec Form 990 $11,413,027 $10,795,157 $20,834,499 $324,310 N $11,546,551 $235 $103,250 $867,846 PDF
    2011 Dec Form 990 $9,144,564 $10,541,973 $20,542,748 $457,271 N $8,483,242 $4,985 $91,390 $842,642 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    International Center for Journalists (ICJ)

    750 17TH ST NW STE 300
    Washington, DC 20006-4778