Non-profit

Rewire.News (formerly RH Reality Check)

Website:

rewire.news

Location:

BETHESDA, MD

Tax ID:

27-2289715

Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2016):

Revenue: $3,633,315
Expenses: $3,271,509
Assets: $3,258,539

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Rewire.News (Rewire) is an online media outlet which covers abortion-related issues from a pro-abortion perspective. It was named RH Reality Check from its 2009 founding through 2016. 1 Its Board Chairman is president of Planned Parenthood Arizona. 2

It was founded by the United Nations Foundation and went independent in 2012. 3 The UN Foundation was founded by media mogul Ted Turner in 1998 in support of the United Nations, though it is an independent organization. 4 Rewire has received substantial financial support from the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, a foundation associated with Warren Buffett that is reportedly the largest private funder of abortion advocacy, reproductive health, and family planning worldwide. 5

Its coverage is influenced by other left-leaning objectives such as looser immigration policies, support for LGBT interests, and increased environmental regulations. 67

On July 29, 2019, President and Editor-in-Chief Jodi Peterson announced that Rewire reduced staff in light of budget challenges. 8

Funding

Rewire’s funding is primarily from large donors. Over $3.5 million of its $3.63 million in revenues in 2016 came from two donors. 9 Its revenue has been inconsistent; its 2015 revenue was just over $1.1 million, while 2014 revenue totaled nearly six million dollars. 10

One of Rewire’s major funders is the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation. Founded by billionaire investor Warren Buffett on behalf of his late wife, the Foundation provides substantial funding for Rewire, making grants to the group of approximately $3 million annually from 2015 through 2017. 11121314

The Educational Foundation of America gave $25,000 to Rewire in 2014 and 2015. 1516 The Compton Foundation gave $50,000 in 2012. 17 The David and Lucile Packard Foundation provided Rewire $200,000 or $250,000 each year from 2014 to 2019. 18

Rewire was also listed by Democracy Fund in a June 2018 report as a top recipient of journalism funding dedicated to racial minorities, women, and “LGBTQI” communities. 19

Rewire began reducing staff in July 2019. 20 It has faced challenges from its union in light of the reductions. 21 22

Advocacy

Rewire provides reporting and commentary supporting abortion access and related issues such as contraception access, with a left-of-center perspective related to these core issues as well as economics, immigration, and social justice. 23

It grew rapidly from three staff and 5,000 monthly readers in 2012 to 30 staff and 800,000 monthly readers by 2016. 24

It also reported limited policy lobbying on its 2015 tax returns. 25 That year, Rewire posted “six campaign actions” on its website and sent the information to one of its e-mail lists. Rewire asked its supporters to oppose a ban on most abortions at 20 week’s gestation, to oppose the bipartisan Hyde Amendment (longstanding legislative language prohibiting federal funding of abortions except in very limited circumstances) in multiple bills, asking then-Senate Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to support then-President Barack Obama’s deal with Iran, asking President Obama to raise taxes by executive action, and asking Tennessee lawmakers to pass health care legislation called Insure Tennessee.

Leadership

Rewire president and editor-in-chief Jodi Jacobson earned over $240,000 in 2015. 26 She previously spent her career in leadership roles in groups which advocate for left-leaning, abortion-related policies. 27

Vice President and managing editor Regina Mahone was previously a staff writer for Philanthropy News Digest. 28 Rewire’s other vice president and managing editor, Kat Jercich, has a background in liberal advocacy journalism. 29

Rewire’s Board of Directors is made up of abortion advocates and specialized professionals. Board Chair Bryan Howard is president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Arizona, Inc. and since 1997 been in senior roles with Planned Parenthood’s Arizona affiliates. 30

References

  1. Rewire, 2017 990, Accessed August 28, 2019. https://rewire.news/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Rewire-FY16-Public-Disclosure-Copy-Form-990.pdf
  2. Rewire, Board of Directors, Accessed August 28, 2019. https://rewire.news/board-of-directors/
  3. Jodi Jacobson, “A note to our readers and supporters: Transitions at Rewire.News,” July 29, 2019. Accessed August 28, 2019. https://rewire.news/article/2019/07/29/a-note-to-our-readers-and-supporters-transitions-at-rewire-news/
  4. UN Foundation, Mission, Accessed August 28, 2019. https://unfoundation.org/who-we-are/our-mission/
  5. Callahan, David. “Keeping Tabs on the Billions and Billions That Warren Buffett Is Giving Away.” Inside Philanthropy. Inside Philanthropy, August 31, 2018. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2017/7/13/keeping-tabs-on-the-billions-and-billions-that-warren-buffett-is-giving-away
  6. Rewire, FAQ, Accessed August 28, 2019. https://rewire.news/about-us/faq/
  7. Rewire, 2016 990, Accessed August 28, 2019. https://rewire.news/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Rewire-FY16-Public-Disclosure-Copy-Form-990.pdf
  8. Jodi Jacobson, “A note to our readers and supporters: Transitions at Rewire.News,” July 29, 2019. Accessed August 28, 2019. https://rewire.news/article/2019/07/29/a-note-to-our-readers-and-supporters-transitions-at-rewire-news/
  9. Rewire, 2016 990, Accessed August 28, 2019. https://rewire.news/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Rewire-FY16-Public-Disclosure-Copy-Form-990.pdf
  10. Rewire, 2015 990, Accessed August 28, 2019. https://rewire.news/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Rewire-FY15-Final-Public-Disclosure-Copy-Form-990.pdf
  11. Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2015, Part XV Line 3
  12. Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2016, Part XV Line 3
  13. Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, Return of a Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2017, Part XV Line 3
  14. ProPublica, The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation 2017 990, Accessed August 28, 2019. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/476032365/201801239349101070/IRS990PF
  15. The Education Foundation of America, 2015 Reproductive Health Justice Committee Grants, Accessed August 28, 2019. https://theefa.org/past-grants-1/2017/3/24/2015-reproductive-health-justice-committee-grants
  16. The Education Foundation of America, 2014 Reproductive Health Justice Committee Grants, Accessed August 28, 2019. https://theefa.org/past-grants-1/2017/3/24/2014-reproductive-health-justice-committee-grants
  17. Compton Foundation, General Support Rewire grant, Accessed August 28, 2019. https://www.comptonfoundation.org/grants/general-support-32/
  18. The David & Lucile Packard Foundation, Details on 2019 grant to Rewire, Accessed August 28, 2019. https://www.packard.org/grants-and-investments/grants-database/rewire-news-5/
  19. Katie Donnelly, Jessica Clark, “Supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion in journalism,” June 2018. Accessed August 28, 2019. http://democracy.issuelab.org/resources/30954/30954.pdf
  20. Jodi Jacobson, “A note to our readers and supporters: Transitions at Rewire.News,” July 29, 2019. Accessed August 28, 2019. https://rewire.news/article/2019/07/29/a-note-to-our-readers-and-supporters-transitions-at-rewire-news/
  21. Alexa Moutevelis Coombs, “Reality check: Pro-abortion ‘Rewire News’ site under fire for union layoffs,” July 31, 2019. Accessed August 28, 2019. https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/culture/alexa-moutevelis-coombs/2019/07/31/reality-check-pro-abortion-news-site-under-fire
  22. Emma Gray, “In the midst of a reproductive rights crisis, we’ve lost more watchdogs,” July 31, 2019. Accessed August 28, 2019. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/rewire-news-layoffs_n_5d4179e4e4b0d24cde08913e
  23. Rewire, About Us, Accessed August 28, 2019. https://rewire.news/about-us/
  24. Teal Media, Rewire.News case study, Accessed August 28, 2019. https://tealmedia.com/work/rewire/
  25. Rewire, 2015 990, Accessed August 28, 2019. https://rewire.news/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Rewire-FY15-Final-Public-Disclosure-Copy-Form-990.pdf
  26. Rewire, 2015 990, Accessed August 28, 2019. https://rewire.news/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Rewire-FY15-Final-Public-Disclosure-Copy-Form-990.pdf
  27. Rewire, Jodi Jacobson, Accessed August 28, 2019. https://rewire.news/author/jodi-jacobson/
  28. Rewire, Regina Mahone, Accessed August 28, 2019. https://rewire.news/author/regina-mahone/
  29. Rewire, Kat Jercich, Accessed August 28, 2019. https://rewire.news/author/kat-jercich/
  30. LinkedIn, Bryan Howard profile, Accessed August 28, 2019. https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-howard-12559840/
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: July 1, 2011

  • 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
    2016 Dec Form 990 $3,633,315 $3,271,509 $3,258,539 $104,187 N $3,628,009 $1,710 $3,596 $252,547
    2015 Dec Form 990 $1,114,986 $2,695,293 $2,881,678 $89,132 N $1,106,680 $2,994 $5,312 $240,211 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990 $5,954,206 $2,169,268 $4,414,584 $41,731 N $5,949,113 $0 $2,493 $208,455 PDF
    2013 Dec Form 990 $1,180,247 $1,682,753 $652,703 $64,788 N $1,177,518 $0 $829 $189,434 PDF
    2012 Dec Form 990 $1,382,791 $802,610 $1,218,296 $127,875 N $1,382,690 $0 $842 $179,293 PDF

    Rewire.News (formerly RH Reality Check)

    7315 WISCONSIN AVE STE 400
    BETHESDA, MD 20814-3202