Branford Eagle (Online Journalism Project)

Branford Eagle (Online Journalism Project) General Information Contact Information nprofit Branford Eagle (Online Journalism Project) Address 51 Elm. Street 3rd floor New Haven, CT 06510 Phone (203) 865-2272 Web Site Web Site Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter Email editor@newhavenindependent.org At A Glance Year of Incorporation 2006 Organization's type of tax exempt status Organization received a competitive grant from the community foundation in the past five years Public Supported Charity Yes 1

Mission & Areas Served Statements Mission To promote the development of professional quality hyper local online journalism. Background We began in 2005 with the idea of reviving local reporting and using new media tools to involve the community more directly in the process than ever before. It has been exciting to see how that can work and to help design a national model. We were the one of the two first not-for-profit professional local online-online news sites in the country; now many others are following. Impact We have continued to grow our three existing projects, daily news websites with strong community participation, in New Haven, Branford, and the Lower Naugatuck Valley. We launched a new statewide health care investigative reporting project. We held a successful school reform event: 12 students, teachers and administrators read Diane Ravitch's school reform book, then discussed it with her onstage at Coop High. A panel of journalists and elected officials meanwhile led a live-blog discussion of the event with the public. Two hundred people came to watch and had the ability to ask questions. WTNH live-streamed it all on several websites. Needs Our biggest need is ongoing funding to publish. We run on charitable donations and foundation grants. Sponsorships by organizations begin at $15,000 a year. Individuals are asked to contribute $120 up to $1,000. CEO Statement Running OJP has revived my faith in local journalism and public discourse. I've had to learn the importance of taking a stronger hand to moderating comments from readers than I'd originally envisioned. That has paid off. It's a lot of work, but it has brought many different perspectives into the mix, and kept the tone civil. Service Categories Primary Organization Category Public & Societal Benefit / Research Institutes and/or Public Policy Analysis Areas Served New Haven Branford Lower Naugatuck Valley Ansonia Bethany Derby Oxford Seymour Shelton We started in New Haven, then Branford, then the lower Naugatuck Valley. 2

Programs Programs New Haven Independent Description t-for-profit daily news website. Budget $0.00 Category / Population Served / / Branford Eagle Description t-for-profit daily news website Budget $0.00 Category / Population Served / / Valley Independent Sentinel Description t-for-profit daily news website Budget $0.00 Category / Population Served / / Connecticut Health Investigative Team Description Statewide health care investigative reporting Budget $0.00 Category / Population Served / / Program Comments CEO Comments One of our big challenges was how to moderate reader comments. We believe that it's important to keep the discussion civil but also diverse and lively. We have become progressively more strict about enforcing our policy. We prescreen all comments. This takes a lot of time. But it has paid off: We have such a wide variety of voices and participation and viewpoints, unlike any other community/discussion pool I've ever experienced in New Haven. It's the most important part of our site. 3

Leadership & Staff CEO/Executive Director Paul Bass Term Start July 2005 Email pauljbass@gmail.com Experience A reporter and editor in New Haven for over 30 years; co-author of Murder in the Model City: The Black Panthers, Yale, & The Redemption of a Killer (Basic Books 2006). Staff Number of Full Time Staff 5 Number of Part Time Staff 1 Number of Volunteers 0 Number of Contract Staff 0 Staff Retention Rate 75% Staff Demographics - Ethnicity African American/Black 1 Asian American/Pacific Islander 0 Caucasian 4 Hispanic/Latino 1 Native American/American Indian 0 Other 0 0 Staff Demographics - Gender Male 5 Female 1 Unspecified 0 Plans & Policies Organization has a Fundraising Plan? Organization has a Strategic Plan? Management Succession Plan? Organization Policy and Procedures ndiscrimination Policy Under Development Under Development 4

Whistleblower Policy Document Destruction Policy Yes Senior Staff Eugene Driscoll Formal Evaluations CEO Formal Evaluation Senior Management Formal Evaluation Senior Management Formal Evaluation Frequency n Management Formal Evaluation n Management Formal Evaluation Frequency N/A N/A 5

Board & Governance Board Chair rma Rodriguez Reyes Company Affiliation La Voz Hispana Term Jan 2014 to Dec 2015 Board of Directors Name Paul Bass Michelle Chihara Gemma Joseph Lumpkin Jack Walsh Affiliation New Haven Independent Writer Education consultant United Way, Naugatuck Valley Board Demographics - Ethnicity African American/Black 1 Asian American/Pacific Islander 1 Caucasian 2 Hispanic/Latino 1 Native American/American Indian 0 Other 0 0 Board Demographics - Gender Male 2 Female 3 Unspecified 0 Governance Board Term Lengths 1 Board Term Limits 0 Board Meeting Attendance % 100% Number of Full Board Meetings Annually 2 Written Board Selection Criteria Written Conflict of Interest Policy Percentage Making Monetary Contributions 0% Percentage Making In-Kind Contributions 0% 6

Constituency Includes Client Representation 7

Financials Financials Fiscal Year Start Jan 01 2014 Fiscal Year End Dec 31 2014 Projected Revenue $430,000.00 Projected Expenses $430,000.00 Endowment Value $0.00 Percentage (if selected) 0% Detailed Financials Prior Three Years Total Revenue and Expense Totals Chart Total Revenue $529,967 $574,546 $524,984 Total Expenses $528,123 $698,342 $612,149 Prior Three Years Revenue Sources Chart Foundation and Corporation $503,844 $544,420 $492,940 Contributions Government Contributions $0 $0 $0 Federal -- -- -- State -- -- -- Local -- -- -- Unspecified -- -- -- Individual Contributions -- -- -- Indirect Public Support -- -- -- Earned Revenue $25,969 $29,843 $30,993 Investment Income, Net of Losses $154 $283 $1,051 Membership Dues -- -- -- Special Events -- -- -- Revenue In-Kind -- -- -- Other -- -- -- Prior Three Years Expense Allocations Chart Program Expense $435,686 $578,546 $485,951 Administration Expense $55,599 $75,149 $78,639 Fundraising Expense $36,838 $44,647 $47,559 Payments to Affiliates -- -- -- Total Revenue/Total Expenses 1.00 0.82 0.86 Program Expense/Total Expenses 82% 83% 79% Fundraising Expense/Contributed Revenue 7% 8% 10% 8

Prior Three Years Assets and Liabilities Chart Total Assets $416,137 $539,195 $883,533 Current Assets $414,263 $535,427 $879,881 Long-Term Liabilities -- -- -- Current Liabilities $155,280 $280,182 $500,724 Total Net Assets $260,857 $259,013 $382,809 Prior Three Years Top Three Funding Sources Top Funding Source & Dollar Amount Seedlings Ethics & Excellence Ethics & Excellence Foundation $113,250 in Journalism in Journalism Foundation $100,000 Foundation $100,000 Second Highest Funding Source & Dollar Amount Third Highest Funding Source & Dollar Amount The Community Foundaiton for Greater New Haven $81,250 The Valley Community Foundation $26,500 Seedlings Foundation $78,000 The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven $35,000 Seedlings Foundation $78,000 CS Fund $45,000 Solvency Short Term Solvency Current Ratio: Current Assets/Current Liabilities 2.67 1.91 1.76 Long Term Solvency Long-Term Liabilities/Total Assets 0% 0% 0% Capital Campaign Currently in a Capital Campaign? Goal $0.00 Capital Campaign Anticipated in Next 5 Years? Comments Foundation Staff Comments This profile, including the financial summaries prepared and submitted by the organization based on its own independent and/or internal audit processes and regulatory submissions, has been read by the Foundation. Financial information is inputted by Foundation staff directly from the organization s IRS Form 990, audited financial statements or other financial documents approved by the nonprofit s board. The Foundation has not audited the organization s financial statements or tax filings, and makes no representations or warranties thereon. The Community Foundation is continuing to receive information submitted by the organization and may periodically update the organization s profile to reflect the most current financial and other information available. The organization has completed the fields required by The Community Foundation and updated their profile in the last year. To see if the organization has received a competitive grant from The Community Foundation in the last five years, please go to the General Information Tab of the profile. 9