Editorial Independence
We subscribe to standards of editorial independence adopted by the Institute for Nonprofit News.
Our organization retains full authority over editorial content to protect the best journalistic and business interests of our organization. We maintain a firewall between news coverage decisions and sources of all revenue. Acceptance of financial support does not constitute implied or actual endorsement of donors or their products, services or opinions.
We accept gifts, grants and sponsorships from individuals and organizations for the general support of our activities, but our news judgments are made independently and not on the basis of donor support.
Our organization may consider donations to support the coverage of particular topics, but our organization maintains editorial control of the coverage. We will cede no right of review or influence of editorial content, nor of unauthorized distribution of editorial content.
Our organization will make public all donors who give a total of $5,000 or more per year (Note: Underscore acknowledges all donors, regardless of amount given, on our website). We will accept anonymous donations for general support only if it is clear that sufficient safeguards have been put into place that the expenditure of that donation is made independently by our organization and in compliance with INN’s Membership Standards.
Institutional Supporters
2024
MAJOR FUNDERS
- Ford Foundation
- Inatai Foundation
- Meyer Memorial Trust
- M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust
- MHCRC Community Grants
- Press Forward
CONTRIBUTING FUNDERS
- Collins Foundation
- Google News Initiative/Institute for Nonprofit News
- LION Publishers
- Oregon Community Foundation
- NewsMatch
- Poynter Institute
- Report for America
- Roundhouse Foundation
- Running Strong for American Indian Youth
- Society of Environmental Journalists
2023
MAJOR FUNDERS
- Collins Foundation
- Inasmuch Foundation
- Inatai Foundation
- Meyer Memorial Trust
- M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust
CONTRIBUTING FUNDERS
- Fund for Investigative Journalism
- Oregon Community Foundation
- NewsMatch
- Poynter-Koch Media and Journalism Fellowship
- Report for America
- Reva and David Logan Foundation
- Roundhouse Foundation
- Seeding Justice
2022
MAJOR FUNDERS
- Google News Initiative
- Inasmuch Foundation
- Inatai Foundation
- Meyer Memorial Trust
CONTRIBUTING FUNDERS
- American Journalism Project
- Flathead Beacon Foundation
- NewsMatch
- Oregon Community Foundation
- Report for America
- Roundhouse Foundation
2019-2021
- American Journalism Project
- Collins Foundation
- Facebook Journalism Project
- Inasmuch Foundation
- Jonathan Logan Family Foundation
- Knight Foundation
- Meyer Memorial Trust
- Native Arts & Cultures Foundation
- Newsmatch
- Oregon Community Foundation
- Roundhouse Foundation
- Solutions Journalism Network
Individual Donors
2023
- Jessica Abeita
- Maddy Ahearn
- Amanda Alexander
- Nicholas Appelmans
- Devi Archer
- Sandy Bacharach
- Megan Barrett
- Mari Bartoo Jacobson
- Reid Bauman
- John Bealle
- Shelley Beaulieu
- Brian Brandt
- Isabella Breda
- Marvin Brewer
- Marilyn Brown
- Max Brown
- Jamaal Brown
- Brian Bull
- Natalie Busch
- Maryanne Campbell
- Micki Caskey
- Kimber Craine
- Sabrina Crewe
- Jackleen De La Harpe
- Tony DeFalco
- Bryan Denson
- Frank Desguin
- Emmett Dezso
- Bill Donahue
- Susan Doyle
- Erin Dysart
- Gayle E. Hammer
- Stephanie Feeney
- Kathryn Finley
- Lee Francis
- Ramon Garcia
- Molly Gloss
- Eileen Gottschalk
- Mary Grant
- Jamie Gray
- Eakin Brianna
- Green Janet Hamilton
- Brad Hanson
- Melissa Hayden
- Michael Haymans
- Gillian Hearst
- Lisa Heyamoto
- Rose High Bear
- Marian Hjortsberg
- Andrew Holtz
- Brant Houston
- Stone Hudson
- Breanna Irish
- Ralph Jacobson
- Dave Johnson
- Claudia Kaul
- Dan Kaul
- Marshall Kirkpatrick
- Sue Knight
- David and Pamela Knowles
- Frank Kwan
- The Leadings Fund
- McKayla Lee
- Skye Lucas
- Wendy Lynn
- Carter and Jennifer MacNichol
- Many Dances Family Fund
- Elizabeth Marchi
- Scott McMillion
- Stacey McQuade-Eger
- Donald Mickey
- Marcella Miller
- Kathleen Miller
- Sarah Jane Moore
- Eduardo Moreno
- Richard Murphy
- Sharon Nielson
- Elliot Njus
- Robin Ogata
- Carly Ogata
- Christina and Harley Ogata
- Casey Pearlman
- Jamie Potenberg
- Heather Pruess
- Parks Reece
- Myers Reece
- Tracey Reed
- Marjan Rotting
- Susan Sampson
- Jackie Sandquist
- David Schwartz
- Eddie Sherman
- Stacy Smith
- Maggie Starr
- Stearns Family Fund
- John Stewart
- Keriann Strickland
- Derek Stubbs
- Elisa Suarez
- Marsha Taylor
- Dave Thayer
- Kim Thomas
- Myla Thomas
- Mago Torres
- Haley Trontel
- Timothy Wilson
- Franklin Wong
- Lynne Wright
Financial Reports
Underscore was fiscally sponsored by the Institute for Nonprofit News from 2019-2020 and obtained nonprofit status in 2021, which means our first available 990 was from 2021.