Nonprofit · EIN 46-0781654
LOCAL INDEPENDENT ONLINE NEWS PUBLISHERS INC
Also known as LION PUBLISHERS
Tax-exempt · WILMINGTON, DE 19807
Financials
| Year ended | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Net income | Total assets | Liabilities | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 31, 2025 | 990 | $4,606,476 | $5,531,884 | -$925,408 | $8,084,528 | $1,210,848 | $6,873,680 |
| December 31, 2024 | 990 | $11,783,651 | $7,029,062 | $4,754,589 | $8,882,633 | $1,084,437 | $7,798,196 |
| December 31, 2023 | 990 | $6,882,509 | $6,433,871 | $448,638 | $4,683,866 | $1,640,259 | $3,043,607 |
Financial details: 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025
Revenue
- Contributions, gifts and grants
- $3,296,157
- Program service revenue
- $1,105,920
- Investment income
- $204,399
- Other revenue
- $0
Expenses
- Grants and similar amounts paid
- $1,313,655
- Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
- $229,224
- Other salaries and wages
- $1,708,955
- Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
- $2,304,640
- Professional fundraising fees
- $0
- Accounting fees
- $69,405
- Travel
- $114,308
- Program services (functional)
- $4,276,595
- Management and general (functional)
- $874,617
- Fundraising (functional)
- $380,672
Balance sheet and other
- Total assets, start of year
- $8,882,633
- Total assets, end of year
- $8,084,528
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $1,210,848
- Net assets, end of year
- $6,873,680
- Publicly traded securities
- $1,024,469
- Net assets without donor restrictions
- $2,974,335
- Net assets with donor restrictions
- $3,899,345
- Gross receipts
- $4,606,476
- Employees
- 18
- Volunteers
- 7
- Year formed
- 2012
- State of legal domicile
- DE
From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.
Officers, directors and key employees
As listed on the 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025, highest compensation first.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Krewson | Executive Director Officer | 40 | $221,624 | $30,494 |
| Lisa Hunter | Director of Finance & Operations Highest-paid employee | 40 | $168,049 | $15,966 |
| Michelle Hunter | Director of Development Highest-paid employee | 40 | $152,008 | $18,045 |
| Chloe Kizer | Director of Data and Evaluation Highest-paid employee | 40 | $150,734 | $14,393 |
| Sarah Gustavus Lim | Membership Director Highest-paid employee | 40 | $144,663 | $17,985 |
| Rockway Andrew | AD of Sustainability Audits Highest-paid employee | 40 | $124,738 | $14,370 |
| Eden Fineday | Director Trustee or director | 3 | $4,000 | $0 |
| Gunita Singh | Treasurer & Past Chair Trustee or director, Officer | 8 | $1,800 | $0 |
| Richard Young | Director Trustee or director | 3 | $1,800 | $0 |
| Cierra Brown Hinton | Chair Trustee or director, Officer | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| Neil Chase | Vice Chair Trustee or director, Officer | 3 | $0 | $0 |
| Jamaal Glenn | Director Trustee or director | 3 | $0 | $0 |
| Dan Hu | Secretary Trustee or director, Officer | 8 | $0 | $0 |
| Ariel Zirulnick | Director Trustee or director | 3 | $0 | $0 |
| Anita Li | Director Trustee or director | 3 | $0 | $0 |
3 more people on this return
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rebekah Monson | Director Trustee or director | 3 | $0 |
| Mazin Sidahmed | Director Trustee or director | 3 | $0 |
| Vania Andre | Director Trustee or director | 3 | $0 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2024: 16 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Krewson | Executive Director Officer | 40 | $215,467 | $30,218 |
| Lisa Hunter | Director of Finance & Operations Highest-paid employee | 40 | $161,486 | $16,020 |
| Chloe Kizer | Director of Data and Evaluation Highest-paid employee | 40 | $127,136 | $14,561 |
| Sarah Gustavus Lim | Membership Director Highest-paid employee | 40 | $126,054 | $15,499 |
| Elaine Diaz Rodriguez | AD of Coaching Highest-paid employee | 40 | $107,740 | $17,804 |
| Rockway Andrew | AD of Sustainability Audits Highest-paid employee | 40 | $101,066 | $17,254 |
| Ariel Zirulnick | Director Trustee or director | 3 | $13,300 | $0 |
| Anita Li | Director Trustee or director | 3 | $1,800 | $0 |
| Neil Chase | Director Trustee or director | 3 | $0 | $0 |
| Alvaro Gurdian | Director Trustee or director | 3 | $0 | $0 |
| Rebekah Monson | Director Trustee or director | 8 | $0 | $0 |
| Mazin Sidahmed | Director Trustee or director | 3 | $0 | $0 |
| Cierra Brown Hinton | Vice Chair Trustee or director, Officer | 3 | $0 | $0 |
| Jamaal Glenn | Treasurer Trustee or director, Officer | 8 | $0 | $0 |
| Dan Hu | Secretary Trustee or director, Officer | 8 | $0 | $0 |
| Gunita Singh | Chair Trustee or director, Officer | 5 | $0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2023: 15 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Krewson | Executive Director Officer | 40 | $188,593 | $25,678 |
| Anika Anand | Deputy Director Highest-paid employee | 40 | $139,128 | $23,684 |
| Lisa Hunter | Director of Finance & Operati Highest-paid employee | 40 | $143,108 | $12,907 |
| Stephanie Snyder | Assoc Director of Membership Highest-paid employee | 40 | $106,531 | $7,489 |
| Lisa Heyamoto | Assoc Director of Member Edu Highest-paid employee | 40 | $101,000 | $3,850 |
| Rebekah Monson | Director Trustee or director | 8 | $0 | $0 |
| Mazin Sidahmed | Director Trustee or director | 3 | $0 | $0 |
| Anita Li | Director Trustee or director | 3 | $0 | $0 |
| Alvaro Gurdian | Director Trustee or director | 3 | $0 | $0 |
| Neil Chase | Director Trustee or director | 3 | $0 | $0 |
| Jiquanda Johnson | Director Trustee or director | 3 | $0 | $0 |
| Cierra Brown Hinton | Vice Chair Trustee or director, Officer | 3 | $0 | $0 |
| Jamaal Glenn | Treasurer Trustee or director, Officer | 8 | $0 | $0 |
| Gunita Singh | Chair Trustee or director, Officer | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| Dan Hu | Secretary Trustee or director, Officer | 8 | $0 | $0 |
Address and contacts
- Address (IRS master file)
- 4023 KENNETT PIKE SUITE 50019, WILMINGTON, DE 19807-2018
- In care of
- % CHRIS KREWSON
- Principal officer (990 for 2025)
- Chris Krewson, 4023 Kennett Pike Ste 50019, Wilmington, DE 19807
- Signed the 990
- CHRIS KREWSON, Executive Director
- Phone
- (267) 670-0357
- Website
- www.lionpublishers.com
- Return prepared by
- Mullins PC
Mission
To strengthen the local news industry by helping independent news publishers build more sustainable businesses.
Program accomplishments
- Membership Services & LION Awards: We completed the successful Sustainability 360 pilot and launched our first full S360 cohort, providing members with hands-on back-office support and strategic coaching. In parallel, we piloted a new Back Office support program focused on helping early-stage members build strong HR and finance foundations for long-term sustainability. We partnered with Press Forward on a new program that offers Audits and strategic business coaching to the 205 news outlets awarded Closing Local Coverage Gaps grants in 2024. This marks the first time in LION history that a program serves more non members than members. We also launched the members-only LION Growth Grant program, reviewing over 220 applications from members in 48 states, and distributing $750K of a planned total $1.5M to 15 publishers for operational funds to strengthen their business operations. Finally, we piloted and expanded direct consulting services in our Back Office and Sustainability 360 programs, which both included consulting hours with HR and/or Finance experts to provide publishers with hands-on support for strengthening their operations.Expenses $2,481,434 · grants $1,310,000 · revenue $468,611
- Membership Education: More than 150 LIONs participated in peer-led learning groups, culminating in an in-person session at the 2025 Summit. Across the network, the LION community continued to provide a trusted space for publishers to exchange ideas, challenges, and resources during a difficult year for many newsrooms. Year round, LION members and other industry colleagues make up the community of 1600 members in the News Entrepreneur Community Slack. Participants have focused discussion spaces for peer learning and specific LION programs, as well as place-based and other channels that any member of the Slack can contribute to.Expenses $790,775 · grants $3,655 · revenue $397,800
- Data & Evaluation: We launched the self-serve Audit, transforming a cohort-based, highly customized program into a scalable product available to any LION member at any time. In its first six months, members completed 402 Audits, nearly matching the 450 completed over the programs previous three-year history.Expenses $650,564 · revenue $239,509
- Policy & Advocacy: LION strengthened its member advocacy efforts, shifting from reactive responses to proactively mobilizing members to engage in policy conversations affecting independent news organizations.Expenses $353,822
What it must file and when
IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in December, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.
| Tax year | Year ended | Due | IRS public records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | December 31, 2025 | May 15, 2026 | 990 on file |
| 2024 | December 31, 2024 | May 15, 2025 | 990 on file |
| 2023 | December 31, 2023 | May 15, 2024 | 990 on file |
IRS record
- EIN
- 46-0781654
- Tax-exempt status
- 501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
- Foundation status
- Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
- Donations deductible (Pub 78)
- Public charity, 50% deduction limit
- Exempt since
- 2019
- Accounting year ends
- December
- Files
- Form 990 or 990-EZ
- Category (NTEE)
- Arts, culture and humanities (A03)
- Assets (IRS master file)
- $8,084,528
- Income (IRS master file)
- $4,606,476
Filing history
| Form | Year ended | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 990 | December 2025 | $4,606,476 | $5,531,884 | $8,084,528 | XML |
| 990 | December 2024 | $11,783,651 | $7,029,062 | $8,882,633 | XML |
| 990 | December 2023 | $6,882,509 | $6,433,871 | $4,683,866 | XML |
| 990 | December 2022 | $3,946,331 | $4,203,044 | $3,009,532 | IRS |
| 990 | December 2021 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2020 | – | – | – | IRS |
990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 46-0781654).
Questions about LOCAL INDEPENDENT ONLINE NEWS PUBLISHERS INC
- What is the EIN of LOCAL INDEPENDENT ONLINE NEWS PUBLISHERS INC?
- The employer identification number (EIN) of LOCAL INDEPENDENT ONLINE NEWS PUBLISHERS INC is 46-0781654.
- Is LOCAL INDEPENDENT ONLINE NEWS PUBLISHERS INC tax-exempt?
- Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 2019.
- Are donations to LOCAL INDEPENDENT ONLINE NEWS PUBLISHERS INC tax-deductible?
- Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
- Which annual return does LOCAL INDEPENDENT ONLINE NEWS PUBLISHERS INC file?
- Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
- When is the next return of LOCAL INDEPENDENT ONLINE NEWS PUBLISHERS INC due?
- The return for tax year 2026 (the year ending December 31, 2026) is due May 17, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
- When did LOCAL INDEPENDENT ONLINE NEWS PUBLISHERS INC last file with the IRS?
- The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended December 2025.
- Who is the principal officer of LOCAL INDEPENDENT ONLINE NEWS PUBLISHERS INC?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 names Chris Krewson.
- Who are the officers and directors of LOCAL INDEPENDENT ONLINE NEWS PUBLISHERS INC?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 lists 18 people; 9 received compensation from the organization, the highest $221,624 (Chris Krewson, Executive Director).
- How much revenue does LOCAL INDEPENDENT ONLINE NEWS PUBLISHERS INC have?
- On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 it reported revenue of $4,606,476, expenses of $5,531,884 and total assets of $8,084,528 at year end.
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