Polaris Project FY2020 filing

Tax-deductible

Washington, DC501(c)(3)Since 2002InternationalEIN 03-0391561

Polaris works to end sex and labor trafficking and restore freedom to survivors.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
67¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$1.8M paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2020 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $1.6M a year · 13% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
67%
of spending
Fine: 67% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.8M
to officers and key staff · 14% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 14% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 3.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $15K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$5.2M
58% of total assets
Fine: liabilities are 58% of assets; 50% to 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
8
of 8 voting members
Looks good: 8 of 8 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$8.9M
Spent
$13.1M
To programs
67%
Net assets
$3.7M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$8.9M
FY2020
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$8.9M
FY2021$15.9M
FY2022$14.8M
FY2023$10.2M
FY2024$11.1M
Expenses
$13.1M
FY2020
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$13.1M
FY2021$13.1M
FY2022$14.5M
FY2023$15.0M
FY2024$13.2M
Net assets
$3.7M
FY2020
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$3.7M
FY2021$6.5M
FY2022$6.9M
FY2023$2.3M
FY2024−$141K

From the FY2020 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Apr 2002.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

67 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 67% · $8.9M Management & general 22% · $2.9M Fundraising 10% · $1.3M

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Who runs it and what they're paid

20 people listed on the 990; $1.8M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Exec Dir & CEO from 9/2020
$191,968Pt VII · Sec A
Interim Exec Dir & CEO
$189,279Pt VII · Sec A
Chief People Office
$184,968Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Communications Officer
$179,979Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Development Officer
$177,638Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Financial Officer
$146,490Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Fdtn Relations
$130,512Pt VII · Sec A
Strategic Inititive Director
$116,724Pt VII · Sec A

Catherine Chen’s $239K as Executive Director & CEO is at the 44th percentile of top reported officer pay among 345 $10–100M international nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Catherine Chen$238,552$267,333$260,440$232,769$191,968
Patrick McIntre$196,701————
Alfonso Wright$193,424$195,653$190,124$173,538$146,490
Michelle Nicholson$193,346$183,412$192,028$193,576$184,968
Jennifer Jinks—$189,997$191,747$128,222—
Patrick McIntyre—$191,672$185,509$140,023—
Nancy Choi————$189,279
Caren Benjamin—$157,272$182,925$174,841$179,979

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Fights sex and labor trafficking, restoring freedom to survivors.

Provided by the organization

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3 program services account for $7.1M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2020.
01

National Human Trafficking Hotline

Polaris continued operating in the U.S national human trafficking hotline (NHTH), with funding from the U.S department of health and human services, office on trafficking in persons (otip), the texas state governor's office, and private donations.

$4.8Mprogram expense
02

Strategic Initiative on Labor Trafficking

The strategic initiative on labor trafficking works to end labor trafficking of migrant workers in the agricultural sector between mexico and the U.S. In mexico polaris's work includes support for the expansion of mexico's first national human trafficking hotline and building a source country worker data platform to collect information…

$1.2Mprogram expense
03

Learning, Innovation and Data Systems

The program develops a data driven understanding of human trafficking, generates research and data products for use by the anti-trafficking field, and supports polaris's monitoring and evaluation to ensure programs have their intended impact.

$970Kprogram expense

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Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$15K

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$8.9M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$9.2M
Investment incomeLn 3$22K
Money outPt IX
$13.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$8.9M
Managementcol C$2.9M
Fundraisingcol D$1.3M
Owns and owesPt X
$3.7M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$3.7M
Total assetsLn 16$8.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$5.2M
PeoplePt VI, VII
20
listed · VII A
PaidVII A12
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b8
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$9.2M
Government grantsLn 1e$3.7M
Investment incomeLn 3$22K
Gains on assetsLn 7−$327K
Total revenueLn 12$8.9M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$709K
SavingsLn 2$3.0M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$3.7M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2.7M
Other assetsLn 15$5K
Total assetsLn 16$8.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$5.2M
Net assetsLn 32$3.7M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5177
VolunteersI 610
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$4.8M$3.7M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$522K$2.7M
Total assetsLn 16$9.4M$8.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.4M$5.2M
Net assetsLn 32$7.9M$3.7M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$25K$25K
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$1.2M$859K$224K$102K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$6.6M$4.8M$1.2M$567K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$40K$28K$8K$4K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$1.2M$803K$264K$94K
Payroll taxesLn 10$577K$404K$126K$47K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$27K$27K
Accounting feesLn 11c$110K$110K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1.1M$550K$236K$290K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$0
Office expensesLn 13$157K$72K$70K$15K
Information technologyLn 14$732K$589K$98K$45K
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$684K$460K$169K$56K
TravelLn 17$35K$14K$11K$10K
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$8K$2K$3K$3K
InterestLn 20$15K$15K
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$299K$207K$67K$25K
InsuranceLn 23$78K$55K$16K$7K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$253K$27K$217K$9K
All other expensesLn 24e$111K$14K$46K$52K
Total functional expensesLn 25$13.1M$8.9M$2.9M$1.3M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $11.1M$13.2M−$2.2M−$141K 990 PDF
FY2023 $10.2M$15.0M−$4.7M$2.3M 990 PDF
FY2022 $14.8M$14.5M$288K$6.9M 990 PDF
FY2021 $15.9M$13.1M$2.8M$6.5M 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $8.9M$13.1M−$4.2M$3.7M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2020 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $8,903,741 across 10 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$3,700,372
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$5,477,120
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$9,177,492
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $21,893$21,893
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or loss$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assets−$326,819
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $31,175$31,175
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $31,175 · Excluded from tax $21,893$8,903,741
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $13,135,393 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizations$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $25,000$25,000
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $859,172 · Management $224,098 · Fundraising $102,403$1,185,673
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $4,753,387 · Management $1,239,828 · Fundraising $566,544$6,559,759
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $28,438 · Management $7,893 · Fundraising $3,927$40,258
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $802,681 · Management $264,141 · Fundraising $93,640$1,160,462
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $403,878 · Management $126,496 · Fundraising $46,761$577,135
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $27,231$27,231
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $110,167$110,167
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11e Professional fundraising fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $549,840 · Management $236,200 · Fundraising $289,900$1,075,940
IX-12 Advertising and promotion$0
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $71,925 · Management $70,109 · Fundraising $15,351$157,385
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $588,953 · Management $98,363 · Fundraising $45,118$732,434
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $459,508 · Management $168,717 · Fundraising $55,659$683,884
IX-17 TravelPrograms $13,785 · Management $11,223 · Fundraising $9,552$34,560
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $2,288 · Management $3,135 · Fundraising $2,690$8,113
IX-20 InterestManagement $15,411$15,411
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $207,255 · Management $66,815 · Fundraising $25,260$299,330
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $55,410 · Management $15,629 · Fundraising $6,753$77,792
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $26,743 · Management $217,489 · Fundraising $9,179$253,411
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $13,602 · Management $46,202 · Fundraising $51,644$111,448
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $8,861,865 · Management $2,949,147 · Fundraising $1,324,381$13,135,393
Part X · Balance sheet $8,899,499 assets, 24 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $2,638,011$708,791
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $2,142,147$3,000,274
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $3,773,190$2,338,925
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $0$0
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $0$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $175,343$113,983
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $522,167$2,732,526
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $0$0
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $0$0
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $0$0
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $0$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $131,525$5,000
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $9,382,383$8,899,499
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $727,690$623,453
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $0$0
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $0$0
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $0$0
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $719,111$2,705,792
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,446,801$5,197,738
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,545,845$1,046,315
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $6,389,737$2,655,446
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $7,935,582$3,701,761
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $9,382,383$8,899,499
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $3,701,761 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$8,903,741
XI-2 Total expenses$13,135,393
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$4,231,652
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$7,935,582
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$2,169
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$3,701,761

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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