Polaris Project EIN 03-0391561 Form 990 (PDF) Claim this org

Polaris Project FY2022 filing

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Fights sex and labor trafficking, restoring freedom to survivors. For fiscal year 2022 it reported $14.8M in revenue, $14.5M in expenses, and $6.9M in net assets.Pt I

Founded
2002
Type
Public charity (501(c)(3)) · International
Location
Washington, DC
Filings
5 on file (2020–2022)
Revenue
$14.8MFY2022
Expenses
$14.5M
Net assets
$6.9M
People
22
Filings
5
Updates
0
More identity details & actions ⌄
EIN  03-0391561 Public charity (501(c)(3)) Washington, DC Founded 2002
Form 990 (PDF)
You’re viewing the FY2022 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →
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Figures match the IRS filing checked 7/22/26 · see original: IRS
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Size
$10–100M
What they do
Fights sex and labor trafficking, restoring freedom to survivors.
Leadership
Catherine Chen · Executive Director & CEO · $260K
Money in and out
$14.8M revenue, $14.5M expenses
Bottom line
72% program efficiency
Where the money goes · FY2022
Total revenue
$14.8M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$14.5M
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$6.9M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expenses (Pt I · Ln 19): $288K
Where spending went · Part IX cols B–D
Program services $0.72 Management & general $0.19 Fundraising $0.09
Program efficiency
72%
of spending reaches programs
Operating runway
2.9mo
months of highly liquid reserves at operating expense rate
Surplus margin
+2%
revenue over expenses, this year

Summary of the Filing

Part I · fiscal year 2022 · Form 990
Revenue
$14.8M
FY2022▼ -7%
Expenses
$14.5M
FY2022▲ +11%
Total assets
$17.4M
FY2022▲ +72%
Total liabilities
$10.5M
FY2022▲ +191%
Total revenue
$14.8M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$14.5M
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$6.9M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expensesPt I · Ln 19$288K
Total assetsPt X · Ln 16$17.4M
Program-expense ratioPt IX · col B72%
Voting members of governing bodyPt I · Ln 310
Independent voting membersPt I · Ln 410

Identity & Classification

Form 990 Header · IRS Business Master File
Legal nameHdr · item CPolaris Project
EINHdr · item D03-0391561
Principal addressHdr · item CWashington, DC
WebsiteHdr · item Jnone reported
Year of formationHdr · item L2002
State of legal domicileHdr · item MDC
Exempt statusHdr · item I501(c)(3) · active
NTEE classificationIRS BMFInternational (Q70)
Ruling yearIRS BMFApr 2002

Governance & Policies

Part VI
Voting members of the governing bodyPt VI · Ln 1a10
Independent voting membersPt VI · Ln 1b10
Conflict-of-interest policyPt VI · Ln 12aYes
Whistleblower policyPt VI · Ln 13Yes
Document retention policyPt VI · Ln 14Yes
CEO/top-official compensation independently reviewedPt VI · Ln 15aYes
Family or business relationships among officers/directorsPt VI · Ln 2No

Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director & CEO
$260,440Pt VII · Sec A
Chief People Officer
$192,028Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Strategy & Impact Officer
$191,747Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Financial Officer
$190,124Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Development Officer
$185,509Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Communications Officer
$182,925Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Technology Officer
$157,302Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Foundation Relations
$136,293Pt 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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Mission & Programs · Part III

Where the work happens

3 program services account for $7.1M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2022.
01

National Human Trafficking Hotline

Polaris continued operating 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) and private donations.

$5.1Mprogram expense
02

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' monitoring and evaluation to ensure programs have their intended impact.

$1.1Mprogram expense
03

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' 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…

$971Kprogram expense

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Statement of Revenue

Part VIII
Contributions & grants100%$14.7M
Investment income$42K
Other revenue$20K
— government grantsLn 1e$5.3M
Total revenueLn 12$14.8M

Statement of Functional Expenses

Part IX · allocated across program, management, and fundraising
Allocation · columns B–D
Program services $0.72 Management & general $0.19 Fundraising $0.09
Program services72%$10.4M
Management & general19%$2.7M
Fundraising9%$1.4M
Total functional expensesLn 25$14.5M

Balance Sheet

Part X · end of year
CashLn 1$3.5M
Total assetsLn 16$17.4M
Total liabilitiesLn 26$10.5M
Total net assetsLn 32$6.9M
Months of cash on handcomputed2.9

Financial Metrics

Form 990 · FY2022 · each ratio shown with the dollars behind it
Liquidity & Payout
Operating runway
Highly liquid reserves $3.5M · Operating expenses (Pt IX) $14.5M · Less non-cash grants $40K · Cash operating expenses/yr $14.4M
2.9 months
Where the money goes
Program services
Program services $10.4M · Total expenses $14.5M
72%
Management & General
Management & general $2.7M · Total expenses $14.5M
19%
Fundraising
Fundraising $1.4M · Total expenses $14.5M
9%
Cost to raise $1
Fundraising expense (3-yr avg) $1.2M · Solicited contributions (3-yr avg) $8.1M
$0.15 to raise $1 (3-yr avg)
Where the money comes from
Contribution dependence
Contributions & grants $14.7M · Total revenue $14.8M
100%
Government reliance
Government grants $5.3M · Total revenue $14.8M
36%
Earned-income share
Program service revenue $0 · Total revenue $14.8M
0%
Investment reliance
Investment income $42K · Total revenue $14.8M
+0.3%
Program self-sufficiency
Program service revenue $0 · Total expenses $14.5M
0%
Growth & trend
Revenue growth (YoY)
This year $14.8M · Prior year $15.9M
-7%
Net-asset trend (YoY)
End of year $6.9M · Beginning of year —
Beginning net assets not meaningfully positive — showing dollar change
Balance sheet
Surplus Margin
Revenue $14.8M · Expenses $14.5M
+2%
Liabilities-to-Assets
Total liabilities — · Total assets $17.4M
Net-asset ratio
Net assets $6.9M · Total assets $17.4M
40%
Marketable Investment Share
Publicly traded securities (Pt X, ln 11) — · Other securities (Pt X, ln 12) — · Total assets (Pt X, ln 16) $17.4M
Excludes program-related investments (Pt X, ln 13)
People & payroll
Highest Reported Total Compensation
Individual Catherine Chen · Reported title EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & CEO · Highest reported compensation $260K · Total expenses $14.5M
2%
Personnel share
Salaries, benefits & payroll (Pt IX 5-10) $10.2M · Total expenses $14.5M
70%
Fundraising vendors
Fundraiser cost ratio
Paid to fundraisers $354K · Gross raised $1.5M
24%
Peer comparison

Same NTEE category, revenue band, and state where available. Descriptive — not a grade.

MetricThis orgPeer medianPercentile
Program ratio 72%
Overhead ratio 19%
Fundraising cost ratio 9%
Revenue growth -7%
Legal fee ratio 0.1%
Accounting fee ratio 0.6%
Fundraising fee ratio 2%

Straight from the Form 990 — descriptive, not an evaluation. A ratio is hidden when its base is zero or too small to be meaningful; the dollars are always shown.

Grants

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

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Filings & Schedule Manifest

Part IV
III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
FY2024 (Latest)$11.1M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2023$10.2M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2022$14.8M revenue · viewing · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2021$15.9M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2020$8.9M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF

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Sources

Every figure above is drawn from these filings
Form 990 e-file (XML) · FY2022IRS
Classification, formation year, addressIRS Business Master File
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