Creative Commons Corporation

Develops legal and technical infrastructure for digital creativity, sharing, and innovation.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
65¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 175 volunteers and 15 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2024 · 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
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $1.1M a year · 22% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
65%
of spending
Worth a look: 65% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.2M
to officers and key staff · 31% of spending
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 31% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
23 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 22.9 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
4
named funders · $178K
Looks good: 4 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$97K
1% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 1% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 8 voting members
Looks good: 7 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
$2.4M
-50% vs prior year
Spent
$3.9M
To programs
65%
Net assets
$9.2M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$2.4M
FY2024▼ -50%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$943K
FY2021$9.9M
FY2022$7.7M
FY2023$4.9M
FY2024$2.4M
Expenses
$3.9M
FY2024▼ -18%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$4.1M
FY2021$3.1M
FY2022$4.3M
FY2023$4.8M
FY2024$3.9M
Net assets
$9.2M
FY2024▼ -14%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$2.2M
FY2021$8.9M
FY2022$12.3M
FY2023$10.6M
FY2024$9.2M

From the FY2024 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give

Is it real?

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

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

Where the money goes

65 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 65% · $2.5M Management & general 30% · $1.2M Fundraising 6% · $224K

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

Who runs it and what they're paid

19 people listed on the 990; $1.2M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$230,000Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Open Education
$196,778Pt VII · Sec A
Licensing/Copyright Counsel/Secretary
$155,821Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Open Culture
$144,485Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Training/Learning
$144,375Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Development
$134,988Pt VII · Sec A
CEO (thru 12/31/23)
$115,660Pt VII · Sec A
General Counsel/Sec.
$71,530Pt VII · Sec A

Anna Tumadottir’s $230K as CEO is at the 88th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3394 $1–10M education 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 Stihler$115,660$289,246$252,243$243,499$69,319
Diane Peters———$122,202$231,632
Anna Tumadottir$230,000$161,500———
Cable Green$196,778$181,100$179,442$166,201$187,528
Kriti Godey————$156,472
Kathleen Walsh$155,821$148,400$126,000——
Sarah Hinchliff Pearson$71,530—$51,737$154,150$136,217
Anna K Tumadottir——$150,000——

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.

See Creative Commons Corporation executive salaries →

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

Builds legal and technical tools for digital creation and sharing.

Questions for Creative Commons Corporation

Tap to ask. Creative Commons Corporation sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Creative Commons Corporation answers here, for everyone.

3 programs · $2.1M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Open Science

We work with researchers, librarians, consortia, policy makers, and other stakeholders in scholarly communication to equip them with education and training about our licenses so that they can implement open science practices and increase access to knowledge within their communities.

$1.1Mprogram expense
02

Open Culture

We build a thriving ecosystem of open culture among cultural heritage institutions and their users. We gathered nearly 50 experts from every continent at the open culture strategic workshop in lisbon, portugal. We also launched the towards a recommendation on open cultural heritage (taroch) coalition, which now has 62 members.

$667Kprogram expense
03

Licenses and Stewardship

We're ensuring CC'S existing licenses and legal tools remain relevant, user-friendly, and as effective as possible in service of creators and reusers. We expanded the open infrastructure circle (oic) to 30 members to ensure consistent funding for this work.

$312Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
See all 4 funders →
Grants paid · 23 grants · $597K · 2020–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$4,000
Unitemized GrantFY2024$3,000
Unitemized GrantFY2024$2,925
Unitemized GrantFY2024$1,250
Unitemized GrantFY2024$250
New Venture FundDC · FY2023$154,500
Unitemized GrantFY2023$10,000
Unitemized GrantFY2023$7,800
Unitemized GrantFY2023$3,750
Unitemized GrantFY2023$2,540
Unitemized GrantFY2023$1,168
Unitemized GrantFY2023$406
Public KnowledgeDC · FY2022$200,888
New Venture FundDC · FY2022$174,000
Unitemized GrantFY2022$5,000
Unitemized GrantFY2022$1,483
Unitemized GrantFY2022$1,000
See all 23 grants →

By the numbers

Org confirmed 0 of 11 linesconfirmednot yet

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$2.4M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.0M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$291K
Investment incomeLn 3$138K
Money outPt IX
$3.9M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.5M
Managementcol C$1.2M
Fundraisingcol D$224K
Owns and owesPt X
$9.2M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$7.5M
Total assetsLn 16$9.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$97K
PeoplePt VI, VII
19
listed · VII A
PaidVII A8
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.0M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$291K
Investment incomeLn 3$138K
Other incomeLn 4–11$412
Gains on assetsLn 7$8
Total revenueLn 12$2.4M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.7M
SavingsLn 2$5.7M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$7.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Total assetsLn 16$9.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$97K
Net assetsLn 32$9.2M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 515
VolunteersI 6175
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$7.1M$7.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0$0
Total assetsLn 16$11.0M$9.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$335K$97K
Net assetsLn 32$10.6M$9.2M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$11K$11K
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$38K$38K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$596K$329K$199K$68K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.5M$1.1M$233K$103K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$65K$48K$13K$4K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$224K$90K$122K$12K
Payroll taxesLn 10$106K$89K$2K$14K
Legal feesLn 11b$5K$5K
Accounting feesLn 11c$46K$46K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$769K$533K$231K$5K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$8K$7K$2K
Office expensesLn 13$44K$6K$37K$1K
Information technologyLn 14$114K$18K$84K$12K
OccupancyLn 16$4K$41$4K
TravelLn 17$275K$205K$68K$3K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$32K$23K$9K$15
InsuranceLn 23$64K$43$64K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$39K$982$38K
Total functional expensesLn 25$3.9M$2.5M$1.2M$224K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $2.4M$3.9M−$1.5M$9.2M 990 PDF
FY2023 $4.9M$4.8M$133K$10.6M 990 PDF
FY2022 $7.7M$4.3M$3.4M$12.3M 990 PDF
FY2021 $9.9M$3.1M$6.7M$8.9M 990 PDF
FY2020 $943K$4.1M−$3.2M$2.2M 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support F · Foreign J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $2,439,364 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $4,880,570$2,009,806
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $353,624$290,783
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $29,191$138,363
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$372,276$412
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $4,891,109$2,439,364
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $476,947$49,366
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $3,342,372$2,461,838
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $938,696$1,401,180
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $4,758,015$3,912,384
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $133,094−$1,473,020
Part VI · Governance 7 of 8 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body8
VI-1b Independent voting members7
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $2,439,364 across 7 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$2,009,806
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$2,009,806
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $290,783$290,783
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $138,355$138,355
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $8$8
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $412$412
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $291,195 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $138,363$2,439,364
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $3,912,384 across 18 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $11,425$11,425
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $37,941$37,941
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $329,461 · Management $198,581 · Fundraising $68,423$596,465
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,133,681 · Management $232,935 · Fundraising $103,252$1,469,868
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $48,024 · Management $13,186 · Fundraising $4,147$65,357
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $90,418 · Management $121,655 · Fundraising $12,319$224,392
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $89,248 · Management $2,410 · Fundraising $14,098$105,756
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $4,507$4,507
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $46,500$46,500
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $532,909 · Management $231,348 · Fundraising $5,000$769,257
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $6,601 · Management $1,865$8,466
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $5,811 · Management $36,850 · Fundraising $1,370$44,031
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $17,877 · Management $84,128 · Fundraising $12,403$114,408
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $41 · Management $3,566$3,607
IX-17 TravelPrograms $205,218 · Management $67,539 · Fundraising $2,564$275,321
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $23,330 · Management $9,042 · Fundraising $15$32,387
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $43 · Management $63,927$63,970
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $982 · Management $37,744$38,726
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,533,010 · Management $1,155,783 · Fundraising $223,591$3,912,384
Part X · Balance sheet $9,257,455 assets, 14 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $3,827,018$1,739,839
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $3,294,015$5,717,369
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $3,799,135$1,756,394
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $31,047$43,853
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $0$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $10,951,751$9,257,455
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $293,172$42,186
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $10,918$21,519
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $30,500$32,800
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $334,590$96,505
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $3,689,302$2,902,366
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $6,927,859$6,258,584
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $10,617,161$9,160,950
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $10,951,751$9,257,455
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $9,160,950 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$2,439,364
XI-2 Total expenses$3,912,384
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$1,473,020
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$10,617,161
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$16,809
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$9,160,950

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.