Entertainment Software Association FY2021 filing

Washington, DC · Business league / trade association · Since 1994

! Not tax-deductible Latest data FY2021
Revenue
$30.1M
▼ -26% vs prior year
Spent
$30.4M
Net assets
$26.8M
You’re viewing the FY2021 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 2021 (IRS tax year 2020).

Figures match the IRS filing checked 8/6/26 · see original: IRS

Status and standing

Tax-deductible?
No
Per the IRS master file.
Can I give now?
No revocation on IRS record
Not on the IRS revocation list.
Filing up to date?
Filed FY2024 (typical filing lag)
Foundation funders?
Not on file
Spent on programs?
Not on file
Size and trend
$10–100M
↓ -26% vs prior year
Legal name (IRS)Hdr · item CEntertainment Software Association
EINHdr · item D13-3768378
Exempt statusHdr · item I501(c)(6) · active
Ruling yearIRS BMFNov 1995
Year of formationHdr · item L1994
Latest filingForm 990FY2025 · Form 990
Principal addressHdr · item CWashington, DC
NTEE classificationIRS BMFNonprofit
WebsiteHdr · item Jwww.theesa.com

Financial health

Revenue & expenses by yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$30.1M
FY2021▼ -26%
Expenses
$30.4M
FY2021▼ -29%
Operating surplus
-0.9%
revenue over expenses
Earned revenue
92%
of revenue from program services & dues
Payroll share
50%
of spending is salaries & benefits

Summary of the Filing

Part I · fiscal year 2021 · Form 990
Total assets
$40.5M
FY2021▲ +8%
Total liabilities
$13.8M
FY2021▲ +0.9%
Revenue less expensesPt I · Ln 19−$274K
Total assetsPt X · Ln 16$40.5M
Program-expense ratioPt IX · col B—
Voting members of governing bodyPt I · Ln 314
Independent voting membersPt I · Ln 414

Balance Sheet

Part X · end of year
CashLn 1$16.7M
Total assetsLn 16$40.5M
Total liabilitiesLn 26$13.8M
Total net assetsLn 32$26.8M
Months of cash on handcomputed6.6

Statement of Revenue

Part VIII
Program service revenue$27.6M · 92%
Investment income$1.7M · 6%
Other revenue$765K · 3%
Program service revenue92%$27.6M
Investment income6%$1.7M
Other revenue3%$765K
Total revenueLn 12$30.1M

Financial Metrics

Form 990 · FY2021 · each ratio shown with the dollars behind it
Liquidity & Payout
Operating runway
Highly liquid reserves $32.8M · Operating expenses/yr $30.4M
12.9 months
Where the money goes
Program services
Program services — · Total expenses $30.4M
—
Management & General
Management & general — · Total expenses $30.4M
—
Fundraising
Fundraising — · Total expenses $30.4M
—
Cost to raise $1
Fundraising expense — · Solicited contributions —
Solicited contributions below reporting floor
Where the money comes from
Contribution dependence
Contributions & grants $0 · Total revenue $30.1M
0%
Government reliance
Government grants — · Total revenue $30.1M
—
Earned-income share
Program service revenue $27.6M · Total revenue $30.1M
92%
Investment reliance
Investment income $1.7M · Total revenue $30.1M
+6%
Program self-sufficiency
Program service revenue $27.6M · Total expenses $30.4M
91%
Growth & trend
Revenue growth (YoY)
This year $30.1M · Prior year $40.5M
-26%
Net-asset trend (YoY)
End of year $26.8M · Beginning of year —
Beginning net assets not meaningfully positive — showing dollar change
Balance sheet
Surplus Margin
Revenue $30.1M · Expenses $30.4M
-0.9%
Liabilities-to-Assets
Total liabilities — · Total assets $40.5M
—
Net-asset ratio
Net assets $26.8M · Total assets $40.5M
66%
Marketable Investment Share
Publicly traded securities (Pt X, ln 11) $16.0M · Other securities (Pt X, ln 12) — · Total assets (Pt X, ln 16) $40.5M
40%
People & payroll
Highest Reported Total Compensation
Individual Stanley Pierre-Louis · Reported title PRESIDENT & CEO · Highest reported compensation $1.3M · Total expenses $30.4M
4%
Personnel share
Salaries, benefits & payroll (Pt IX 5-10) $15.1M · Total expenses $30.4M
50%
Peer comparison

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

MetricThis orgPeer medianPercentile
Revenue growth -26%——
Investment management fee ratio 0.2%——
Legal fee ratio 0.5%——
Accounting fee ratio 0.1%——

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.

Leadership and pay

Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2020); the FY2021 filing did not itemize Part VII
President & CEO
$1,294,809Pt VII · Sec A
President - Esrb
$939,146Pt VII · Sec A
SVP & General Counsel
$570,701Pt VII · Sec A
SVP, Communications and Public Affairs
$559,667Pt VII · Sec A
SVP, Government Affairs
$453,926Pt VII · Sec A
$443,665Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Counsel, IP and Cybersecurity
$311,288Pt VII · Sec A
Associate General Counsel
$289,812Pt VII · Sec A

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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Stanley Pierre-Louis$1,701,985$1,561,485$1,566,177$1,491,953$1,294,809$1,237,750
Patricia Vance$1,157,251$1,095,203$1,046,021$1,001,822$939,146$906,160
Michael Gallagher—————$986,195
Gina Vetere$760,987$710,969$673,970$644,825$570,701$142,885
Ana Molina—$608,000$474,537$451,076$443,665$408,160
Michael O'Leary——$599,169$574,028$453,926—
Andrew Bowins——$396,447$572,945$559,667$488,160
Christianna Barnhart$572,534—————

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 Entertainment Software Association executive salaries →

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Governance & Policies

Part VI
Voting members of the governing bodyPt VI · Ln 1a14
Independent voting membersPt VI · Ln 1b14
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

Mission and programs

Advocates for and protects the video game industry's global market.

Provided by the organization

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Mission & Programs · Part III

Where the work happens

3 program services, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2020.
01

Legal, Legislative, and Public Affairs

Advocates for the first amendment and commercial interests of the video game industry before state and federal policymakers and the courts. Serves as the sole public relations interface between the video game industry and the media to inform the public of the civic, economic, technical, educational, and entertainment value of the video…

Pt IX · col B
02

Ratings and Certification Programs (esrb & Iarc)

Administers an international age and content rating system that applies to interactive entertainment software across a variety of platforms and devices, providing reliable guidance to parents and consumers. Administers a privacy seal certification program designed to protect children's online privacy on video game company websites.

Pt IX · col B
03

E3 Event

Brings together the global interactive entertainment industry with elite media outlets, key retailers and distributors, leading analysts, and consumers to promote and celebrate industry offerings.

Pt IX · col B

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Funders

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

Grants

Schedule I · this organization's grantmaking
Grants paid · 29 grants · $1.2M · 2019–2024
State Legislative LeadersMA · FY2024$60,200
Senate Presidents' Forum INCCO · FY2024$40,000
Center ForwardVA · FY2024$25,000
Americans for Tax ReformDC · FY2024$25,000
Womens High Tech CoalitionDC · FY2024$10,000
Future of Privacy ForumDC · FY2024$10,000
Ag AllianceCA · FY2023$75,000
Americans for Tax ReformDC · FY2023$25,000
Womens High Tech CoalitionDC · FY2023$10,000
See all 29 grants →

Filing history

YearRevenueExpensesChangeFiling
FY2025 Latest $40.7M$35.5M+13% 990 PDF
FY2024 $36.2M$34.9M-6% 990 PDF
FY2023 $38.6M$33.4M-3% 990 PDF
FY2022 $39.9M$37.8M+33% 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $30.1M$30.4M-26% 990 PDF
FY2020 $40.5M$42.7M 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

Not shown yet: ratings, outcomes, and peer benchmarks. A Form 990 doesn’t report them.

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Sources

Every figure above is drawn from these filings
Form 990 e-file (XML) · FY2021IRS
Classification, formation year, addressIRS Business Master File
Names, privacy, and removal requests More

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