The Democracy Collaborative was established in 2000 to advance understanding of Democracy for the 21st century and to promote emerging strategies and innovations in community development that enhance democratic life. In particular, our work focuses on the critical role local economic stability plays in strengthening civic life, providing meaningful employment, enhancing family security, and promoting environmental sustainability. The Democracy Collaborative sponsors a range of education projects involving research, training, and community-focused work designed to increase support for wealth building innovations at the local level.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
70¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$1.5M 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

FY2021 · 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
1 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $854K a year · 31% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 1 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
70%
of spending
Fine: 70% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.5M
to officers and key staff · 38% of spending
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 38% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 3.2 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $125K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$2.2M
99% of total assets
Concern: liabilities are 99% of assets; over 80%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
13
of 13 voting members
Looks good: 13 of 13 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$2.3M
-17% vs prior year
Spent
$4.1M
To programs
70%
Net assets
$33K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$2.3M
FY2021▼ -17%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$2.8M
FY2021$2.3M
FY2022$3.7M
FY2023$3.9M
FY2024$958K
Expenses
$4.1M
FY2021▼ -22%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$5.3M
FY2021$4.1M
FY2022$3.9M
FY2023$2.5M
FY2024$2.2M
Net assets
$33K
FY2021▼ -98%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$1.9M
FY2021$33K
FY2022−$124K
FY2023$1.3M
FY2024$70K

From the FY2021 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2021 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 May 2004.

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

Where the money goes

70 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 70% · $2.9M Management & general 29% · $1.2M Fundraising 1% · $38K

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

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Who runs it and what they're paid

23 people listed on the 990; $1.5M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
President
$221,072Pt VII · Sec A
$182,706Pt VII · Sec A
Senior Fellow
$171,727Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$170,043Pt VII · Sec A
Director - Health Anchor Network
$167,943Pt VII · Sec A
Executive in Residence
$157,205Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$135,517Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Communications
$125,176Pt VII · Sec A

Stephanie McHenry’s $166K as CEO is at the 97th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1612 $100K–1M 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
Ted Howard—$151,203$205,280$221,072$215,063
Stephanie McHenry$166,034$157,892$175,087$182,706—
Leslie Harroun—$121,751$175,093$157,205—
Gar Alperovitz——$124,392$171,727$170,837
Marjorie Kelly—$106,372$133,214$170,043$139,956
David Zuckerman———$167,943$104,033
Joe Guinan$147,559$135,447—$135,517$124,200
Jessica Rose————$130,109

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

Promotes local wealth-building innovations to strengthen community democracy and economic stability.

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3 programs · $2.9M · in their own filed words · FY2021
01

Created a planning group of academics that met weekly for a year to develop our next system learning lab and begin developing our NETWORK.THE first learning lab will be a summer pilot project focused on exploring ownership and property in political economy through the lenses of structural racism and climate CHANGE.THE planning group…

$2.2Mprogram expense
02

Our anchor institution program continued to carry out research and assessment of the role universities, hospitals, community foundations and other place-based anchors play in expanding opportunity for their community and its residents.

$513Kprogram expense
03

Through our engaged practice and employee ownership programs, in 2021, the democracy collaborative provided guidance, educational and training pograms, research and program supprt to communities across the country who are seeking to develop community development initiatives that aim to provide opportunity for disadvantaged individuals…

$177Kprogram 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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$125K
Grants paid · 1 grant · $200K · 2022–2022
George Mason UniversityFY2022$200,000

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$2.3M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$3.5M
Investment incomeLn 3$7
Money outPt IX
$4.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.9M
Managementcol C$1.2M
Fundraisingcol D$38K
Owns and owesPt X
$33K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.1M
Total assetsLn 16$2.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.2M
PeoplePt VI, VII
23
listed · VII A
PaidVII A10
Voting boardVI 1a13
IndependentVI 1b13
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$3.5M
Government grantsLn 1e$968K
Investment incomeLn 3$7
Gains on assetsLn 7−$560
Total revenueLn 12$2.3M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
SavingsLn 2$1.1M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.1M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$327K
Other assetsLn 15$15K
Total assetsLn 16$2.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.2M
Net assetsLn 32$33K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 564
VolunteersI 60
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 FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.1M$1.1M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$404K$327K
Total assetsLn 16$3.9M$2.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.0M$2.2M
Net assetsLn 32$1.9M$33K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$29K$29K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$754K$554K$191K$9K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.2M$841K$297K$14K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$136K$110K$26K$1K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$440K$334K$101K$5K
Payroll taxesLn 10$195K$149K$44K$2K
Legal feesLn 11b$43K$43K
Accounting feesLn 11c$114K$114K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$27K$27K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$623K$558K$63K$2K
Office expensesLn 13$98K$55K$42K$138
Information technologyLn 14$75K$11K$61K$3K
OccupancyLn 16$182K$108K$74K$269
TravelLn 17$36K$31K$4K$2K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$78K$31K$47K$89
InsuranceLn 23$10K$6K$4K$14
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$131K$58K$74K
Total functional expensesLn 25$4.1M$2.9M$1.2M$38K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $958K$2.2M−$1.2M$70K 990 PDF
FY2023 $3.9M$2.5M$1.4M$1.3M 990 PDF
FY2022 $3.7M$3.9M−$157K−$124K 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $2.3M$4.1M−$1.8M$33K 990 PDF
FY2020 $2.8M$5.3M−$2.5M$1.9M 990 PDF

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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 FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $2,304,413 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $2,421,791$3,540,352
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $726,721$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year −$8,578−$553
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$352,055−$1,235,386
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $2,787,879$2,304,413
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$28,727
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $3,772,460$2,677,088
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,503,802$1,416,857
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $5,276,262$4,122,672
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$2,488,383−$1,818,259
Part VI · Governance 13 of 13 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body13
VI-1b Independent voting members13
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 $2,304,413 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$967,511
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$2,572,841
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$3,540,352
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $7$7
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $46,430$46,430
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax −$560−$560
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission −$1,281,816−$1,281,816
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission −$1,281,816 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $45,877$2,304,413
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $4,122,672 across 17 lines filed
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $28,727$28,727
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $554,162 · Management $190,534 · Fundraising $8,877$753,573
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $840,554 · Management $297,386 · Fundraising $13,855$1,151,795
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $109,508 · Management $25,584 · Fundraising $1,192$136,284
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $334,302 · Management $101,264 · Fundraising $4,719$440,285
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $149,376 · Management $43,737 · Fundraising $2,038$195,151
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $42,944$42,944
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $113,685$113,685
IX-11d Lobbying feesManagement $27,424$27,424
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $557,847 · Management $63,034 · Fundraising $1,822$622,703
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $55,286 · Management $42,208 · Fundraising $138$97,632
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $10,637 · Management $61,357 · Fundraising $3,378$75,372
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $107,676 · Management $74,151 · Fundraising $269$182,096
IX-17 TravelPrograms $30,544 · Management $4,205 · Fundraising $1,738$36,487
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $30,593 · Management $46,992 · Fundraising $89$77,674
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $5,646 · Management $3,888 · Fundraising $14$9,548
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $57,741 · Management $73,551$131,292
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,872,599 · Management $1,211,944 · Fundraising $38,129$4,122,672
Part X · Balance sheet $2,262,118 assets, 16 lines filed
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $2,060,543$1,096,282
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $1,252,256$225,001
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $44,996$518,222
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $4,256$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $72,382$80,310
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $404,263$327,178
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $15,125$15,125
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $3,853,821$2,262,118
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $466,488$341,912
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $773,560$450,813
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $762,843$1,436,722
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $2,002,891$2,229,447
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year −$318,675−$192,329
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $2,169,605$225,000
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,850,930$32,671
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $3,853,821$2,262,118
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $32,671 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$2,304,413
XI-2 Total expenses$4,122,672
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$1,818,259
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,850,930
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$32,671

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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