Riseup Networks FY2021 filing

Not tax-deductible

Lacey, WA501(c)(4)Human Services EIN 20-0394008Revenue $306K in FY2021Latest return filed Nov 14, 2025

On file with the IRSriseup.netPo Box 3027, 98509-3027 · Lacey, WATax-exempt since Mar 2007

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Technological assistance towards social justice.

501(c)(4) social-welfare organization; gifts are not tax-deductible as charitable contributions.
88¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$14K 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)(4)
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
No
Donations are not tax-deductible
Worth a look: the IRS does not list 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 4
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $43K a year · 16% of revenue · last 4 filings
Fine: a surplus in 3 of the last 4 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 4 filings
Spent on programs
88%
of spending
Looks good: 88% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$14K
to officers and key staff · 6% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 6% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
8 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 7.8 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Liabilities
$5K
4% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 4% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
2
of 3 voting members
Looks good: 2 of 3 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$306K
+29% vs prior year
Spent
$219K
To programs
88%
Net assets
$137K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$306K
FY2021▲ +29%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$238K
FY2021$306K
FY2022$335K
FY2023$212K
FY2024$142K
Expenses
$219K
FY2021-0.2%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$220K
FY2021$219K
FY2022$244K
FY2023$238K
FY2024Not on file
Net assets
$137K
FY2021▲ +173%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$50K
FY2021$137K
FY2022$229K
FY2023$203K
FY2024$91K

From the FY2021 Form 990 · 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 Mar 2007.

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

Where the money goes

88 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 88% · $193K Management & general 12% · $26K

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

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

3 people listed on the 990; $14K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$13,536Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President/Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Benjamin Knauss’s $13K as Treasurer is at the 6th percentile of top reported officer pay among 2168 $100K–1M human services 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 · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Benjamin Knauss$13,202$15,842$13,536$10,206

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 Riseup Networks 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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Provides tech help to advance social justice causes.

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2 programs · $193K · in their own filed words · FY2021
01

Riseup Networks provided email, mailing list and secure communication services to individuals and organizations working for social justice.

$154Kprogram expense
02

Riseup Networks maintained and operated the Seattle Community Colocation Projects, providing hosting services to community groups working for social justice who could not otherwise afford high-speed hosting.

$39Kprogram expense

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$306K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$286K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$21K
Investment incomeLn 3$54
Money outPt IX
$219K
Ln 25
Programscol B$193K
Managementcol C$26K
Owns and owesPt X
$137K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$143K
Total assetsLn 16$143K
LiabilitiesLn 26$5K
PeoplePt VI, VII
3
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a3
IndependentVI 1b2
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$286K
Government grantsLn 1e$0
Noncash giftsLn 1g$0
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$0
Fees for servicesLn 2g$21K
Investment incomeLn 3$54
Total revenueLn 12$306K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$143K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$143K
Total assetsLn 16$143K
LiabilitiesLn 26$5K
Net assetsLn 32$137K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 52
VolunteersI 620
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$55K$143K
Total assetsLn 16$55K$143K
LiabilitiesLn 26$4K$5K
Net assetsLn 32$50K$137K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$28K$14K$14K
Payroll taxesLn 10$3K$1K$1K
Information technologyLn 14$178K$178K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$11K$0$11K$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$219K$193K$26K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 LatestFiled with the IRS Nov 14, 2025 $142K$91K 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Nov 15, 2024 $212K$238K−$26K$203K 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Nov 15, 2023 $335K$244K$91K$229K 990 PDF
FY2021 ViewingFiled with the IRS Nov 14, 2022 $306K$219K$87K$137K 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS Nov 12, 2021 $238K$220K$18K$50K 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $306,388 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $211,907$285,561
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $26,290$20,773
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $18$54
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $238,215$306,388
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $36,781$30,297
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $182,940$188,970
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $219,721$219,267
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $18,494$87,121
Part VI · Governance 2 of 3 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body3
VI-1b Independent voting members2
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $306,388 across 12 lines filed
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$0
VIII-1b Membership dues$0
VIII-1c Fundraising events$0
VIII-1d Related organizations$0
VIII-1e Government grants$0
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$285,561
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$0
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$285,561
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $20,773 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$20,773
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $54$54
VIII-5 RoyaltiesRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $20,773 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $54$306,388
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $219,267 across 4 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $13,637 · Management $13,984$27,621
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $1,321 · Management $1,355$2,676
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $178,149$178,149
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $0 · Management $10,821 · Fundraising $0$10,821
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $193,107 · Management $26,160 · Fundraising $0$219,267
Part X · Balance sheet $142,642 assets, 6 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $54,786$142,642
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $54,786$142,642
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $4,490$5,226
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $4,490$5,226
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $50,296$137,416
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $54,786$142,642
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $137,416 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$306,388
XI-2 Total expenses$219,267
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$87,121
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$50,296
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$0
XI-6 Donated services and use of facilities$0
XI-7 Investment expenses$0
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$0
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$1
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$137,416

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

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