People's Action FY2021 filing

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People's Action is focused on advancing affordable health care and prescription drugs, tax fairness and fair immigration reform, as well as protecting safety net programs.

Form 990 Part I, line 1, FY2021. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 26-2613701) · Dispute this line
501(c)(4) social-welfare organization; gifts are not tax-deductible as charitable contributions.
69¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

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
Listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
No
Donations are not tax-deductible
The IRS does not list gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2024
latest Form 990
The latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $130K a year · 6% of revenue · last 5 filings
A surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
69%
of spending
69% of spending went to programs.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
32.0 mo
of spending, in cash
32.0 months of spending in cash.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
7
named funders · $1.8M
7 funders name it on their filings.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$154K
4% of total assets
Liabilities are 4% of assets.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
22
of 22 voting members
22 of 22 voting members are independent.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Revenue
$2.0M
-59% vs prior year
Spent
$1.3M
To programs
69%
Net assets
$3.4M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$2.0M
FY2021▼ -59%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$4.9M
FY2021$2.0M
FY2022$1.3M
FY2023$1.0M
FY2024$2.1M
Expenses
$1.3M
FY2021▼ -68%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$4.0M
FY2021$1.3M
FY2022$1.9M
FY2023$1.1M
FY2024$2.5M
Net assets
$3.4M
FY2021▲ +27%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$2.7M
FY2021$3.4M
FY2022$2.8M
FY2023$2.8M
FY2024$2.5M

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

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 2009.

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

Where the money goes

69 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 69% · $903K Management & general 31% · $403K

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

23 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
President and Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President and Board M
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer and Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
See People's Action 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

Advocates for affordable healthcare, fair taxes, immigration reform, and protecting safety nets.

Questions for People's Action

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1 program · $903K · in their own filed words · FY2021
01

See Schedule Oadvocacy

The organization conducts advocacy and lobbying activities to support and advance national agenda for low- and moderate-income people. Our agenda is based around a range of issues affecting working people and their communities that include health care, clean energy, housing, immigration, access and affordability to higher education, and…

Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2021. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 26-2613701) · Dispute this line
$903Kprogram 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
Tides FoundationFY2024$400K
Tides AdvocacyFY2024$346K
Total grants receivedfrom 7 funders$1.8M
See all 7 funders →
Grants paid · 82 grants · $4.4M · 2020–2024
People's Action PowerFY2024$100,000
Justice Is GlobalCA · FY2023$65,000
People's Action PowerFY2023$25,450
Tides AdvocacyCA · FY2023$24,526
Faith in the ValleyCA · FY2023$20,000
Bozeman Tenants UnitedMT · FY2023$13,333
Southern Vision AllianceNC · FY2023$10,000
Ground Game LaCA · FY2023$10,000
One Peoples CampaignIL · FY2023$10,000
See all 82 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$2.0M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.0M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$70K
Investment incomeLn 3$35
Money outPt IX
$1.3M
Ln 25
Programscol B$903K
Managementcol C$403K
Owns and owesPt X
$3.4M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$3.5M
Total assetsLn 16$3.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$154K
PeoplePt VI, VII
23
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a22
IndependentVI 1b22
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.0M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$70K
Investment incomeLn 3$35
Total revenueLn 12$2.0M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$3.5M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$3.5M
Pledges and grants receivableLn 3$50K
Accounts receivableLn 4$26K
Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesLn 9$9K
Total assetsLn 16$3.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$154K
Net assetsLn 32$3.4M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 61,601
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$2.9M$3.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0$0
Total assetsLn 16$3.5M$3.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$801K$154K
Net assetsLn 32$2.7M$3.4M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$505K$505K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$222K$168K$54K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$62K$48K$14K
Payroll taxesLn 10$17K$13K$4K
Legal feesLn 11b$32K$5K$27K
Accounting feesLn 11c$34K$34K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$2K$2K
Office expensesLn 13$2K$2K$33
Information technologyLn 14$115K$75K$41K
OccupancyLn 16$22K$6K$16K
TravelLn 17$48K$47K$948
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$238K$30K$208K
All other expensesLn 24e$6K$2K$3K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.3M$903K$403K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 LatestFiled with the IRS Nov 15, 2025 $2.1M$2.5M−$345K$2.5M 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Nov 12, 2024 $1.0M$1.1M−$26K$2.8M 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Nov 10, 2023 $1.3M$1.9M−$584K$2.8M 990 PDF
FY2021 ViewingFiled with the IRS Nov 1, 2022 $2.0M$1.3M$725K$3.4M 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS Nov 12, 2021 $4.9M$4.0M$883K$2.7M 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

A · Public support I · Grants O · Explanations
See the full FY2021 990
Part I · Summary $2,030,704 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $4,691,541$1,960,315
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $228,497$70,354
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $22$35
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $4,920,060$2,030,704
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $2,860,198$504,588
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $310,691$301,213
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $866,344$499,915
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $4,037,233$1,305,716
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $882,827$724,988
Part VI · Governance 22 of 22 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body22
VI-1b Independent voting members22
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
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $2,030,704 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,960,315
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,960,315
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $70,354$70,354
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $35$35
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $70,354 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $35$2,030,704
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,305,716 across 13 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $504,588$504,588
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $167,944 · Management $53,848$221,792
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $48,315 · Management $14,080$62,395
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $12,848 · Management $4,178$17,026
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $5,000 · Management $27,073$32,073
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $34,200$34,200
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $1,968$1,968
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $2,299 · Management $33$2,332
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $74,820 · Management $40,664$115,484
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $5,861 · Management $15,857$21,718
IX-17 TravelPrograms $47,149 · Management $948$48,097
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $30,000 · Management $208,223$238,223
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $2,382 · Management $3,438$5,820
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $903,174 · Management $402,542 · Fundraising $0$1,305,716
Part X · Balance sheet $3,569,698 assets, 16 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $2,859,000$3,485,334
X-3 Pledges and grants receivable$50,000
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $28,688$25,673
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $4,913$8,691
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $0$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $600,000$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $3,492,601$3,569,698
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $3,932$46,930
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $65,000$0
X-21 Escrow or custodial accountsStart of year $600,000$0
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $132,478$106,589
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $801,410$153,519
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,929,061$2,810,050
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $762,130$606,129
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $2,691,191$3,416,179
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $3,492,601$3,569,698
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $3,416,179 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$2,030,704
XI-2 Total expenses$1,305,716
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$724,988
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$2,691,191
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$3,416,179

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

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