Games for Change INC FY2020 filing

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To empower game creators and social innovators to drive real-world changeby using Games that help people to learn, improve their communities, and contribute to making the world a more equitable place.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
79¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$344K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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FY2020 · 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
2 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $188K a year · 5% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
79%
of spending
Looks good: 79% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$344K
to officers and key staff · 16% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 16% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 2.2 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
11
named funders · $3.0M
Looks good: 11 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$572K
98% of total assets
Concern: liabilities are 98% of assets; over 80%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
11
of 12 voting members
Looks good: 11 of 12 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$2.2M
Spent
$2.1M
To programs
79%
Net assets
$12K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$2.2M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$2.2M
FY2021$3.0M
FY2022$4.4M
FY2023$5.1M
FY2024$3.8M
Expenses
$2.1M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$2.1M
FY2021$3.0M
FY2022$4.5M
FY2023$5.3M
FY2024$4.6M
Net assets
$12K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$12K
FY2021$43K
FY2022$14K
FY2023−$194K
FY2024−$994K

From the FY2020 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2020 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 Jun 2009.

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

Where the money goes

79 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 79% · $1.7M Management & general 11% · $239K Fundraising 10% · $215K

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

13 people listed on the 990; $344K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
President & Dir
$212,669Pt VII · Sec A
Managing Direct
$131,296Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary & Dir
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Susanna Pollack’s $216K as President & Director is at the 75th percentile of top reported officer pay among 731 $1–10M public & societal benefit 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 · 7 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Susanna Pollack$216,486$261,030$235,045$192,206$212,669
Arana Shapiro$174,677$196,330$176,521$145,452$131,296
Leah Beth Hirsch$120,776$131,231———
Kimberly Thompson-Almanzor$120,526$128,902$102,007——
Tania Hack$110,305$119,309$103,805——
Alana Selkowitz—$113,265———
Devin Young—$101,995———

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

Empowers game creators to drive real-world change through learning and community improvement.

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3 programs · $1.3M · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Student Challenges

The National Games for Change Student Challenge invites public middle and high school students to create digital games on social issues impacting their local communities. The Challenge winners are selected by a blue-ribbon jury of gaming industry and civic leaders, and subject experts in each theme category, with prizes such as paid…

$577Kprogram expense
02

Annual Festival

The organization sponsors the games for change festival, which is the biggest gaming event in new york city. It brings together leaders from government, corporations, civil society, media, academia, and the gaming industry to explore the increasing real-world impact of digital games as an agent for social change.

$416Kprogram expense
03

Consulting and Workshops

The Organization offers a suite of services to guide organizations and individuals that are actively pursuing computer and video games to further their public, philanthropic or academic mission.

$289Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
See all 11 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$2.2M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.6M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$557K
Money outPt IX
$2.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.7M
Managementcol C$239K
Fundraisingcol D$215K
Owns and owesPt X
$12K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$399K
Total assetsLn 16$584K
LiabilitiesLn 26$572K
PeoplePt VI, VII
13
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a12
IndependentVI 1b11
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$557K
Government grantsLn 1e$165K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$11K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.6M
Gains on assetsLn 7$0
Total revenueLn 12$2.2M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$399K
SavingsLn 2$0
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$399K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$7K
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$584K
LiabilitiesLn 26$572K
Net assetsLn 32$12K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 518
VolunteersI 60
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$104K$399K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$27K$1K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$8K$7K
Total assetsLn 16$354K$584K
LiabilitiesLn 26$409K$572K
Net assetsLn 32−$55K$12K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$356K$270K$42K$44K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$541K$377K$63K$101K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$123K$88K$14K$20K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$0
Payroll taxesLn 10$70K$51K$8K$11K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$3K$3K
Accounting feesLn 11c$38K$38K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$389K$345K$37K$8K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$21K$17K$4K
Office expensesLn 13$20K$15K$3K$3K
Information technologyLn 14$35K$26K$4K$6K
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$98K$71K$12K$16K
TravelLn 17$23K$16K$3K$4K
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$0
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$5K$5K
InsuranceLn 23$6K$4K$706$978
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$402K$398K$3K$706
All other expensesLn 24e$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.1M$1.7M$239K$215K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 LatestFiled with the IRS Nov 17, 2025 $3.8M$4.6M−$801K−$994K 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Nov 14, 2024 $5.1M$5.3M−$208K−$194K 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Nov 14, 2023 $4.4M$4.5M−$29K$14K 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Nov 15, 2022 $3.0M$3.0M$31K$43K 990 PDF
FY2020 ViewingFiled with the IRS Nov 15, 2021 $2.2M$2.1M$67K$12K 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 J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $2,198,562 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $439,744$557,349
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $1,669,055$1,641,213
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $2,108,799$2,198,562
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $700,817$1,090,551
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,398,858$1,040,637
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $2,099,675$2,131,188
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $9,124$67,374
Part VI · Governance 11 of 12 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body12
VI-1b Independent voting members11
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $2,198,562 across 11 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $50,000 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1e Government grants$165,012
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$392,337
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$11,104
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$557,349
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $1,591,213$1,591,213
VIII-3 Investment income$0
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or loss$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assets$0
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $1,641,213$2,198,562
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,131,188 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizations$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $269,793 · Management $42,399 · Fundraising $44,298$356,490
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $377,061 · Management $62,749 · Fundraising $101,407$541,217
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $88,337 · Management $14,360 · Fundraising $19,898$122,595
IX-9 Other employee benefits$0
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $50,619 · Management $8,228 · Fundraising $11,402$70,249
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $2,897$2,897
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $38,000$38,000
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $344,729 · Management $36,633 · Fundraising $7,541$388,903
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $17,079 · Management $4,270$21,349
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $14,540 · Management $2,520 · Fundraising $3,190$20,250
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $25,517 · Management $4,148 · Fundraising $5,748$35,413
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $70,900 · Management $11,525 · Fundraising $15,970$98,395
IX-17 TravelPrograms $16,460 · Management $2,675 · Fundraising $3,708$22,843
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetings$0
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $4,507$4,507
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $4,341 · Management $706 · Fundraising $978$6,025
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $398,042 · Management $3,307 · Fundraising $706$402,055
IX-24e All other expenses$0
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,677,418 · Management $238,924 · Fundraising $214,846$2,131,188
Part X · Balance sheet $584,010 assets, 20 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $104,381$399,372
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investments$0
X-3 Pledges and grants receivable$0
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $187,829$171,521
X-8 Inventories for sale or use$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $2,292$4,908
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $8,137$7,105
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $27,287$1,104
X-12 Other securities$0
X-13 Program-related investments$0
X-14 Intangible assets$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $23,625$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $353,551$584,010
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $163,718$98,987
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $214,700$456,386
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $30,379$16,509
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $408,797$571,882
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year −$55,246$12,128
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year −$55,246$12,128
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $353,551$584,010
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $12,128 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$2,198,562
XI-2 Total expenses$2,131,188
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$67,374
XI-4 Net assets at start of year−$55,246
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$12,128

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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