Rural Action INC

Tax-deductible

The Plains, OH501(c)(3)Since 1985Community DevelopmentEIN 31-1124220Revenue $12.8M in FY2024

On file with the IRSruralaction.org9030 Hocking Hills Dr, 45780-1209 · The Plains, OHTax-exempt since Jun 1985Publicly supported — 509(a)(2)

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Rural Action's mission is to build a more just economy by developing the region's assets in environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable ways. We envision a region with clean streams and healthy forests, thriving family farms, meaningful livelihoods and vibrant communities, with people engaged as good stewards of the world they live in and working together to make this vision a reality. We do this work in promising economic sectors for our region.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
81¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 792 volunteers and 103 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2024 · 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
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $308K a year · 5% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
81%
of spending
Looks good: 81% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$109K
to officers and key staff · 1.0% of spending
Top officer’s pay lower than 95% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 1% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Concern: 0.4 months of spending in cash; under 2 weeks.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
18
named funders · $857K
Looks good: 18 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$1.8M
43% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 43% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
15
of 15 voting members
Looks good: 15 of 15 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$12.8M
+82% vs prior year
Spent
$11.4M
To programs
81%
Net assets
$2.4M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$12.8M
FY2024▲ +82%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$3.7M
FY2021$4.3M
FY2022$5.3M
FY2023$7.0M
FY2024$12.8M
Expenses
$11.4M
FY2024▲ +59%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$3.7M
FY2021$4.3M
FY2022$5.0M
FY2023$7.2M
FY2024$11.4M
Net assets
$2.4M
FY2024▲ +130%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$945K
FY2021$983K
FY2022$1.2M
FY2023$1.1M
FY2024$2.4M

From the FY2024 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Jun 1985.

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

Where the money goes

81 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 81% · $9.3M Management & general 16% · $1.8M Fundraising 3% · $334K

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

16 people listed on the 990; $109K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Chief Executive Officer
$108,545Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice-Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Debbie Phillips’s $109K as Chief Executive Officer is at the 5th percentile of top reported officer pay among 572 $10–100M community development 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

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Debbie Phillips$108,545$87,745$85,691$79,062$73,468

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 Rural Action INC executive salaries →

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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

Develops regional assets sustainably for a just economy and healthy communities.

Questions for Rural Action INC

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $9.3M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Rural Action's mission is to build a more just economy by developing the region's assets in environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable ways. We envision a region with clean streams and healthy forests; a place where thriving family farms, meaningful livelihoods and vibrant communities exist for everyone; with people engaged…

$9.3Mprogram 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
See all 18 funders →
Grants paid · 23 grants · $4.0M · 2023–2024
Ohio UniversityOH · FY2024$134,465
Building Bridges to CareersFY2024$81,621
Passion WorksOH · FY2024$38,700
Community Food InitiativesOH · FY2024$16,706
United Plant SaversOH · FY2024$12,942
Unitemized GrantFY2024$6,830
Building Bridges to CareersFY2023$113,729
Athens Hocking Recycling CenterFY2023$83,193
Community Food InitiativesOH · FY2023$29,828
United Plant SaversOH · FY2023$23,583
Live Healthy Appalachia INCOH · FY2023$22,976
See all 23 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$12.8M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$12.1M
Other incomeLn 4–11$520K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$97K
Money outPt IX
$11.4M
Ln 25
Programscol B$9.3M
Managementcol C$1.8M
Fundraisingcol D$334K
Owns and owesPt X
$2.4M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$337K
Total assetsLn 16$4.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.8M
PeoplePt VI, VII
16
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a15
IndependentVI 1b15
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$12.1M
Government grantsLn 1e$7.8M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$0
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$1.1M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$97K
Investment incomeLn 3$37K
Other incomeLn 4–11$520K
Total revenueLn 12$12.8M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$337K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$337K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$21K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2.5M
Other assetsLn 15$282K
Total assetsLn 16$4.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.8M
Net assetsLn 32$2.4M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5103
VolunteersI 6792
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$95K$337K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$20K$21K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.3M$2.5M
Total assetsLn 16$2.6M$4.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.6M$1.8M
Net assetsLn 32$1.1M$2.4M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$3.2M$3.2M
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$7K$7K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$109K$81K$23K$5K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$4.4M$3.5M$718K$139K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$62K$51K$9K$2K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$681K$559K$102K$20K
Payroll taxesLn 10$352K$289K$53K$10K
Legal feesLn 11b$14K$7K$5K$1K
Accounting feesLn 11c$13K$7K$5K$1K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$75K$75K
Investment management feesLn 11f$26K$10K$14K$2K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1.4M$872K$446K$61K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$3K$2K$115$95
Information technologyLn 14$37K$19K$11K$7K
OccupancyLn 16$143K$50K$93K$0
TravelLn 17$167K$156K$8K$4K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$66K$36K$30K$0
InterestLn 20$87K$289$87K$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$106K$12K$94K$0
InsuranceLn 23$26K$500$25K$0
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$417K$403K$8K$6K
All other expensesLn 24e$68K$11K$56K$1K
Total functional expensesLn 25$11.4M$9.3M$1.8M$334K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $12.8M$11.4M$1.4M$2.4M 990 PDF
FY2023 $7.0M$7.2M−$161K$1.1M 990 PDF
FY2022 $5.3M$5.0M$270K$1.2M 990 PDF
FY2021 $4.3M$4.3M$57K$983K 990 PDF
FY2020 $3.7M$3.7M−$6K$945K 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
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $12,796,752 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $6,653,308$12,142,537
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $87,402$96,504
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $22,192$37,434
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $257,326$520,277
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $7,020,228$12,796,752
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $1,239,769$3,190,461
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $4,318,480$5,599,368
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$74,700
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,623,346$2,550,930
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $7,181,595$11,415,459
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$161,367$1,381,293
Part VI · Governance 15 of 15 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body15
VI-1b Independent voting members15
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 $12,796,752 across 13 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $480,355 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$0
VIII-1b Membership dues$5,520
VIII-1c Fundraising events$1,148,228
VIII-1d Related organizations$0
VIII-1e Government grants$7,836,284
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$3,152,505
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$0
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$12,142,537
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $96,504 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$96,504
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $37,434 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$37,434
VIII-5 RoyaltiesRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossRelated to mission $39,922 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$39,922
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $654,215 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$12,796,752
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $11,415,459 across 22 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $3,183,631$3,183,631
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $6,830$6,830
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $80,518 · Management $23,388 · Fundraising $4,639$108,545
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $3,538,057 · Management $718,029 · Fundraising $138,742$4,394,828
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $51,060 · Management $9,329 · Fundraising $1,846$62,235
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $558,949 · Management $102,126 · Fundraising $20,204$681,279
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $289,190 · Management $52,838 · Fundraising $10,453$352,481
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $7,376 · Management $5,097 · Fundraising $1,352$13,825
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $6,737 · Management $4,656 · Fundraising $1,235$12,628
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $74,700$74,700
IX-11f Investment management feesPrograms $9,860 · Management $13,970 · Fundraising $2,338$26,168
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $872,026 · Management $446,018 · Fundraising $60,783$1,378,827
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $2,480 · Management $115 · Fundraising $95$2,690
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $19,187 · Management $11,124 · Fundraising $7,009$37,320
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $50,025 · Management $92,527 · Fundraising $0$142,552
IX-17 TravelPrograms $155,532 · Management $7,707 · Fundraising $3,668$166,907
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $36,057 · Management $30,264 · Fundraising $0$66,321
IX-20 InterestPrograms $289 · Management $87,035 · Fundraising $0$87,324
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $11,901 · Management $93,887 · Fundraising $0$105,788
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $500 · Management $25,429 · Fundraising $0$25,929
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $402,827 · Management $8,012 · Fundraising $5,961$416,800
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $11,207 · Management $55,555 · Fundraising $1,089$67,851
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $9,294,239 · Management $1,787,106 · Fundraising $334,114$11,415,459
Part X · Balance sheet $4,268,922 assets, 16 lines filed
Asset lines not itemized here account for $62,861; see the IRS return.
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $94,627$336,771
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $963,845$1,058,110
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$1,418
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $1,272,485$2,506,753
X-11 Publicly traded securities$491
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $19,806$20,351
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $256,250$282,167
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $2,623,632$4,268,922
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $435,187$426,176
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $155,822$392,596
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $0$39,340
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,564,783$1,832,081
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $632,407$2,053,094
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $426,442$383,747
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,058,849$2,436,841
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $2,623,632$4,268,922
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $2,436,841 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$12,796,752
XI-2 Total expenses$11,415,459
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$1,381,293
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,058,849
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$24,650
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−$27,951
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$2,436,841

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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