The Thomas B Fordham Foundation

Tax-deductible

Washington, DC501(c)(3)EIN 31-6032844

The thomas b. Fordham foundation supports the thomas b. Fordham institute, the nation's leader in advancing educational excellence, by providing quality research, analysis and commentary, as well as on-the-ground action and advocacy in ohio.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
53¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$1.8M 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

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
1 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $300K a year · 12% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 1 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
53%
of spending
Worth a look: 53% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.8M
to officers and key staff · 71% of spending
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 71% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Worth a look: 0.8 months of spending in cash; under 1.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $10K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$994K
1% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 1% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 9 voting members
Looks good: 7 of 9 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$2.9M
+18% vs prior year
Spent
$2.6M
To programs
53%
Net assets
$81.3M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$2.9M
FY2024▲ +18%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.7M
FY2021$2.6M
FY2022$2.5M
FY2023$2.5M
FY2024$2.9M
Expenses
$2.6M
FY2024▼ -1%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$2.5M
FY2021$2.7M
FY2022$3.2M
FY2023$2.6M
FY2024$2.6M
Net assets
$81.3M
FY2024▲ +8%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$63.3M
FY2021$73.9M
FY2022$67.7M
FY2023$75.1M
FY2024$81.3M

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 Aug 1960.

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

Where the money goes

53 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 53% · $1.4M Management & general 47% · $1.2M

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

Who runs it and what they're paid

15 people listed on the 990; $1.8M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
President and Trustee
$380,707Pt VII · Sec A
Senior VP for Research
$283,785Pt VII · Sec A
VP for Ohio Policy and Advocacy
$257,946Pt VII · Sec A
President Emeritus and Trustee
$235,708Pt VII · Sec A
VP for Finance and Operations
$204,134Pt VII · Sec A
VP for Sponsorship and Dayton
$187,679Pt VII · Sec A
Chief of Staff
$126,906Pt VII · Sec A
National Research Director
$126,671Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Michael J Petrilli$380,707————
Michael Petrilli—$367,843$343,200$63,782$61,429
Amber M Northern$283,785————
Amber Northern—$273,000$256,000$9,560$9,040
Chad L Aldis$257,946————
Chester E Finn JR—$250,000$235,500$15,400$15,050
Chester E Finn JR$235,708————
Chad Aldis—$169,072$221,500$2,100$2,020

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 The Thomas B Fordham Foundation 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

Advances educational excellence through research, analysis, commentary, and advocacy in Ohio.

Provided by the organization

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2 program services account for $1.4M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2024.
01

Charter School Authorizing

the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation serves as the authorizer for thirteen Ohio-based charter schools serving more than 6,400 students. Our nationally recognized charter-authorization staff evaluates proposals for new charter schools, monitors the compliance and performance of our portfolio of schools, and lends them fiscal and technical…

$1.2Mprogram expense
02

Supporting National Education Policy Reform

supports the Thomas B. Fordham institutes efforts to produce research studies and commentary on national education policy issues. Our national policy work in 2024 focused on promoting evidence-based practices in the wake of the covid pandemic; promoting high quality career and technical education; and expanding high quality charter…

$161Kprogram expense

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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
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$10K
Grants paid · 37 grants · $712K · 2020–2024
Dayton Leadership AcademiesOH · FY2024$40,000
The Dayton FoundationOH · FY2024$38,000
Regeneration Schools OhioOH · FY2024$16,000
Kipp ColumbusOH · FY2024$13,000
Idea Greater Cincinnati INCOH · FY2024$13,000
We Care Arts INCOH · FY2024$10,000
United Schools Network INCOH · FY2023$30,000
Sciotoville Community SchoolOH · FY2023$25,000
Teach for America INCNY · FY2023$20,000
Dayton Leadership AcademiesOH · FY2023$20,000
The Dayton FoundationOH · FY2023$20,000
Idea Greater Cincinnati INCOH · FY2023$15,000
East End Community Services CorpNV · FY2022$25,000
Dayton Leadership AcademiesOH · FY2022$25,000
The Dayton FoundationOH · FY2022$25,000
See all 37 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$2.9M
Ln 12
Investment incomeLn 3$1.6M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.2M
Other incomeLn 4–11$144K
Money outPt IX
$2.6M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.4M
Managementcol C$1.2M
Owns and owesPt X
$81.3M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$164K
Total assetsLn 16$82.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$994K
PeoplePt VI, VII
15
listed · VII A
PaidVII A14
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.2M
Investment incomeLn 3$1.6M
Other incomeLn 4–11$144K
Total revenueLn 12$2.9M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$164K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$164K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$81.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$46K
Other assetsLn 15$607K
Total assetsLn 16$82.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$994K
Net assetsLn 32$81.3M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 525
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$355K$164K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$74.3M$81.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$45K$46K
Total assetsLn 16$75.9M$82.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$821K$994K
Net assetsLn 32$75.1M$81.3M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$165K$165K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$257K$150K$107K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.0M$552K$459K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$104K$58K$47K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$109K$60K$49K
Payroll taxesLn 10$88K$48K$39K
Legal feesLn 11b$32K$8K$24K
Accounting feesLn 11c$45K$45K
Investment management feesLn 11f$423K$423K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$19K$15K$4K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$518$509$9
Office expensesLn 13$42K$41K$2K
Information technologyLn 14$39K$36K$3K
OccupancyLn 16$48K$27K$21K
TravelLn 17$28K$28K$63
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$21K$21K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$22K$12K$10K
InsuranceLn 23$23K$21K$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$132K$129K$2K
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.6M$1.4M$1.2M$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $2.9M$2.6M$298K$81.3M 990 PDF
FY2023 $2.5M$2.6M−$169K$75.1M 990 PDF
FY2022 $2.5M$3.2M−$743K$67.7M 990 PDF
FY2021 $2.6M$2.7M−$73K$73.9M 990 PDF
FY2020 $1.7M$2.5M−$812K$63.3M 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 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $2,904,104 across 4 lines filed
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $1,182,508$1,182,508
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $1,577,304$1,577,304
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $144,292$144,292
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $1,326,800 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $1,577,304$2,904,104
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,606,540 across 19 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $165,108$165,108
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $150,024 · Management $106,874$256,898
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $551,553 · Management $458,910$1,010,463
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $57,825 · Management $46,632$104,457
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $60,454 · Management $48,753$109,207
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $48,445 · Management $39,069$87,514
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $8,216 · Management $23,579$31,795
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $45,274$45,274
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $422,703$422,703
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $15,150 · Management $3,710$18,860
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $509 · Management $9$518
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $40,569 · Management $1,681$42,250
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $36,138 · Management $2,508$38,646
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $26,638 · Management $21,088$47,726
IX-17 TravelPrograms $27,590 · Management $63$27,653
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $21,108$21,108
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $12,259 · Management $9,632$21,891
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $20,924 · Management $1,826$22,750
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $129,426 · Management $2,293$131,719
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,371,936 · Management $1,234,604 · Fundraising $0$2,606,540
Part X · Balance sheet $82,318,168 assets, 14 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $354,843$163,586
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $136,466$114,735
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $2,665$2,665
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $45,480$46,075
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $38,134,068$47,448,564
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $36,134,875$33,935,068
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $1,081,114$607,475
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $75,889,511$82,318,168
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $271,080$284,277
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $550,272$710,144
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $821,352$994,421
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $75,068,159$81,323,747
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $75,068,159$81,323,747
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $75,889,511$82,318,168
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $81,323,747 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$2,904,104
XI-2 Total expenses$2,606,540
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$297,564
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$75,068,159
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$5,958,024
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$81,323,747

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

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