Focusing Philanthropy INC

Tax-deductible

Santa Monica, CA501(c)(3)Since 2011Foundations & GrantmakersEIN 45-2405071Revenue $35.3M in FY2024

On file with the IRSfocusingphilanthropy.org1637 16th St, 90404-3801 · Santa Monica, CATax-exempt since Feb 2012Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

This page gets seen. Tell your story. Claim this org.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
98¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$395K paid to officers and key staff.
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
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $463K a year · 2% 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
98%
of spending
Looks good: 98% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$395K
to officers and key staff · 1% of spending
Top officer’s pay lower than 82% 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
Fine: 1.4 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $31K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$163K
3% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 3% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 7 voting members
Looks good: 7 of 7 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$35.3M
+43% vs prior year
Spent
$33.1M
To programs
98%
Net assets
$5.9M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$35.3M
FY2024▲ +43%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$30.7M
FY2021$21.9M
FY2022$23.6M
FY2023$24.6M
FY2024$35.3M
Expenses
$33.1M
FY2024▲ +26%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$25.1M
FY2021$26.5M
FY2022$22.8M
FY2023$26.3M
FY2024$33.1M
Net assets
$5.9M
FY2024▲ +50%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$10.4M
FY2021$5.2M
FY2022$6.5M
FY2023$3.9M
FY2024$5.9M

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 Feb 2012.

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

Where the money goes

98 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 98% · $32.5M Management & general 1% · $477K Fundraising 0% · $165K

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

Something off? The org can add a note here. Request edit privileges.

Who runs it and what they're paid

10 people listed on the 990; $395K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Communications Manager
$157,500Pt VII · Sec A
$130,926Pt VII · Sec A
$75,000Pt VII · Sec A
$31,834Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Whitney Schaefer’s $158K as Communications Manager is at the 18th percentile of top reported officer pay among 661 $10–100M philanthropy & grantmaking 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 · 5 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Whitney Schaefer$157,500$132,500———
Jason Windebank$130,926——$32,188$102,083
Teresa Burton—$115,000———
Elliott Gilson$75,000$30,000$51,912——
Catherine Pedersen$31,834$33,825$33,825$54,004$43,312

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 Focusing Philanthropy INC executive salaries →

Are you one of these people? Claim this org to confirm your role

Something off? The org can add a note here. Request edit privileges.

Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Strengthens philanthropy by sharing research and best practices with donors and advisors.

Provided by the organization

Know this organization? Claim it to add your story

1 program · $32.5M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

See schedule o

$32.5Mprogram 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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$31K
Grants paid · 108 grants · $128.7M · 2020–2024
One Acre FundIL · FY2024$8,592,415
Per Scholas INCNY · FY2024$4,913,336
Vision to LearnCA · FY2024$3,747,892
Muso INCCA · FY2024$2,604,889
Water for PeopleCO · FY2024$2,077,817
Refugepoint INCMA · FY2024$1,607,400
OnegoalIL · FY2024$1,511,685
Jvs BostonMA · FY2024$1,460,764
Casa of San DiegoCA · FY2024$1,052,517
Opportunity Finance NetworkPA · FY2024$1,031,075
Camfed U S A FoundationCA · FY2024$913,671
Seva FoundationCA · FY2024$564,821
Casa of Los AngelesCA · FY2024$539,433
Jvs MetrowestNJ · FY2024$450,308
Voices for ChildrenCA · FY2024$349,979
The Fistula FoundationCA · FY2024$288,639
Reach Out and Read INCMA · FY2024$228,284
Village ReachWA · FY2024$10,000
See all 108 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$35.3M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$34.8M
Investment incomeLn 3$492K
Money outPt IX
$33.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$32.5M
Managementcol C$477K
Fundraisingcol D$165K
Owns and owesPt X
$5.9M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$3.8M
Total assetsLn 16$6.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$163K
PeoplePt VI, VII
10
listed · VII A
PaidVII A4
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$34.8M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$739K
Investment incomeLn 3$492K
Gains on assetsLn 7$167K
Total revenueLn 12$35.3M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$3.8M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$3.8M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$2.1M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$16K
Other assetsLn 15$7K
Total assetsLn 16$6.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$163K
Net assetsLn 32$5.9M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 54
VolunteersI 60
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$6.7M$3.8M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.3M$2.1M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$25K$16K
Total assetsLn 16$8.3M$6.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$4.4M$163K
Net assetsLn 32$3.9M$5.9M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$31.9M$31.9M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$238K$140K$97K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$362K$183K$119K$61K
Payroll taxesLn 10$43K$22K$14K$7K
Accounting feesLn 11c$29K$29K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$25K$25K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$4K$4K
Office expensesLn 13$32K$16K$11K$5K
Information technologyLn 14$27K$13K$9K$5K
OccupancyLn 16$124K$63K$41K$21K
TravelLn 17$31K$16K$10K$5K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$9K$5K$3K$2K
InsuranceLn 23$29K$29K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$231K$86K$116K$30K
Total functional expensesLn 25$33.1M$32.5M$477K$165K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $35.3M$33.1M$2.2M$5.9M 990 PDF
FY2023 $24.6M$26.3M−$1.7M$3.9M 990 PDF
FY2022 $23.6M$22.8M$875K$6.5M 990 PDF
FY2021 $21.9M$26.5M−$4.6M$5.2M 990 PDF
FY2020 $30.7M$25.1M$5.7M$10.4M 990 PDF

Want to add your own materials alongside these filings? Claim this org

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 $35,282,387 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $24,410,186$34,790,831
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $184,912$491,556
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $24,595,098$35,282,387
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $25,363,776$31,944,925
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $457,770$643,571
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $25,002$25,002
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $479,649$516,366
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $26,326,197$33,129,864
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$1,731,099$2,152,523
Part VI · Governance 7 of 7 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members7
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $35,282,387 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$34,790,831
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$738,504
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$34,790,831
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $324,777$324,777
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $166,779$166,779
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $491,556$35,282,387
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $33,129,864 across 14 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $31,944,925$31,944,925
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $140,463 · Management $97,297$237,760
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $182,619 · Management $118,565 · Fundraising $61,149$362,333
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $21,913 · Management $14,227 · Fundraising $7,338$43,478
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $28,550$28,550
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $25,002$25,002
IX-12 Advertising and promotionFundraising $4,216$4,216
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $16,186 · Management $10,509 · Fundraising $5,420$32,115
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $13,485 · Management $8,756 · Fundraising $4,516$26,757
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $62,611 · Management $40,651 · Fundraising $20,965$124,227
IX-17 TravelPrograms $15,586 · Management $10,120 · Fundraising $5,219$30,925
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $4,566 · Management $2,963 · Fundraising $1,529$9,058
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $29,369$29,369
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $85,717 · Management $115,563 · Fundraising $29,869$231,149
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $32,488,071 · Management $476,570 · Fundraising $165,223$33,129,864
Part X · Balance sheet $6,037,673 assets, 14 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $6,707,745$3,771,007
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $10,884$10,652
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $25,377$16,319
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $1,337,427$2,130,027
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $194,818$102,184
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $7,484$7,484
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $8,283,735$6,037,673
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $4,153,342$32,850
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $224,591$130,047
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $4,377,933$162,897
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $472,065$475,749
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $3,433,737$5,399,027
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $3,905,802$5,874,776
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $8,283,735$6,037,673
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $5,874,776 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$35,282,387
XI-2 Total expenses$33,129,864
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$2,152,523
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$3,905,802
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$183,549
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$5,874,776

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

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

If you ARE the filing organization, claim this org and add context

Made it to the end? Claim this organization

Keep this kind of thing free
Keep public charity data easy to read.

Free to the public, because obviously. Like this? Pay it forward. Don't like this? Help us get better.

Card, Apple Pay or Google Pay through Stripe. One time.
Keep this kind of thing free
Keep public charity data easy to read.

Free to the public, because obviously. Like this? Pay it forward. Don't like this? Help us get better.

Card, Apple Pay or Google Pay through Stripe. One time.

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.