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Opensky Policy Institute

Tax-deductible

Lincoln, NE501(c)(3)Public & Societal Benefit EIN 45-3327969Revenue $1.9M in FY2024

On file with the IRSopenskypolicy.org1327 H St Ste 200, 68508-3751 · Lincoln, NETax-exempt since Jun 2012Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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To improve opportunities for every nebraskan by providing impartial and precise research, analysis, education and leadership.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
80¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$383K 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
5 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $191K a year · 14% of revenue · last 5 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 5 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
80%
of spending
Looks good: 80% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$383K
to officers and key staff · 28% of spending
Top officer’s pay lower than 52% of similar orgs
Worth a look: pay to officers and key staff is 28% of spending; over 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $1.6M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Fine: 2.6 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $355K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$200K
7% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 7% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
11
of 11 voting members
Looks good: 11 of 11 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.9M
+16% vs prior year
Spent
$1.4M
To programs
80%
Net assets
$2.8M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$1.9M
FY2024▲ +16%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.0M
FY2021$1.1M
FY2022$1.1M
FY2023$1.6M
FY2024$1.9M
Expenses
$1.4M
FY2024▲ +8%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$905K
FY2021$1.1M
FY2022$1.1M
FY2023$1.3M
FY2024$1.4M
Net assets
$2.8M
FY2024▲ +20%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$2.0M
FY2021$2.0M
FY2022$2.0M
FY2023$2.3M
FY2024$2.8M

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

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Jun 2012.

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

Where the money goes

80 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 80% · $1.1M Management & general 12% · $166K Fundraising 8% · $112K

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; $383K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Rebecca Firestone
Executive Director
$149,247Pt VII · Sec A
Constance Knoche
Education Policy Director
$124,754Pt VII · Sec A
Tiffany Milone
Deputy Director
$109,000Pt VII · Sec A
Chris Rodgers
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Jerry Bexten
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Tammy Day
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Rebecca Firestone’s $149K as Executive Director is at the 48th 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 · 4 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Renee Fry———$162,340$152,073
Rebecca Firestone$149,247$144,900$137,469——
Constance Knoche$124,754$123,022$117,340$118,200$109,786
Tiffany Milone$109,000————

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 Opensky Policy Institute 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

Improves opportunities for Nebraskans through research, analysis, education, and leadership.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $1.1M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Expenses in relation to the organization's mission.

$1.1Mprogram 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
The Sherwood FoundationFY2025$355K
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$355K
Grants paid · 8 grants · $190K · 2021–2024
Support Our Schools - NebraskaNE · FY2024$50,000
Institute on Taxation and Economic PolicyDC · FY2024$25,000
Heartland Workers CenterNE · FY2024$10,000
Holland Childrens InstituteNE · FY2024$5,000
Support Our Schools - NebraskaNE · FY2023$25,000
Institute on Taxation and Economic PolicyDC · FY2023$25,000
Institute on Taxation and Economic PolicyDC · FY2022$25,000
Institute on Taxation and Economic PolicyDC · FY2021$25,000

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.9M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.8M
Investment incomeLn 3$77K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$2K
Money outPt IX
$1.4M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.1M
Managementcol C$166K
Fundraisingcol D$112K
Owns and owesPt X
$2.8M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$297K
Total assetsLn 16$3.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$200K
PeoplePt VI, VII
16
listed · VII A
PaidVII A3
Voting boardVI 1a11
IndependentVI 1b11
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.8M
Government grantsLn 1e$248K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$350K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$2K
Investment incomeLn 3$77K
Other incomeLn 4–11$665
Gains on assetsLn 7$16K
Total revenueLn 12$1.9M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$53K
SavingsLn 2$244K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$297K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.6M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$710
Other assetsLn 15$179K
Total assetsLn 16$3.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$200K
Net assetsLn 32$2.8M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 510
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$1.6M$297K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0$1.6M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2K$710
Total assetsLn 16$2.3M$3.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$45K$200K
Net assetsLn 32$2.3M$2.8M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$90K$90K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$171K$136K$20K$15K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$660K$527K$77K$57K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$47K$37K$7K$3K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$54K$43K$8K$3K
Payroll taxesLn 10$63K$51K$7K$5K
Legal feesLn 11b$41K$35K$6K
Accounting feesLn 11c$19K$19K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$1K$1K$301
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$20K$20K
Investment management feesLn 11f$5K$5K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$76K$74K$2K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$45K$43K$2K$117
Office expensesLn 13$6K$3K$2K$1K
Information technologyLn 14$16K$14K$1K$1K
OccupancyLn 16$24K$21K$723$2K
TravelLn 17$14K$12K$833$2K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$30K$22K$5K$3K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$1K$1K
InsuranceLn 23$3K$3K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.4M$1.1M$166K$112K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $1.9M$1.4M$470K$2.8M 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.6M$1.3M$315K$2.3M 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.1M$1.1M$14K$2.0M 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.1M$1.1M$17K$2.0M 990 PDF
FY2020 $1.0M$905K$137K$2.0M 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 M · Noncash O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,857,268 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,535,791$1,777,580
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$1,751
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $63,008$77,272
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $2,327$665
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,601,126$1,857,268
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $50,000$90,000
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $942,161$995,251
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$20,000
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $294,243$281,697
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,286,404$1,386,948
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $314,722$470,320
Part VI · Governance 11 of 11 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body11
VI-1b Independent voting members11
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 $1,857,268 across 9 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$247,740
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,529,840
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$350,000
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,777,580
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $1,751$1,751
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $60,861$60,861
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $16,411$16,411
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $665$665
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $2,416 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $77,272$1,857,268
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,386,948 across 20 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $90,000$90,000
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $136,311 · Management $19,652 · Fundraising $14,797$170,760
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $526,742 · Management $76,547 · Fundraising $57,202$660,491
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $37,029 · Management $7,007 · Fundraising $2,873$46,909
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $42,694 · Management $7,937 · Fundraising $3,394$54,025
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $50,676 · Management $6,903 · Fundraising $5,487$63,066
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $34,739 · Management $5,903$40,642
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $19,275$19,275
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $1,009 · Management $301$1,310
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $20,000$20,000
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $4,603$4,603
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $74,226 · Management $2,131$76,357
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $43,307 · Management $1,525 · Fundraising $117$44,949
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $3,198 · Management $2,154 · Fundraising $1,011$6,363
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $14,126 · Management $1,145 · Fundraising $1,002$16,273
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $21,284 · Management $723 · Fundraising $1,673$23,680
IX-17 TravelPrograms $11,669 · Management $833 · Fundraising $1,727$14,229
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $21,965 · Management $5,055 · Fundraising $2,632$29,652
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $1,041$1,041
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $3,323$3,323
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,108,975 · Management $166,058 · Fundraising $111,915$1,386,948
Part X · Balance sheet $2,961,159 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $50,174$53,288
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $1,535,818$243,847
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $725,192$878,275
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $1,751$710
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $0$1,576,341
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $0$30,000
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $31,016$178,698
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $2,343,951$2,961,159
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $13,570$21,534
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $31,924$178,698
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $45,494$200,232
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,391,265$1,369,806
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $907,192$1,391,121
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $2,298,457$2,760,927
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $2,343,951$2,961,159
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $2,760,927 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,857,268
XI-2 Total expenses$1,386,948
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$470,320
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$2,298,457
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$27,850
XI-6 Donated services and use of facilities$20,000
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$2,760,927

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

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