Ensuring citizen intent through Design. Our activities will improve knowledge and understanding of Design and usability principles that can make a citizens' interactions with government more effective and enjoyable; and ensure that every government offical has access to useful, researched guidelines to use in communicating with citizens.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
83¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$120K 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

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
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
5 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $146K a year · 8% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 5 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
83%
of spending
Looks good: 83% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$120K
to officers and key staff · 12% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 12% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
9 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 9.0 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
9
named funders · $2.5M
Looks good: 9 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$442K
57% of total assets
Fine: liabilities are 57% of assets; 50% to 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
6
of 6 voting members
Looks good: 6 of 6 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.1M
Spent
$978K
To programs
83%
Net assets
$328K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$1.1M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.1M
FY2021$1.1M
FY2022$1.6M
FY2023$1.6M
FY2024$2.4M
FY2025$2.5M
Expenses
$978K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$978K
FY2021$1.1M
FY2022$1.4M
FY2023$1.6M
FY2024$2.1M
FY2025$2.2M
Net assets
$328K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$328K
FY2021$286K
FY2022$472K
FY2023$497K
FY2024$773K
FY2025$1.1M

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 (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Nov 2013.

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

Where the money goes

83 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 83% · $812K Management & general 17% · $166K

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

6 people listed on the 990; $120K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$120,000Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Whitney Quesenbery’s $131K as Secretary and Ed Until 08/31 is at the 45th percentile of top reported officer pay among 797 $1–10M civil rights & advocacy 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 · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Whitney Quesenbery$130,782$129,750$127,997$120,000$120,000$120,000
Sean Wang$126,200—————
Tasmin Swanson$108,986$101,421————
Emma Werowinski$108,605$102,144————
Andrea Miranda Salas—$107,399————
Sean Johnson$102,260—————
Fernando Sanchez$102,260—————
Isabelle Yisak$100,255—————

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 Center for Civic Design 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

Improves government interactions with citizens through design and usability principles.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $812K · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Develop research and education on civic design.

$812Kprogram 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 9 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.1M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$609K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$513K
Investment incomeLn 3$117
Money outPt IX
$978K
Ln 25
Programscol B$812K
Managementcol C$166K
Owns and owesPt X
$328K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$731K
Total assetsLn 16$770K
LiabilitiesLn 26$442K
PeoplePt VI, VII
6
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a6
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$513K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$609K
Investment incomeLn 3$117
Total revenueLn 12$1.1M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$731K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$731K
Total assetsLn 16$770K
LiabilitiesLn 26$442K
Net assetsLn 32$328K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 517
VolunteersI 66
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 FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$263K$731K
Total assetsLn 16$326K$770K
LiabilitiesLn 26$142K$442K
Net assetsLn 32$184K$328K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$415K$341K$75K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$35K$29K$6K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$19K$15K$3K
Payroll taxesLn 10$35K$28K$6K
Accounting feesLn 11c$5K$5K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$455K$386K$69K
TravelLn 17$12K$12K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$3K$2K$1K
Total functional expensesLn 25$978K$812K$166K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $2.5M$2.2M$290K$1.1M 990 PDF
FY2024 $2.4M$2.1M$277K$773K 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.6M$1.6M$25K$497K 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.6M$1.4M$186K$472K 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.1M$1.1M−$42K$286K 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $1.1M$978K$143K$328K 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 O · Explanations
See the full FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,121,616 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $236,709$512,835
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $741,061$608,664
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $65$117
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $977,835$1,121,616
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $19,888$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $635,226$503,834
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $290,240$474,481
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $945,354$978,315
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $32,481$143,301
Part VI · Governance 6 of 6 board members independent, 2 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body6
VI-1b Independent voting members6
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
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-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,121,616 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$512,835
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$512,835
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $608,664$608,664
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $117$117
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $608,664 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $117$1,121,616
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $978,315 across 8 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $340,640 · Management $74,774$415,414
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $28,866 · Management $6,336$35,202
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $15,271 · Management $3,352$18,623
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $28,367 · Management $6,228$34,595
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $5,450$5,450
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $385,576 · Management $69,004$454,580
IX-17 TravelPrograms $11,689$11,689
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,506 · Management $1,256$2,762
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $811,915 · Management $166,400 · Fundraising $0$978,315
Part X · Balance sheet $769,655 assets, 9 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $263,110$730,555
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $63,048$39,100
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $326,158$769,655
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,828$5
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $139,981$442,000
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $141,809$442,005
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $184,349$327,650
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $184,349$327,650
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $326,158$769,655
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $327,650 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,121,616
XI-2 Total expenses$978,315
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$143,301
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$184,349
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$327,650

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

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