Appleseed INC FY2023 filing

Tax-deductible

Madison, WI501(c)(3)Since 2015InternationalEIN 47-4446426

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To multipy the impact of international development organizations trying to end poverty and save the environment. Appleseed enables them to market their critical solutions to the communities they serve.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
89¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$132K 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

FY2023 · 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 $171K a year · 30% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 5 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
89%
of spending
Looks good: 89% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$132K
to officers and key staff · 34% of spending
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 34% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
7 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 7.1 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $200
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$32K
12% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 12% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
3
of 4 voting members
Looks good: 3 of 4 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$447K
+107% vs prior year
Spent
$383K
To programs
89%
Net assets
$242K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$447K
FY2023▲ +107%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$230K
FY2021$267K
FY2022$216K
FY2023$447K
FY2024$1.3M
FY2025$980K
Expenses
$383K
FY2023▲ +12%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$164K
FY2021$191K
FY2022$343K
FY2023$383K
FY2024$534K
FY2025$807K
Net assets
$242K
FY2023▲ +72%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$190K
FY2021$267K
FY2022$141K
FY2023$242K
FY2024$1.0M
FY2025$1.2M

From the FY2023 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2023 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 Jul 2015.

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

Where the money goes

89 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 89% · $340K Management & general 9% · $36K Fundraising 2% · $7K

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

5 people listed on the 990; $132K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$116,000Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$15,625Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Philip Kao’s $144K as Executive Director is at the 94th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1636 $100K–1M international 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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Philip Kao$144,367$116,000$116,000$107,563$80,729$69,936
Ruth Chiang Kao——$15,625———

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 Appleseed 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 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Helps development groups reach communities with solutions for poverty and environmental protection.

Provided by the organization

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1 program · $340K · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

Nonprofit Clients and Funder Partnerships Appleseed amplified the work of impact organizations around the world through behavioral research and consulting. Appleseed partnered with One Acre Fund in Malawi to help increase organic matter application by farmers to improve soil health.

$340Kprogram 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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$200

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$447K
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$236K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$212K
Money outPt IX
$383K
Ln 25
Programscol B$340K
Managementcol C$36K
Fundraisingcol D$7K
Owns and owesPt X
$242K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$225K
Total assetsLn 16$274K
LiabilitiesLn 26$32K
PeoplePt VI, VII
5
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a4
IndependentVI 1b3
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$212K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$236K
Total revenueLn 12$447K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$225K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$225K
Total assetsLn 16$274K
LiabilitiesLn 26$32K
Net assetsLn 32$242K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 51
VolunteersI 64
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aNo
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$147K$225K
Total assetsLn 16$151K$274K
LiabilitiesLn 26$10K$32K
Net assetsLn 32$141K$242K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$136K$124K$6K$6K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$0
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$0
Payroll taxesLn 10$10K$9K$481$481
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$12K$12K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$181K$181K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$0
Office expensesLn 13$2K$2K
Information technologyLn 14$12K$12K$120
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$0
TravelLn 17$26K$26K
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$663$663
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$0
InsuranceLn 23$0
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$4K$4K
All other expensesLn 24e$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$383K$340K$36K$7K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $980K$807K$172K$1.2M 990 PDF
FY2024 $1.3M$534K$771K$1.0M 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $447K$383K$65K$242K 990 PDF
FY2022 $216K$343K−$126K$141K 990 PDF
FY2021 $267K$191K$77K$267K 990 PDF
FY2020 $230K$164K$66K$190K 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 FY2023 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $447,391 across 4 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$211,826
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$211,826
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $235,565$235,565
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $235,565$447,391
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $382,869 across 30 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizations$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $124,375 · Management $6,042 · Fundraising $6,042$136,459
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wages$0
IX-8 Pension plan contributions$0
IX-9 Other employee benefits$0
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $8,655 · Management $481 · Fundraising $481$9,617
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal fees$0
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $11,850$11,850
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $180,539$180,539
IX-12 Advertising and promotion$0
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $1,518$1,518
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $11,870 · Fundraising $120$11,990
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 Occupancy$0
IX-17 TravelPrograms $25,956$25,956
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $663$663
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortization$0
IX-23 Insurance$0
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Management $4,277$4,277
IX-24e All other expenses$0
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $340,188 · Management $36,038 · Fundraising $6,643$382,869
Part X · Balance sheet $274,390 assets, 10 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $147,248$225,219
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $3,359$48,603
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $312$568
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $150,919$274,390
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $10,277$32,226
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $10,277$32,226
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $140,642$232,164
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictions$10,000
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $140,642$242,164
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $150,919$274,390
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $242,164 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$447,391
XI-2 Total expenses$382,869
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$64,522
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$140,642
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$37,000
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$242,164

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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