Opensecrets FY2020 filing

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501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
86¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$413K paid to officers and key staff.
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
3 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $163K a year · 4% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
86%
of spending
Looks good: 86% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$413K
to officers and key staff · 19% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 19% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
20
named funders · $1.4M
Looks good: 20 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$727K
24% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 24% 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
$1.5M
Spent
$2.2M
To programs
86%
Net assets
$2.3M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$1.5M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.5M
FY2021$6.5M
FY2022$5.0M
FY2023$2.5M
FY2024$3.0M
FY2025$4.3M
Expenses
$2.2M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$2.2M
FY2021$3.5M
FY2022$4.0M
FY2023$4.3M
FY2024$4.5M
FY2025$3.4M
Net assets
$2.3M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$2.3M
FY2021$5.2M
FY2022$5.9M
FY2023$4.0M
FY2024$2.6M
FY2025$3.5M

From the FY2020 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: FY2025. IRS ruling in Sep 1983.

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

Where the money goes

86 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 86% · $1.9M Management & general 5% · $116K Fundraising 8% · $178K

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; $413K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$159,162Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Information Te
$135,996Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Development
$117,507Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Hilary Braseth’s $222K as Executive Director is at the 76th 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 · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Hilary Braseth$216,497$206,428————
Sheila Krumholz——$209,012$167,842$162,810$159,162
Jacob Hileman$154,865$174,389$153,674$142,590$140,076—
Sarah Bryner—$148,740$122,441$113,257$107,043—
Jacob L Hileman—————$135,996
Victoria Sorg$124,436$126,000————
David Meyers$125,000—————
Jennifer Barret———$124,286$121,032$117,507

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.

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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

Tracks money's influence on elections and policy to inform voters and improve government.

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Provided by the organization

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2 programs · $1.9M · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Education and Outreach

Education and outreach: a four time webby winner for being the best politics resource online, the center's website, OPENSECRETS.ORG, allows users to explore the connections between money and politics and hold elected and appointed officials accountable.

$976Kprogram expense
02

Research and Analysis

As a watchdog organization serving the public, the center's reporting staff and researchers work hand-in-hand to comb the data for patterns and anomalies, which are shared in data tools on OPENSECRETS.ORG and through the center's newsletter, news articles, and reports.

$904Kprogram 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 20 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.5M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.4M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$67K
Investment incomeLn 3$18K
Money outPt IX
$2.2M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.9M
Managementcol C$116K
Fundraisingcol D$178K
Owns and owesPt X
$2.3M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$790K
Total assetsLn 16$3.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$727K
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$1.4M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$67K
Investment incomeLn 3$18K
Total revenueLn 12$1.5M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$790K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$790K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.2M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$389K
Other assetsLn 15$29K
Total assetsLn 16$3.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$727K
Net assetsLn 32$2.3M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 546
VolunteersI 611
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 FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$475K$790K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.2M$1.2M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$445K$389K
Total assetsLn 16$3.4M$3.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$480K$727K
Net assetsLn 32$2.9M$2.3M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$190K$166K$10K$14K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.2M$1.0M$65K$86K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$18K$16K$1K$1K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$118K$103K$6K$9K
Payroll taxesLn 10$108K$95K$6K$8K
Accounting feesLn 11c$40K$34K$3K$3K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$166K$134K$32K
Office expensesLn 13$18K$11K$6K$939
OccupancyLn 16$126K$110K$7K$9K
TravelLn 17$2K$1K$93$125
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$3K$3K$163$218
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$63K$55K$3K$5K
InsuranceLn 23$9K$8K$496$662
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$133K$116K$7K$10K
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.2M$1.9M$116K$178K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $4.3M$3.4M$907K$3.5M 990 PDF
FY2024 $3.0M$4.5M−$1.5M$2.6M 990 PDF
FY2023 $2.5M$4.3M−$1.8M$4.0M 990 PDF
FY2022 $5.0M$4.0M$1.0M$5.9M 990 PDF
FY2021 $6.5M$3.5M$3.0M$5.2M 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $1.5M$2.2M−$680K$2.3M 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 FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,494,730 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $2,969,930$1,409,310
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $107,396$67,014
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $20,975$18,406
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $1,994$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $3,100,295$1,494,730
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,470,229$1,615,041
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $570,416$559,882
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $2,040,645$2,174,923
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $1,059,650−$680,193
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 $1,494,730 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,409,310
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,409,310
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $67,014$67,014
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $18,406$18,406
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $67,014 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $18,406$1,494,730
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,174,923 across 14 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $165,574 · Management $10,425 · Fundraising $13,909$189,908
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,029,398 · Management $64,814 · Fundraising $86,475$1,180,687
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $15,986 · Management $1,006 · Fundraising $1,343$18,335
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $102,546 · Management $6,457 · Fundraising $8,614$117,617
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $94,592 · Management $5,956 · Fundraising $7,946$108,494
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $34,002 · Management $3,029 · Fundraising $2,856$39,887
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $134,438 · Fundraising $31,835$166,273
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $11,191 · Management $6,299 · Fundraising $939$18,429
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $109,534 · Management $6,897 · Fundraising $9,201$125,632
IX-17 TravelPrograms $1,482 · Management $93 · Fundraising $125$1,700
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $2,592 · Management $163 · Fundraising $218$2,973
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $54,952 · Management $3,460 · Fundraising $4,616$63,028
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $7,881 · Management $496 · Fundraising $662$9,039
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $115,889 · Management $7,296 · Fundraising $9,736$132,921
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,880,057 · Management $116,391 · Fundraising $178,475$2,174,923
Part X · Balance sheet $2,989,391 assets, 16 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $475,497$789,532
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $1,150,000$543,700
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $4,996$2,742
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $32,909$33,479
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $445,285$388,805
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $1,214,749$1,202,133
X-14 Intangible assets$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $29,000$29,000
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $3,352,436$2,989,391
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $11,911$15,155
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $467,705$712,190
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $479,616$727,345
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,547,320$1,427,671
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $1,325,500$834,375
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $2,872,820$2,262,046
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $3,352,436$2,989,391
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $2,262,046 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,494,730
XI-2 Total expenses$2,174,923
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$680,193
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$2,872,820
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$69,419
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$2,262,046

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

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