Essential Information educates the public on topics neglected by the media and policy-makers.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
89¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

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
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
2 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $16K a year · 2% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
89%
of spending
Looks good: 89% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
7 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 6.7 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
3
named funders · $24K
Looks good: 3 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$90K
22% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 22% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
4
of 4 voting members
Looks good: 4 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
$659K
Spent
$634K
To programs
89%
Net assets
$316K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$659K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$659K
FY2021$1.1M
FY2022$583K
FY2023$954K
FY2024$899K
Expenses
$634K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$634K
FY2021$726K
FY2022$992K
FY2023$1.0M
FY2024$911K
Net assets
$316K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$316K
FY2021$727K
FY2022$318K
FY2023$224K
FY2024$212K

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 (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Aug 1983.

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% · $563K Management & general 8% · $48K Fundraising 4% · $24K

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

4 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary/Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022
Allison Kole$107,026$127,965$113,527
Zehava Robbins$100,872$115,333—

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 Essential Information 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

Educates the public on important topics media and policymakers overlook.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $523K · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Inventive Initiatives

Essential Information has started more than a dozen projects in recent years. The Organization's primary criteria is: Does it promote innovation in the public interest? With quiet determination and sophistication, project leaders identify the fulcrums of power that invariably lie in the shadows, envision new pathways of change that…

$276Kprogram expense
02

UnKoch My Campus (UKMC), a nonprofit project dedicated to fighting the undue donor influence that seeks to manipulate higher education to serve corporate interests. UKMC investigates improper relationships between wealthy donors, corporations, and educational institutions.

$204Kprogram expense
03

Human Rights

The project has involved work overseas in areas of severe repression involving the collection and distribution of human rights information, encouraging peaceful political solutions to violent conflicts, and facilitating local community work on issues of poverty, security and justice.

$43Kprogram 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 · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 3 funders$24K
See all 3 funders →
Grants paid · 5 grants · $163K · 2020–2024
DC Tool LibraryDC · FY2024$27,221
Action InformationMD · FY2022$75,000
University of WashingtonFY2020$40,000

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$659K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$649K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$10K
Other incomeLn 4–11$384
Money outPt IX
$634K
Ln 25
Programscol B$563K
Managementcol C$48K
Fundraisingcol D$24K
Owns and owesPt X
$316K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$353K
Total assetsLn 16$406K
LiabilitiesLn 26$90K
PeoplePt VI, VII
4
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a4
IndependentVI 1b4
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$649K
Government grantsLn 1e$0
Noncash giftsLn 1g$0
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$0
Fees for servicesLn 2g$10K
Investment incomeLn 3$66
Other incomeLn 4–11$384
Gains on assetsLn 7$0
Total revenueLn 12$659K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$99K
SavingsLn 2$254K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$353K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$10K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$719
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$406K
LiabilitiesLn 26$90K
Net assetsLn 32$316K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 58
VolunteersI 64
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$272K$353K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$10K$10K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$804$719
Total assetsLn 16$308K$406K
LiabilitiesLn 26$17K$90K
Net assetsLn 32$291K$316K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$40K$40K
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$0$0$0$0
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0$0$0$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$379K$336K$24K$19K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0$0$0$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$2K$2K$0$0
Payroll taxesLn 10$30K$27K$2K$1K
Management feesLn 11a$0$0$0$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0$0$0$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$7K$0$7K$0
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0$0$0$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0$0$0$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$105K$99K$3K$3K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$10$10$0
Office expensesLn 13$38K$29K$9K$522
Information technologyLn 14$27K$27K$0$0
RoyaltiesLn 15$0$0$0$0
OccupancyLn 16$0$0$0$0
TravelLn 17$2K$2K$0$279
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0$0$0$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$2K$1K$607$27
InterestLn 20$0$0$0$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0$0$0$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$675$0$675$0
InsuranceLn 23$1K$28$1K$0
All other expensesLn 24e$0$0$0$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$634K$563K$48K$24K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $899K$911K−$11K$212K 990 PDF
FY2023 $954K$1.0M−$94K$224K 990 PDF
FY2022 $583K$992K−$409K$318K 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.1M$726K$411K$727K 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $659K$634K$25K$316K 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 $659,027 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $714,872$649,044
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $75,711$9,533
I-10 Investment incomePrior year −$2,453$66
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $3,099$384
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $791,229$659,027
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $283,993$40,200
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $388,094$410,760
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $385,490$183,391
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,057,577$634,351
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$266,348$24,676
Part VI · Governance 4 of 4 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body4
VI-1b Independent voting members4
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 $659,027 across 15 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $384 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$0
VIII-1b Membership dues$0
VIII-1c Fundraising events$0
VIII-1d Related organizations$0
VIII-1e Government grants$0
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$649,044
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$0
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$649,044
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $9,533 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$9,533
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $66$66
VIII-5 RoyaltiesRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsUnrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $9,917 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $66$659,027
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $634,351 across 30 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $40,200$40,200
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $0$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $0$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for membersPrograms $0$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $336,250 · Management $24,100 · Fundraising $18,632$378,982
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $1,550 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$1,550
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $26,820 · Management $1,922 · Fundraising $1,486$30,228
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $0 · Management $7,400 · Fundraising $0$7,400
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $0$0
IX-11f Investment management feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $98,668 · Management $3,445 · Fundraising $3,114$105,227
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $10 · Fundraising $0$10
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $28,592 · Management $8,572 · Fundraising $522$37,686
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $27,375 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$27,375
IX-15 RoyaltiesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-17 TravelPrograms $1,858 · Management $0 · Fundraising $279$2,137
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officialsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $1,179 · Management $607 · Fundraising $27$1,813
IX-20 InterestPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliatesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $0 · Management $675 · Fundraising $0$675
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $28 · Management $1,040 · Fundraising $0$1,068
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $562,520 · Management $47,771 · Fundraising $24,060$634,351
Part X · Balance sheet $405,885 assets, 23 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $118,073$98,841
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $154,192$254,495
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $10,000$30,302
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $14,405$11,027
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $0$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $1,174$640
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $804$719
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $9,843$9,861
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $0$0
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $0$0
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $0$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $0$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $308,491$405,885
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $10,413$11,590
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $0$0
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $0$0
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $7,000$6,000
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $17,413$90,116
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $259,556$294,655
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $31,522$21,114
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $291,078$315,769
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $308,491$405,885
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $315,769 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$659,027
XI-2 Total expenses$634,351
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$24,676
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$291,078
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$15
XI-6 Donated services and use of facilities$0
XI-7 Investment expenses$0
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$0
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$315,769

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

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