Ctia - the Wireless Association

Not tax-deductible

Washington, DC501(c)(6)Since 1984EIN 52-1347628Revenue $104.3M in FY2024

On file with the IRSctia.org1400 16th St Nw Ste 600, 20036-2225 · Washington, DCTax-exempt since Aug 1984

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Run by 32 volunteers and 110 employees.
People: Part I, lines 5–6

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FY2024 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(6)
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
No
Donations are not tax-deductible
Worth a look: the IRS does not list 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 $8.8M a year · 10% of revenue · last 5 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 5 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Pay to officers and key staff
$16.4M
to officers and key staff · 17% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 17% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
6 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 6.1 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Liabilities
$72.0M
23% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 23% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
30
of 31 voting members
Looks good: 30 of 31 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$104.3M
+5% vs prior year
Spent
$94.2M
Net assets
$239.1M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$104.3M
FY2024▲ +5%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$73.9M
FY2021$87.1M
FY2022$93.9M
FY2023$99.0M
FY2024$104.3M
Expenses
$94.2M
FY2024-0.5%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$68.2M
FY2021$74.8M
FY2022$82.6M
FY2023$94.7M
FY2024$94.2M
Net assets
$239.1M
FY2024▲ +7%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$198.9M
FY2021$215.8M
FY2022$209.3M
FY2023$224.1M
FY2024$239.1M

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 Aug 1984.

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

Who runs it and what they're paid

50 people listed on the 990; $16.4M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
President & CEO
$6,132,509Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Vice President
$1,827,807Pt VII · Sec A
$908,635Pt VII · Sec A
Senior Counsel (as of 06/2024)
$845,336Pt VII · Sec A
SVP, External & State Affairs
$832,167Pt VII · Sec A
SVP, Gov't Affairs
$828,712Pt VII · Sec A
SVP, Reg Affairs
$737,907Pt VII · Sec A
$715,406Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Meredith a Baker$6,132,509$3,679,821$3,171,070$3,002,792$2,886,935
Bradley Gillen$1,827,807$1,559,984$1,502,713$1,419,504$1,366,252
Rocco Carlitti$908,635$839,973$799,038$764,859$741,535
Thomas Power$845,336$812,345$779,622$746,273$752,995
Jamie Hastings$832,167$799,431$767,047$733,965$712,803
Kelly Cole$828,712$818,174$754,267$729,653$692,774
Scott Bergmann$737,907$710,253$688,373$657,249$637,490
Thomas Sawanobori$715,406$677,242$649,124$625,009$614,689

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 Ctia - the Wireless Association 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

Manages and assigns short codes for the wireless communications industry, maintaining a registry of their use.

Provided by the organization

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3 programs · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

The association administers the common short codes ("CSCS") for the wireless communications industry and for the benefit of all members of that industry. In that capacity, the association administers a catalog of CSCS, assigns CSCS contained in the catalog to various parties wishing to use those codes, and maintains a registry of which…

Pt IX · col B
02

Ctia

The wireless association ("the association") represents the wireless communications industry before congress, state legislatures, the federal communications commission and other federal and state administrative agencies on matters of public policy.

Pt IX · col B
03

The association co-sponsors north america's forum for mobile innovation and brings together the leading authorities and companies in the wireless industry.

Pt IX · col B

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · this organization's grantmaking
Grants paid · 218 grants · $13.4M · 2020–2024
MywirelessorgDC · FY2024$1,382,400
Asurion Compassion FundTN · FY2024$44,500
Center ForwardVA · FY2024$35,000
Ripon Society INCDC · FY2024$33,500
Everybody Wins D C INCDC · FY2024$31,911
Intercambio GroupFY2024$25,000
Ford S Theatre SocietyDC · FY2024$25,000
See all 218 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$104.3M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$90.7M
Investment incomeLn 3$10.3M
Other incomeLn 4–11$3.3M
Money outPt IX
$94.2M
Ln 25
Owns and owesPt X
$239.1M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$48.0M
Total assetsLn 16$311.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$72.0M
PeoplePt VI, VII
50
listed · VII A
PaidVII A15
Voting boardVI 1a31
IndependentVI 1b30
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Fees for servicesLn 2g$90.7M
Investment incomeLn 3$10.3M
Other incomeLn 4–11$3.3M
Gains on assetsLn 7$2.6M
Total revenueLn 12$104.3M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$100K
SavingsLn 2$47.9M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$48.0M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$203.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.2M
Other assetsLn 15$46.7M
Total assetsLn 16$311.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$72.0M
Net assetsLn 32$239.1M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5110
VolunteersI 632
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$46.6M$48.0M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$189.0M$203.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.4M$1.2M
Total assetsLn 16$294.4M$311.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$70.4M$72.0M
Net assetsLn 32$224.1M$239.1M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$3.2M
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$14.9M
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$18.6M
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$1.4M
Other employee benefitsLn 9$1.9M
Payroll taxesLn 10$2.6M
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$472K
Accounting feesLn 11c$417K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$12.0M
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$215K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$4.9M
Advertising and promotionLn 12$0
Office expensesLn 13$506K
Information technologyLn 14$594K
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$1.5M
TravelLn 17$846K
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$1.4M
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$3.9M
InsuranceLn 23$1.0M
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$24.0M
Total functional expensesLn 25$94.2M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $104.3M$94.2M$10.1M$239.1M 990 PDF
FY2023 $99.0M$94.7M$4.3M$224.1M 990 PDF
FY2022 $93.9M$82.6M$11.3M$209.3M 990 PDF
FY2021 $87.1M$74.8M$12.4M$215.8M 990 PDF
FY2020 $73.9M$68.2M$5.7M$198.9M 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 FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $104,314,179 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $0$0
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $87,702,366$90,729,122
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $7,487,319$10,323,773
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $3,799,111$3,261,284
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $98,988,796$104,314,179
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $3,437,098$3,178,872
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $35,390,570$39,381,002
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $55,844,477$51,642,414
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $94,672,145$94,202,288
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $4,316,651$10,111,891
Part VI · Governance 30 of 31 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body31
VI-1b Independent voting members30
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 $104,314,179 across 9 lines filed
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$0
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $90,729,122$90,729,122
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $7,711,295$7,711,295
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $3,084,284$3,084,284
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $2,612,478$2,612,478
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $177,000$177,000
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $90,906,122 · Excluded from tax $13,408,057$104,314,179
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $94,202,288 across 30 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizations$3,178,872
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 staff$14,877,435
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wages$18,598,731
IX-8 Pension plan contributions$1,435,434
IX-9 Other employee benefits$1,886,892
IX-10 Payroll taxes$2,582,510
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal fees$471,527
IX-11c Accounting fees$417,212
IX-11d Lobbying fees$11,966,706
IX-11e Professional fundraising fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$215,277
IX-11g Other fees for services$4,860,937
IX-12 Advertising and promotion$0
IX-13 Office expenses$505,612
IX-14 Information technology$594,258
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 Occupancy$1,544,395
IX-17 Travel$845,733
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetings$1,398,839
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortization$3,853,909
IX-23 Insurance$1,009,463
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)$23,958,546
IX-25 Total functional expenses$94,202,288
Part X · Balance sheet $311,078,665 assets, 24 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $3,793,136$100,000
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $42,850,776$47,856,743
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $0$0
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $8,789,271$10,073,105
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $0$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $1,732,314$1,910,593
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $1,362,930$1,190,648
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $120,641,160$131,798,841
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $68,378,372$71,458,516
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $0$0
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $0$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $46,899,698$46,690,219
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $294,447,657$311,078,665
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $16,567,768$18,692,764
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $0$0
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $5,470,351$5,516,861
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $0$0
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $48,353,642$47,785,597
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $70,391,761$71,995,222
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $224,055,896$239,083,443
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $0$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $224,055,896$239,083,443
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $294,447,657$311,078,665
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $239,083,443 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$104,314,179
XI-2 Total expenses$94,202,288
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$10,111,891
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$224,055,896
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$4,931,004
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$15,348
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$239,083,443

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

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