State Democracy Project FY2020 filing

Tax-deductible

Brooklyn, NY501(c)(3)Since 1996Public & Societal Benefit EIN 52-2003442Revenue $1.6M in FY2020Latest return filed Nov 14, 2025

On file with the IRS77 Sands Street 6th Floor, 11201-1431 · Brooklyn, NYTax-exempt since Mar 1997Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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The purpose of the organization has been expanded to "educating the general public and policy makers regarding the need to iteratively improve american Democracy by encouraging increased citizen participation in elections and policy-making, as well as more responsive government institutions at the local, State and federal levels."

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
82¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$14K 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
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
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $864K a year · 6% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
82%
of spending
Looks good: 82% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$14K
to officers and key staff · 2% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 2% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
16 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 15.7 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $12K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$4K
0.4% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
3
of 3 voting members
Looks good: 3 of 3 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.6M
Spent
$733K
To programs
82%
Net assets
$974K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$1.6M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.6M
FY2021$486K
FY2022$1.9M
FY2023$19.7M
FY2024$50.1M
Expenses
$733K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$733K
FY2021$673K
FY2022$2.5M
FY2023$17.0M
FY2024$48.6M
Net assets
$974K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$974K
FY2021$787K
FY2022$263K
FY2023$3.0M
FY2024$4.4M

From the FY2020 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

990 PDF Claim
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 Mar 1997.

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

Where the money goes

82 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 82% · $605K Management & general 11% · $80K Fundraising 7% · $49K

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; $14K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
And President (as of Nov 2020)
$13,797Pt VII · Sec A
Chair (as of Sept 2020)
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Chair (until Sept 2020)
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director (until March 2020)
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Yong Jung Cho’s $170K as Ed of Sdp's Bprc Project is at the 13th percentile of top reported officer pay among 232 $10–100M 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 · 7 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Yong Jung Cho$170,000————
Rajan Narang——$70,469$165,000—
Miles Rapoport as of April$133,654————
Raaheela Ahmed as of March$112,891————
Beth Schulman$85,000$59,094$31,875——
Young Jung Cho—$28,619———
Rajan Narang Executive Director————$13,797

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 State Democracy Project executive salaries →

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 and policymakers on improving democracy through citizen participation and responsive government.

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2 programs · $605K · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

State Reform Program

In 2020, this support took the form of grants, strategic counsel, and encouragement to grassroots allies. While minimizing overhead, SDP awarded $360,000 in grants to advance democracy reform efforts in arizona, florida, michigan, north carolina, pennsylvania, and wisconsin.

$580Kprogram expense
02

Communications, strategy, policy research, and outreach programs- during 2020, the SDP team and board members devoted considerable effort to educating allies and supporters about the organization's approach and expanded stakeholder community. Most activity was conducted through informal briefings or one-to-one contacts.

$25Kprogram 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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$12K
Grants paid · 59 grants · $66.4M · 2020–2024
Working Families Organization INCNY · FY2024$29,888,301
Pro-Democracy CampaignMA · FY2024$9,931,750
Working Families Organization INCNY · FY2024$1,519,019
Be a Hero Education FundNY · FY2024$1,364,769
New Georgia Project IncorporatedGA · FY2024$1,000,000
Wisdom INCWI · FY2024$380,000
Individual RecipientFY2024$366,685
Carolina Federation FundNC · FY2024$300,000
Center for Community ChangeDC · FY2024$200,000
Grassroots ArkansasFY2024$137,984
People's Action InstituteIL · FY2024$125,000
Voces De La Frontera INCWI · FY2024$100,000
Un-Pac ActionCA · FY2024$98,000
See all 59 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.6M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.6M
Other incomeLn 4–11$715
Money outPt IX
$733K
Ln 25
Programscol B$605K
Managementcol C$80K
Fundraisingcol D$49K
Owns and owesPt X
$974K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$960K
Total assetsLn 16$978K
LiabilitiesLn 26$4K
PeoplePt VI, VII
6
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a3
IndependentVI 1b3
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.6M
Other incomeLn 4–11$715
Total revenueLn 12$1.6M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$960K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$960K
Other assetsLn 15$15K
Total assetsLn 16$978K
LiabilitiesLn 26$4K
Net assetsLn 32$974K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
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$116K$960K
Total assetsLn 16$122K$978K
LiabilitiesLn 26$8K$4K
Net assetsLn 32$114K$974K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$360K$360K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$14K$11K$2K$1K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$8K$8K
Payroll taxesLn 10$5K$4K$398$275
Legal feesLn 11b$2K$2K
Accounting feesLn 11c$35K$35K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$294K$214K$34K$46K
Office expensesLn 13$2K$300$2K$300
Information technologyLn 14$519$482$37
TravelLn 17$4K$3K$655
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$4K$4K
InsuranceLn 23$4K$4K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$1K$1K
Total functional expensesLn 25$733K$605K$80K$49K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 LatestFiled with the IRS Nov 14, 2025 $50.1M$48.6M$1.5M$4.4M 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Nov 8, 2024 $19.7M$17.0M$2.7M$3.0M 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Nov 9, 2023 $1.9M$2.5M−$525K$263K 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Nov 10, 2022 $486K$673K−$187K$787K 990 PDF
FY2020 ViewingFiled with the IRS Sep 27, 2021 $1.6M$733K$862K$974K 990 PDF

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 $1,595,414 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $358,550$1,594,699
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $932$715
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $359,482$1,595,414
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $160,000$360,000
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $190,353$26,232
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $240,430$347,074
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $590,783$733,306
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$231,301$862,108
Part VI · Governance 3 of 3 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body3
VI-1b Independent voting members3
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 $1,595,414 across 3 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $715 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,594,699
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,594,699
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $715$1,595,414
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $733,306 across 13 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $360,000$360,000
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $10,883 · Management $1,720 · Fundraising $1,194$13,797
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $7,522$7,522
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $4,240 · Management $398 · Fundraising $275$4,913
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $1,737$1,737
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $35,162$35,162
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $213,928 · Management $34,087 · Fundraising $45,640$293,655
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $300 · Management $1,586 · Fundraising $300$2,186
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $482 · Management $37$519
IX-17 TravelPrograms $3,304 · Management $655$3,959
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $4,256$4,256
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $4,475$4,475
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Fundraising $1,125$1,125
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $604,915 · Management $79,857 · Fundraising $48,534$733,306
Part X · Balance sheet $977,844 assets, 11 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $115,619$959,962
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $3,034$2,883
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $2,610$14,999
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $121,866$977,844
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $7,195$3,528
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $383$0
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $7,578$3,528
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year −$5,542$974,316
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $119,830$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $114,288$974,316
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $121,866$977,844
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $974,316 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,595,414
XI-2 Total expenses$733,306
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$862,108
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$114,288
XI-8 Prior period adjustments−$2,080
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$974,316

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

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