State Policy Network EIN 57-0952531 Form 990 (PDF) Claim this org

State Policy Network FY2020 filing

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Supports and connects a national network of state-level, independent think tanks to strengthen free-market policy movements through leadership training, collaboration, and organizational development. For fiscal year 2020 it reported $14.8M in revenue, $12.3M in expenses, and $12.9M in net assets.Pt I

Founded
1992
Type
Public charity (501(c)(3)) · Civil Rights & Advocacy
Location
Arlington, VA
Website
www.spn.org
Filings
5 on file (2020–2020)
Revenue
$14.8MFY2020
Expenses
$12.3M
Net assets
$12.9M
People
17
Filings
5
Updates
0
More identity details & actions ⌄
EIN  57-0952531 Public charity (501(c)(3)) Arlington, VA Founded 1992
Form 990 (PDF)
You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →
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Figures match the IRS filing checked 8/9/26 · see original: IRS
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Size
$10–100M
What they do
Supports and connects a national network of state-level, independent think tanks to strengthen free-market policy movements through leadership training, collaboration, and organizational development.
Leadership
Tracie J Sharp · President and CEO · $375K
Money in and out
$14.8M revenue, $12.3M expenses
Bottom line
65% program efficiency
Where the money goes · FY2020
Total revenue
$14.8M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$12.3M
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$12.9M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expenses (Pt I · Ln 19): $2.5M
Where spending went · Part IX cols B–D
Program services $0.65 Management & general $0.20 Fundraising $0.15
Program efficiency
65%
of spending reaches programs
Operating runway
12.3mo
months of highly liquid reserves at operating expense rate
Surplus margin
+17%
revenue over expenses, this year

Summary of the Filing

Part I · fiscal year 2020 · Form 990
Revenue
$14.8M
FY2020
Expenses
$12.3M
FY2020
Total assets
$13.3M
FY2020
Total liabilities
$373K
FY2020
Total revenue
$14.8M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$12.3M
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$12.9M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expensesPt I · Ln 19$2.5M
Total assetsPt X · Ln 16$13.3M
Program-expense ratioPt IX · col B65%
Voting members of governing bodyPt I · Ln 39
Independent voting membersPt I · Ln 48
Mission & Programs · Part III

Where the work happens

3 program services account for $6.5M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2020.
01

State Policy Analysis and Education

Identify emerging and innovative solutions to state problems; work alongside think tanks to build momentum for wide-spread education about those solutions, and develop reform leaders. The goal of this project is to create a robust movement of leaders advancing free market ideas in the states.

$4.5Mprogram expense
02

Leadership Development Initiative

SPN'S leadership development initiative identifies and develops leaders, helping strengthen the network of SPN affiliates, and inspiring and training affiliates to educate citizens. SPN offers over 40 services to think tanks, like one-on-one evaluation and advising, retreats, knowledge and skills training, leadership mentoring, and peer…

$1.2Mprogram expense
03

Annual Meeting

In 2020, SPN'S annual meeting was hosted virtually and attracted more than 900 participants, representing think tanks from nearly all fifty states, as well as national research organizations and charitable foundations.

$783Kprogram expense

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Identity & Classification

Form 990 Header · IRS Business Master File
Legal nameHdr · item CState Policy Network
EINHdr · item D57-0952531
Principal addressHdr · item CArlington, VA
WebsiteHdr · item Jwww.spn.org
Year of formationHdr · item L1992
State of legal domicileHdr · item MVA
Exempt statusHdr · item I501(c)(3) · active
NTEE classificationIRS BMFCivil Rights & Advocacy (R02)
Ruling yearIRS BMFSep 1992

Governance & Policies

Part VI
Voting members of the governing bodyPt VI · Ln 1a9
Independent voting membersPt VI · Ln 1b8
Conflict-of-interest policyPt VI · Ln 12aYes
Whistleblower policyPt VI · Ln 13Yes
Document retention policyPt VI · Ln 14Yes
CEO/top-official compensation independently reviewedPt VI · Ln 15aYes
Family or business relationships among officers/directorsPt VI · Ln 2No

Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
President and CEO
$375,172Pt VII · Sec A
VP of Development
$215,224Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Vice President
$202,284Pt VII · Sec A
Senior Director of Events Strategy
$175,217Pt VII · Sec A
VP of Communications
$170,223Pt VII · Sec A
VP of Strategy
$148,245Pt VII · Sec A
VP of Leadership Development
$140,243Pt VII · Sec A
Senior Dir. of Policy Advancement
$135,211Pt VII · Sec A

Tracie J Sharp’s $471K as President and CEO is at the 88th percentile of top reported officer pay among 129 $10–100M civil rights & advocacy 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

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Tracie J Sharp$470,614$470,057$442,545$398,344$375,172
Rebecca Painter$300,388$285,331$265,350$250,422$215,224
Tony Woodlief$295,421$285,398$260,386$233,448$202,284
Emily McCallister$255,383$228,006
Carrie Conko$196,181$252,882$215,345$185,416$170,223
Kyle Hartz$244,098
Crystal Baker$215,321$194,553
Jennifer Thompson$200,321$190,673$151,847

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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Statement of Revenue

Part VIII
Contributions & grants$14.7M · 99%
Investment income$75K · 1%
Contributions & grants99%$14.7M
Investment income1%$75K
Program service revenue$16K
Total revenueLn 12$14.8M

Statement of Functional Expenses

Part IX · allocated across program, management, and fundraising
Allocation · columns B–D
Program services $0.65 Management & general $0.20 Fundraising $0.15
Program services65%$8.0M
Management & general20%$2.4M
Fundraising15%$1.9M
Total functional expensesLn 25$12.3M

Balance Sheet

Part X · end of year
CashLn 1$7.1M
Total assetsLn 16$13.3M
Total liabilitiesLn 26$373K
Total net assetsLn 32$12.9M
Months of cash on handcomputed6.9

Financial Metrics

Form 990 · FY2020 · each ratio shown with the dollars behind it
Liquidity & Payout
Operating runway
Highly liquid reserves $12.5M · Operating expenses (Pt IX) $12.3M · Less non-cash grants $39K · Cash operating expenses/yr $12.3M
12.3 months
Where the money goes
Program services
Program services $8.0M · Total expenses $12.3M
65%
Management & General
Management & general $2.4M · Total expenses $12.3M
20%
Fundraising
Fundraising $1.9M · Total expenses $12.3M
15%
Cost to raise $1
Fundraising expense $1.9M · Solicited contributions $14.7M
$0.13 to raise $1
Where the money comes from
Contribution dependence
Contributions & grants $14.7M · Total revenue $14.8M
99%
Government reliance
Government grants — · Total revenue $14.8M
Earned-income share
Program service revenue $16K · Total revenue $14.8M
0.1%
Investment reliance
Investment income $75K · Total revenue $14.8M
+0.5%
Program self-sufficiency
Program service revenue $16K · Total expenses $12.3M
0.1%
Growth & trend
Revenue growth (YoY)
This year $14.8M · Prior year —
No prior year on file
Net-asset trend (YoY)
End of year $12.9M · Beginning of year —
Beginning net assets not meaningfully positive — showing dollar change
Balance sheet
Surplus Margin
Revenue $14.8M · Expenses $12.3M
+17%
Liabilities-to-Assets
Total liabilities — · Total assets $13.3M
Net-asset ratio
Net assets $12.9M · Total assets $13.3M
97%
Marketable Investment Share
Publicly traded securities (Pt X, ln 11) $5.4M · Other securities (Pt X, ln 12) — · Total assets (Pt X, ln 16) $13.3M
41%
People & payroll
Highest Reported Total Compensation
Individual Tracie J Sharp · Reported title PRESIDENT AND CEO · Highest reported compensation $375K · Total expenses $12.3M
3%
Personnel share
Salaries, benefits & payroll (Pt IX 5-10) $4.3M · Total expenses $12.3M
35%
Fundraising vendors
Fundraiser cost ratio
Paid to fundraisers $104K · Gross raised $969K
11%
Peer comparison

Same NTEE category, revenue band, and state where available. Descriptive — not a grade.

MetricThis orgPeer medianPercentile
Program ratio 65%
Overhead ratio 20%
Fundraising cost ratio 13%
Investment management fee ratio 0.08%
Legal fee ratio 0.3%
Accounting fee ratio 0.9%
Fundraising fee ratio 0.8%

Straight from the Form 990 — descriptive, not an evaluation. A ratio is hidden when its base is zero or too small to be meaningful; the dollars are always shown.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
See all 6 funders →
Grants paid · 241 grants · $23.1M · 2020–2024
See all 241 grants →

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Filings & Schedule Manifest

Part IV
III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
FY2024 (Latest)$25.2M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2023$27.1M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2022$21.0M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2021$24.8M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2020$14.8M revenue · viewing · ⤓ 990 PDF

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Sources

Every figure above is drawn from these filings
Form 990 e-file (XML) · FY2020IRS
Classification, formation year, addressIRS Business Master File
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