Our mission is to educate, advocate and organize for a more just and sustainable local economy that works for all in Western North Carolina.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
73¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 100 volunteers and 12 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · 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 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $17K a year · 5% 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
73%
of spending
Fine: 73% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$79K
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: 4.5 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $1K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$11K
7% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 7% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
9
of 9 voting members
Looks good: 9 of 9 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$412K
-7% vs prior year
Spent
$424K
To programs
73%
Net assets
$148K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$412K
FY2025▼ -7%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$176K
FY2021$282K
FY2022$295K
FY2023$258K
FY2024$442K
FY2025$412K
Expenses
$424K
FY2025▲ +26%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020Not on file
FY2021$230K
FY2022$279K
FY2023$333K
FY2024$336K
FY2025$424K
Net assets
$148K
FY2025▼ -7%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$61K
FY2021$113K
FY2022$128K
FY2023$54K
FY2024$160K
FY2025$148K

From the FY2025 Form 990 · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jul 2002.

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

Where the money goes

73 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 73% · $311K Management & general 12% · $51K Fundraising 15% · $62K

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

10 people listed on the 990; $79K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$78,920Pt VII · Sec A
Board Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Vice-Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Vicki Meath’s $79K as Executive Director is at the 55th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1709 $100K–1M community development 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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Vicki Meath$78,920$73,343$68,312$65,974$54,256$52,152
Whitley English—$600————

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 Just Economics 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

Promotes a fair and sustainable local economy for everyone in Western North Carolina.

Questions for Just Economics

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Your first name shows with your question. Just Economics answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $311K · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

In 2025, Just Economics

- Successfully advocated for higher wages for the lowest paid workers at the City of Asheville - Graduated a virtual class and in person class of Voices for Economic Justice - Facilitated 4 Poverty Simulations - Certified 30 employers new to the Living Wage Certification program and secured $346,000 in raises given to meet our living…

$311Kprogram expense
02

- Hosted employer networking events and certified the first employer in Western North Carolina to be dual certified by both Just Economics and Living Wage for US - Co-led the Buncombe Affordable Housing Network - Engaged in statewide disaster recovery efforts and engaged in the Buncombe County Long Term Recovery group, with our Executive…

Pt IX · col B
03

- Led Asheville Regional Transit Coalitions

Hosted a screening of the film Partners, led the WNC Workers Assembly and helped to coordinate a large May Day event in Asheville - Successfully advocated for the City of Brevard to raise their lowest paid staff to the latest living wage rate, launched the state of work survey in Transylvania County, partnered with Sparkpoint and led the…

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 · funders on record
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$1K

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$412K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$403K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$8K
Investment incomeLn 3$3K
Money outPt IX
$424K
Ln 25
Programscol B$311K
Managementcol C$51K
Fundraisingcol D$62K
Owns and owesPt X
$148K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$159K
Total assetsLn 16$159K
LiabilitiesLn 26$11K
PeoplePt VI, VII
10
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b9
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$403K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$2K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$484
Fees for servicesLn 2g$8K
Investment incomeLn 3$3K
Total revenueLn 12$412K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$61K
SavingsLn 2$98K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$159K
Total assetsLn 16$159K
LiabilitiesLn 26$11K
Net assetsLn 32$148K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 512
VolunteersI 6100
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$176K$159K
Total assetsLn 16$176K$159K
LiabilitiesLn 26$16K$11K
Net assetsLn 32$160K$148K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$79K$59K$8K$12K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$262K$196K$26K$39K
Payroll taxesLn 10$26K$20K$3K$4K
Accounting feesLn 11c$6K$0$6K$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$4K$3K$775$0
Office expensesLn 13$9K$6K$1K$2K
Information technologyLn 14$3K$2K$324$486
OccupancyLn 16$16K$12K$2K$2K
TravelLn 17$674$674$0$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$1K$711$711$0
InsuranceLn 23$4K$0$4K$0
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$13K$12K$0$2K
Total functional expensesLn 25$424K$311K$51K$62K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $412K$424K−$12K$148K 990 PDF
FY2024 $442K$336K$106K$160K 990 PDF
FY2023 $258K$333K−$74K$54K 990 PDF
FY2022 $295K$279K$15K$128K 990 PDF
FY2021 $282K$230K$51K$113K 990 PDF
FY2020 $176K$61K 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 FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $412,266 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $425,352$402,796
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $14,991$8,245
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $1,651$3,179
I-11 Other revenue−$1,954
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $441,994$412,266
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $282,669$366,835
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $53,162$56,968
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $335,831$423,803
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $106,163−$11,537
Part VI · Governance 9 of 9 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body9
VI-1b Independent voting members9
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 $412,266 across 9 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for −$324 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1b Membership dues$4,572
VIII-1c Fundraising events$484
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$397,740
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$2,375
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$402,796
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$8,245
VIII-3 Investment incomeUnrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $3,179$3,179
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsUnrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax −$1,630−$1,630
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $8,245 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $1,225$412,266
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $423,803 across 12 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $59,190 · Management $7,892 · Fundraising $11,838$78,920
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $196,385 · Management $26,185 · Fundraising $39,276$261,846
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $19,552 · Management $2,607 · Fundraising $3,910$26,069
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $0 · Management $5,972 · Fundraising $0$5,972
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $3,095 · Management $775 · Fundraising $0$3,870
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $5,513 · Management $1,126 · Fundraising $2,062$8,701
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $2,429 · Management $324 · Fundraising $486$3,239
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $11,816 · Management $1,575 · Fundraising $2,364$15,755
IX-17 TravelPrograms $674 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$674
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $711 · Management $711 · Fundraising $0$1,422
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $0 · Management $3,847 · Fundraising $0$3,847
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $11,842 · Management $0 · Fundraising $1,646$13,488
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $311,207 · Management $51,014 · Fundraising $61,582$423,803
Part X · Balance sheet $159,038 assets, 8 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearing$61,197
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $175,528$97,841
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $175,528$159,038
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $15,805$10,852
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $15,805$10,852
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $159,723$148,186
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $159,723$148,186
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $175,528$159,038
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $148,186 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$412,266
XI-2 Total expenses$423,803
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$11,537
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$159,723
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$148,186

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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