Beneficent Technology INC FY2020 filing

Tax-deductible

Palo Alto, CA501(c)(3)Since 2000Human ServicesEIN 77-0555413Revenue $15.5M in FY2020

On file with the IRSbenetech.org3790 El Camino Real Suite 1072, 94306-3314 · Palo Alto, CATax-exempt since Apr 2001Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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Benetech is a nonprofit that empowers communities with software for social good.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
83¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$2.2M 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 deficit $86K a year · under 1% 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
83%
of spending
Looks good: 83% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$2.2M
to officers and key staff · 14% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 14% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 3.2 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $75K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$4.1M
56% of total assets
Fine: liabilities are 56% of assets; 50% to 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 9 voting members
Looks good: 7 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
$15.5M
Spent
$15.3M
To programs
83%
Net assets
$3.2M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$15.5M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$15.5M
FY2021$16.1M
FY2022$16.1M
FY2023$10.9M
FY2024$12.7M
Expenses
$15.3M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$15.3M
FY2021$14.6M
FY2022$16.3M
FY2023$14.0M
FY2024$11.4M
Net assets
$3.2M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$3.2M
FY2021$4.4M
FY2022$4.2M
FY2023$1.1M
FY2024$2.4M

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 Apr 2001.

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

Where the money goes

83 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 83% · $12.7M Management & general 17% · $2.6M Fundraising 0% · $61K

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

21 people listed on the 990; $2.2M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$295,233Pt VII · Sec A
$243,780Pt VII · Sec A
$212,738Pt VII · Sec A
VP HR & Admin
$190,171Pt VII · Sec A
Engineering Director
$180,275Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Ops
$178,938Pt VII · Sec A
VP Marketing & Communicati
$173,312Pt VII · Sec A
VP Benetech Labs
$167,974Pt VII · Sec A

Ayan Kishore’s $319K as Chief Executive Officer is at the 79th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3122 $10–100M human services 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
Ayan Kishore$318,907$302,254$320,000$25,833—
Elizabeth Beaumon———$118,382$295,233
James R Fruchterman——$285,352$243,640$243,780
Bradley Turner———$255,799$212,738
Jane Poole———$241,174$190,171
Matthew Yip$219,490$157,125———
David Murphy——$147,735$217,214$180,275
Joel Riciputi——$191,837$216,014$173,312

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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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

Builds software to help communities achieve social good.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $12.7M · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Education

Our work in education is focused on one big thing: making learning inclusive for everyone around the world. We provide books to people with reading barriers through bookshare, the world's largest accessible online library; we run diagram, an R&D center that creates new ways for people who learn differently to access books, math, images…

$11.0Mprogram expense
02

Poverty

Inequity demands social action. Lack of access to education, employment, health, housing, and justice hinders human progress. We're driven to level the playing field by providing collaborative software platforms.

$1.1Mprogram expense
03

Human Rights

Our human rights work empowers rights defenders around the world to pursue truth and justice. Benetech is using ethical ai to efficiently analyze the huge amount of digital evidence coming out of global conflicts, data that can be used by rights organizations as actionable evidence to pursue justice.

$544Kprogram 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
Kla FoundationFY2025$75K
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$75K
Grants paid · 2 grants · $2.4M · 2022–2023
Technology MattersCA · FY2023$2,368,043
SjacDC · FY2022$20,000

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$15.5M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$14.6M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$923K
Investment incomeLn 3$7K
Money outPt IX
$15.3M
Ln 25
Programscol B$12.7M
Managementcol C$2.6M
Fundraisingcol D$61K
Owns and owesPt X
$3.2M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$4.0M
Total assetsLn 16$7.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$4.1M
PeoplePt VI, VII
21
listed · VII A
PaidVII A12
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$14.6M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$923K
Investment incomeLn 3$7K
Total revenueLn 12$15.5M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$3.2M
SavingsLn 2$851K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$4.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$68K
Other assetsLn 15$311K
Total assetsLn 16$7.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$4.1M
Net assetsLn 32$3.2M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5106
VolunteersI 665
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$2.3M$4.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$92K$68K
Total assetsLn 16$5.2M$7.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.2M$4.1M
Net assetsLn 32$3.0M$3.2M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$1.4M$726K$679K$5K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$4.9M$4.2M$623K$22K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$105K$91K$13K$469
Other employee benefitsLn 9$2.5M$2.2M$318K$11K
Office expensesLn 13$142K$129K$12K
TravelLn 17$87K$88K−$621
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$87K$83K$3K$39
InterestLn 20$11K$11K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$69K$56K$13K$425
InsuranceLn 23$24K$24K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$5.9M$5.0M$830K$21K
All other expensesLn 24e$125K$76K$49K$340
Total functional expensesLn 25$15.3M$12.7M$2.6M$61K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $12.7M$11.4M$1.3M$2.4M 990 PDF
FY2023 $10.9M$14.0M−$3.1M$1.1M 990 PDF
FY2022 $16.1M$16.3M−$192K$4.2M 990 PDF
FY2021 $16.1M$14.6M$1.4M$4.4M 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $15.5M$15.3M$182K$3.2M 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 FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $15,504,546 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $12,757,890$14,574,654
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $2,039,375$922,817
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $18,147$7,075
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $14,815,412$15,504,546
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $8,299,339$8,900,685
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $6,472,292$6,422,323
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $14,771,631$15,323,008
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $43,781$181,538
Part VI · Governance 7 of 9 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body9
VI-1b Independent voting members7
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 $15,504,546 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$14,574,654
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$14,574,654
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $922,817$922,817
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $7,075$7,075
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $922,817 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $7,075$15,504,546
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $15,323,008 across 12 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $726,316 · Management $679,126 · Fundraising $5,495$1,410,937
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $4,245,347 · Management $623,187 · Fundraising $21,901$4,890,435
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $90,857 · Management $13,337 · Fundraising $469$104,663
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $2,165,585 · Management $317,893 · Fundraising $11,172$2,494,650
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $129,414 · Management $12,302$141,716
IX-17 TravelPrograms $87,555 · Management −$621$86,934
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $83,287 · Management $3,371 · Fundraising $39$86,697
IX-20 InterestManagement $10,566$10,566
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $55,516 · Management $13,247 · Fundraising $425$69,188
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $23,832$23,832
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $5,027,562 · Management $829,690 · Fundraising $20,864$5,878,116
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $76,168 · Management $48,766 · Fundraising $340$125,274
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $12,687,607 · Management $2,574,696 · Fundraising $60,705$15,323,008
Part X · Balance sheet $7,372,573 assets, 17 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,335,094$3,182,819
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $982,681$850,509
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $2,045,511$2,727,094
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $416,545$231,701
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $705$1,438
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $92,288$67,885
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $44,785$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $315,643$311,127
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $5,233,252$7,372,573
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,478,001$1,874,916
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $260,655$243,189
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $450,000$2,028,334
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $2,188,656$4,146,439
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $808,715−$109,656
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $2,235,881$3,335,790
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $3,044,596$3,226,134
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $5,233,252$7,372,573
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $3,226,134 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$15,504,546
XI-2 Total expenses$15,323,008
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$181,538
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$3,044,596
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$3,226,134

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

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