Open Library Foundation FY2019 filing

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The core mission of the Foundation is to assist and facilitate educational organizations, foundations, partnerships and commercial entities to collaborate to foster, develop and sustain Open technologies for innovation so as to support libraries, learning, research and teaching. The Foundation helps research, academic and public libraries.

Form 990 Part I, line 1, FY2019. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 81-4396672) · Dispute this line
501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
98¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

Before you give

FY2019 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
The IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
The latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $12K a year · 2% of revenue · last 6 filings
A surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
98%
of spending
98% of spending went to programs.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
2.6 mo
of spending, in cash
2.6 months of spending in cash.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $5K
1 funder names it on their filings.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
−$2K
-0.7% of total assets
Liabilities are -0.7% of assets.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 7 voting members
7 of 7 voting members are independent.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Revenue
$1.3M
+27% vs prior year
Spent
$1.5M
To programs
98%
Net assets
$322K
By yearFY2018–FY2025
Revenue
$1.3M
FY2019▲ +27%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2018$1.0M
FY2019$1.3M
FY2022$190K
FY2023$822K
FY2024$567K
FY2025$844K
Expenses
$1.5M
FY2019▲ +66%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2018$885K
FY2019$1.5M
FY2022$449K
FY2023$590K
FY2024$512K
FY2025$752K
Net assets
$322K
FY2019▼ -35%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2018$499K
FY2019$322K
FY2022$349K
FY2023$581K
FY2024$636K
FY2025$727K

From the FY2019 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

You’re viewing the FY2019 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Apr 2017.

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

Where the money goes

98 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 98% · $1.4M Management & general 2% · $35K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

11 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Asst. Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
See Open Library Foundation 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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Connects educational groups to build open technologies for libraries and learning.

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3 programs · $169K · in their own filed words · FY2019
01

Software Development Infrastruction

The foundation provides a sophisticated software development environment for our constituent project communities that include code repositories, software testing environments, support for specialist consulting, infrastructure for servers, network identity, software license compliance tools and structures, and other affordances to improve…

Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2019. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 81-4396672) · Dispute this line
$132Kprogram expense
02

Administrative Infrastruction & Community Formation

The foundation provides a legal, not-for-profit corporate structure to provide administrative functions to the foundation's component software development projects. This includes legal advising on licensing and intellectual property rights, banking and accounting functions, web presence and outreach, and meeting and event support.

Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2019. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 81-4396672) · Dispute this line
$32Kprogram expense
03

Collaborative Infrastructure

The foundation performs several services to support collaboration between institutions, library organizations, and library-technology vendors. These include web conferencing services, shared document storage, electronic mailing lists, user experience design software, and discussion boards.

Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2019. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 81-4396672) · Dispute this line
$5Kprogram expense

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 · FY2020
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$5K

By the numbers

The FY2019 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.3M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.3M
Other incomeLn 4–11$8K
Money outPt IX
$1.5M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.4M
Managementcol C$35K
Owns and owesPt X
$322K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$320K
Total assetsLn 16$320K
LiabilitiesLn 26−$2K
PeoplePt VI, VII
11
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.3M
Other incomeLn 4–11$8K
Total revenueLn 12$1.3M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$320K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$320K
Total assetsLn 16$320K
LiabilitiesLn 26−$2K
Net assetsLn 32$322K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 6150
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY19End FY19
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$500K$320K
Total assetsLn 16$500K$320K
LiabilitiesLn 26$130−$2K
Net assetsLn 32$499K$322K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Legal feesLn 11b$11K$8K$3K
Accounting feesLn 11c$14K$10K$3K
Office expensesLn 13$258$258
Information technologyLn 14$192K$172K$19K
TravelLn 17$9K$9K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$86K$78K$9K
InterestLn 20$222$222
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$1.2M$1.2M$1K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.5M$1.4M$35K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 LatestFiled with the IRS Jan 28, 2026 $844K$752K$91K$727K 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS Feb 6, 2025 $567K$512K$55K$636K 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS May 14, 2024 $822K$590K$232K$581K 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS May 11, 2023 $190K$449K−$259K$349K 990 PDF
FY2021 Not on file
FY2020 Not on file
FY2019 ViewingFiled with the IRS Mar 8, 2021 $1.3M$1.5M−$177K$322K 990 PDF
FY2018Filed with the IRS Mar 8, 2021 $1.0M$885K$130K$499K 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

A · Public support I · Grants O · Explanations
See the full FY2019 990
Part I · Summary $1,290,840 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $983,195$1,282,838
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $32,117$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$8,002
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,015,312$1,290,840
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 $0$0
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $884,861$1,467,995
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $884,861$1,467,995
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $130,451−$177,155
Part VI · Governance 7 of 7 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members7
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,290,840 across 4 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,282,838
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,282,838
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $8,002$8,002
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $8,002 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$1,290,840
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,467,995 across 8 lines filed
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $8,433 · Management $2,811$11,244
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $10,176 · Management $3,392$13,568
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $258$258
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $172,377 · Management $19,153$191,530
IX-17 TravelPrograms $9,037$9,037
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $77,754 · Management $8,639$86,393
IX-20 InterestPrograms $222$222
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,154,543 · Management $1,200$1,155,743
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,432,542 · Management $35,453 · Fundraising $0$1,467,995
Part X · Balance sheet $319,933 assets, 8 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $499,617$319,933
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $499,617$319,933
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $0$0
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $130−$2,399
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $130−$2,399
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $499,487$322,332
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $499,487$322,332
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $499,617$319,933
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $322,332 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,290,840
XI-2 Total expenses$1,467,995
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$177,155
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$499,487
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$322,332

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2019 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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