Onward Together

Not tax-deductible

New York, NY501(c)(4)Civil Rights & AdvocacyEIN 82-1291110Revenue $682K in FY2025

On file with the IRSonwardtogether.orgPo Box 5256, 10185-5256 · New York, NYTax-exempt since May 2018

Tell your story. Claim this org

by Encouraging PEOPLE to organize, get involved, and run for office,Onward Together will advance progressive values and work to build a brighter future for generations to come.

43¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Programs: Part IX

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(4)
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
No
Donations are not tax-deductible
Worth a look: the IRS does not list 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
2 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $244K a year · 12% of revenue · last 6 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
43%
of spending
Concern: 43% of spending went to programs; under 50%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Cash reserves
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 2.5 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
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
$68K
4% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 4% 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
$682K
-55% vs prior year
Spent
$1.3M
To programs
43%
Net assets
$1.6M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$682K
FY2025▼ -55%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$2.6M
FY2021$3.1M
FY2022$2.6M
FY2023$2.1M
FY2024$1.5M
FY2025$682K
Expenses
$1.3M
FY2025▼ -25%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$3.1M
FY2021$3.0M
FY2022$2.9M
FY2023$2.1M
FY2024$1.7M
FY2025$1.3M
Net assets
$1.6M
FY2025▼ -27%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$2.6M
FY2021$2.6M
FY2022$2.2M
FY2023$2.2M
FY2024$2.2M
FY2025$1.6M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending March 2025) · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in May 2018.

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

Where the money goes

43 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 43% · $548K Management & general 32% · $401K Fundraising 25% · $323K

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

Something off? Claim to fix it

Who runs it and what they're paid

3 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Director/President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director/Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Dennis Cheng’s $93K as Dir/Finance Resigned Nov23 is at the 70th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1032 $100K–1M 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 · 5 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Dennis Cheng$93,333$150,000$120,000——
Jessica Wen—$65,000$120,000$120,000$75,000
Dennis W Cheng———$120,000$120,000
Huma M Abedin$67,500$90,000$90,000$118,500$75,750
Kelly J Mehlenbacher————$56,667

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 Onward Together executive salaries →

On this list? Claim this org

Something off? Claim to fix it

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

Empowering people to organize, get involved, and run for office to advance progressive values.

Questions for Onward Together

Tap to ask. Onward Together sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Onward Together answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

Know this org? Add your story

1 program · $548K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Encouraging people to organize, get involved, and run for office in order to advance progressive values and work to build a brighter future for generations to come.

$548Kprogram 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 · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$75K
Grants paid · 76 grants · $3.7M · 2019–2024
WnetNY · FY2024$50,000
Onward Together FoundationNY · FY2024$42,689
Arkansas Values INCAR · FY2024$30,000
Global Fairness InitiativeDC · FY2024$25,000
Sixteen Thirty FundDC · FY2024$20,000
Together SfCA · FY2023$250,000
The Representation ProjectCA · FY2023$50,000
Human Rights Watch INCNY · FY2023$50,000
Onward Together FoundationNY · FY2023$47,272
The Climate CenterCA · FY2023$25,000
Arkansas Values INCAR · FY2023$25,000
Climate Emergency FundCA · FY2022$200,000
The Representation ProjectCA · FY2022$50,000
Human Rights Watch INCNY · FY2022$50,000
Onward Together FoundationNY · FY2022$26,419
Nextgen Climate America INCCA · FY2022$25,000
See all 76 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$682K
Ln 12
Other incomeLn 4–11$317K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$280K
Investment incomeLn 3$84K
Money outPt IX
$1.3M
Ln 25
Programscol B$548K
Managementcol C$401K
Fundraisingcol D$323K
Owns and owesPt X
$1.6M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$261K
Total assetsLn 16$1.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$68K
PeoplePt VI, VII
3
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a3
IndependentVI 1b3
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$280K
Investment incomeLn 3$84K
Other incomeLn 4–11$317K
Gains on assetsLn 7$26K
Total revenueLn 12$682K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$251K
SavingsLn 2$10K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$261K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.2M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Other assetsLn 15$797
Total assetsLn 16$1.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$68K
Net assetsLn 32$1.6M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 59
Fiscal year endsHeaderMarch
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$264K$261K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.8M$1.2M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0$0
Total assetsLn 16$2.2M$1.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$59K$68K
Net assetsLn 32$2.2M$1.6M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$168K$168K
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$0
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$154K$154K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$36K$36K
Payroll taxesLn 10$13K$13K
Management feesLn 11a$38K$38K
Legal feesLn 11b$6K$1K$5K
Accounting feesLn 11c$236K$3K$233K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$475K$106K$120K$249K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$0
Office expensesLn 13$37K$10K$21K$6K
Information technologyLn 14$0
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$4K$4K
TravelLn 17$5K$5K
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$12K$10K$2K
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$4K$4K
InsuranceLn 23$0
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$84K$608$20K$63K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.3M$548K$401K$323K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $682K$1.3M−$591K$1.6M 990 PDF
FY2024 $1.5M$1.7M−$179K$2.2M 990 PDF
FY2023 $2.1M$2.1M$69K$2.2M 990 PDF
FY2022 $2.6M$2.9M−$320K$2.2M 990 PDF
FY2021 $3.1M$3.0M$77K$2.6M 990 PDF
FY2020 $2.6M$3.1M−$522K$2.6M 990 PDF

More to add? Claim this org

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 FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $681,759 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,083,843$279,916
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $66,019$84,360
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $367,281$317,483
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,517,143$681,759
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $457,272$167,689
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $275,107$203,311
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $963,329$901,376
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,695,708$1,272,376
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$178,565−$590,617
Part VI · Governance 3 of 3 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body3
VI-1b Independent voting members3
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
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $681,759 across 10 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $67,357 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1d Related organizations$75,000
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$204,916
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$279,916
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $58,089$58,089
VIII-5 RoyaltiesExcluded from tax $188,394$188,394
VIII-6 Net rental income or loss$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $26,271$26,271
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $61,732$61,732
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $129,089 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $272,754$681,759
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,272,376 across 30 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $167,689$167,689
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staff$0
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $154,225$154,225
IX-8 Pension plan contributions$0
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $35,895$35,895
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $13,191$13,191
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $38,118$38,118
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $1,415 · Fundraising $4,847$6,262
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $2,700 · Management $232,842$235,542
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11e Professional fundraising fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $106,004 · Management $120,000 · Fundraising $249,174$475,178
IX-12 Advertising and promotion$0
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $10,354 · Management $20,669 · Fundraising $5,842$36,865
IX-14 Information technology$0
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $4,493$4,493
IX-17 TravelPrograms $5,457$5,457
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $9,589 · Management $2,297$11,886
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $4,014$4,014
IX-23 Insurance$0
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $608 · Management $19,711 · Fundraising $63,242$83,561
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $547,844 · Management $401,427 · Fundraising $323,105$1,272,376
Part X · Balance sheet $1,660,959 assets, 24 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $242,519$251,314
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $21,702$9,633
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $5,454$6,373
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $80,490$63,442
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $32,632$16,781
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $0$105,735
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $0$0
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $1,808,959$1,176,641
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $0$0
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $0$0
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $34,257$30,243
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $4,600$797
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $2,230,613$1,660,959
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $55,029$66,920
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $0$0
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $0$0
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $0$0
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $3,876$1,405
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $58,905$68,325
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $2,171,708$1,592,634
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $0$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $2,171,708$1,592,634
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $2,230,613$1,660,959
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,592,634 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$681,759
XI-2 Total expenses$1,272,376
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$590,617
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$2,171,708
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$11,543
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,592,634

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

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

Your org? Add context

Made it to the end? Claim this org

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.