Leadership Now Project

Washington, DCUnknown exempt organization EIN 82-1780610Revenue $4.6M in FY2024Latest return filed Oct 23, 2025

On file with the IRSleadershipnowproject.org1401 K Street Nw 900 · Washington, DC

Claim this org

(tell your story, add context, and more) Claim it free, then get the verified mark for $2,500 a year, plus $10 a year for the ID check.

How does your 990 look to donors? Take the 10-Question Audit

See part III, line 1.

95¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 150 volunteers and 18 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2024 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
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
2 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $39K a year · 1% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
95%
of spending
Looks good: 95% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.5M
to officers and key staff · 32% of spending
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 32% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
1 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.4 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
5
named funders · $1.6M
Looks good: 5 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$555K
84% of total assets
Concern: liabilities are 84% of assets; over 80%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
2
of 3 voting members
Looks good: 2 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
$4.6M
+24% vs prior year
Spent
$4.7M
To programs
95%
Net assets
$102K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$4.6M
FY2024▲ +24%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.4M
FY2021$2.4M
FY2022$3.3M
FY2023$3.7M
FY2024$4.6M
Expenses
$4.7M
FY2024▲ +21%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$1.4M
FY2021$2.0M
FY2022$3.5M
FY2023$3.9M
FY2024$4.7M
Net assets
$102K
FY2024▼ -60%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$365K
FY2021$679K
FY2022$469K
FY2023$256K
FY2024$102K

From the FY2024 Form 990 · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024.

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

Where the money goes

95 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 95% · $4.5M Management & general 5% · $223K Fundraising 1% · $30K

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

10 people listed on the 990; $1.5M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$297,076Pt VII · Sec A
Cgo (until 9/13/2024)
$228,506Pt VII · Sec A
Chief of Staff
$198,163Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Innovation
$187,902Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Operations
$165,175Pt VII · Sec A
Managing Director (until 10/18/2024)
$160,618Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Membership Growth & Ops
$144,297Pt VII · Sec A
Impact Manager
$115,577Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Daniella Ballou-Aares$297,076$297,982$287,375$254,769$227,083
Chava Kallberg$228,506$262,337———
Lela Brodsky$198,163$201,353$108,608——
Meghann Curtis———$24,077$194,811
Suraj Patel——$194,018$157,758—
Marjorie Clifton——$189,112——
Daniel Selz$187,902$187,426———
Marie Adrian$165,175————

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 Leadership Now Project 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 15aYes

Programs and updates

Leadership Now Project is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, DC.

Questions for Leadership Now Project

Tap to ask. Leadership Now Project sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Leadership Now Project answers here, for everyone.

3 programs · $4.4M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Enabling leadership now members to engage in democracy-supporting activities:leadership now project empowers its members to strategically use their expertise, influence, and investment to protect and renew democracy at the state and federal levels.

$2.0Mprogram expense
02

Informing the business community on U.S. Political risks and threats to democracy through expert analysis and academic partnership:leadership now project has leveraged our platform to engage and educate business leaders on key policy issues that strengthen democracy, such as building trust in democratic institutions, protecting…

$1.8Mprogram expense
03

Candidates to Watch

Leadership now project members continued their efforts to identify and highlight highly qualified candidates committed to upholding democratic principles. Through a rigorous and collaborative process, members reviewed and analyzed candidate recommendations, using a scoring system to assess qualifications, experience, and alignment with…

$559Kprogram 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
Hopewell FundFY2024$1.3M
Total grants receivedfrom 5 funders$1.6M
See all 5 funders →
Grants paid · 2 grants · $213K · 2022–2024
Project DemocracyFY2024$183,200
Trustees of Tufts CollegeMA · FY2022$30,000

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$4.6M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.6M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$2.0M
Other incomeLn 4–11$4K
Money outPt IX
$4.7M
Ln 25
Programscol B$4.5M
Managementcol C$223K
Fundraisingcol D$30K
Owns and owesPt X
$102K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$560K
Total assetsLn 16$657K
LiabilitiesLn 26$555K
PeoplePt VI, VII
10
listed · VII A
PaidVII A8
Voting boardVI 1a3
IndependentVI 1b2
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.6M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$2.0M
Other incomeLn 4–11$4K
Total revenueLn 12$4.6M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$560K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$560K
Other assetsLn 15$3K
Total assetsLn 16$657K
LiabilitiesLn 26$555K
Net assetsLn 32$102K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 518
VolunteersI 6150
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$422K$560K
Total assetsLn 16$735K$657K
LiabilitiesLn 26$480K$555K
Net assetsLn 32$256K$102K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$191K$191K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$769K$574K$181K$15K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.3M$1.0M$331K$5K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$45K$34K$12K$91
Other employee benefitsLn 9$93K$71K$21K$884
Payroll taxesLn 10$147K$116K$30K$1K
Legal feesLn 11b$33K$33K
Accounting feesLn 11c$135K$135K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1.3M$1.2M$58K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$218K$217K$315
Office expensesLn 13$11K$8K$3K
Information technologyLn 14$47K$11K$36K
OccupancyLn 16$64K$64K
TravelLn 17$80K$70K$10K$15
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$138K$134K$4K$29
InsuranceLn 23$3K$3K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$91K$783K−$699K$8K
All other expensesLn 24e$9K$7K$2K$67
Total functional expensesLn 25$4.7M$4.5M$223K$30K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS Oct 23, 2025 $4.6M$4.7M−$154K$102K 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Nov 7, 2024 $3.7M$3.9M−$214K$256K 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Nov 14, 2023 $3.3M$3.5M−$209K$469K 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Nov 11, 2022 $2.4M$2.0M$314K$679K 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS Nov 15, 2021 $1.4M$1.4M$66K$365K 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $4,555,748 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $2,038,450$2,561,140
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $1,645,230$1,990,530
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $59$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$4,078
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $3,683,739$4,555,748
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $3,500$190,700
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $2,155,893$2,397,518
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,737,878$2,121,185
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $3,897,271$4,709,403
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$213,532−$153,655
Part VI · Governance 2 of 3 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body3
VI-1b Independent voting members2
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $4,555,748 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$2,561,140
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$2,561,140
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $1,990,530$1,990,530
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $4,078$4,078
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $1,990,530 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $4,078$4,555,748
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $4,709,403 across 18 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $190,700$190,700
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $573,656 · Management $180,567 · Fundraising $14,670$768,893
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,007,149 · Management $330,860 · Fundraising $5,065$1,343,074
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $33,710 · Management $11,627 · Fundraising $91$45,428
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $71,170 · Management $21,163 · Fundraising $884$93,217
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $115,798 · Management $29,688 · Fundraising $1,420$146,906
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $33,487$33,487
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $135,172$135,172
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $1,233,166 · Management $57,662$1,290,828
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $217,380 · Management $315$217,695
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $7,737 · Management $3,072$10,809
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $11,014 · Management $36,464$47,478
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $63,795$63,795
IX-17 TravelPrograms $70,469 · Management $9,844 · Fundraising $15$80,328
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $134,315 · Management $3,870 · Fundraising $29$138,214
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $2,762$2,762
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $782,776 · Management −$699,303 · Fundraising $7,855$91,328
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $7,478 · Management $1,744 · Fundraising $67$9,289
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $4,456,518 · Management $222,789 · Fundraising $30,096$4,709,403
Part X · Balance sheet $657,211 assets, 12 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $422,390$559,914
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $303,419$79,187
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $9,572$14,754
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $0$3,356
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $735,381$657,211
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $288,673$362,597
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $191,077$192,637
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $479,750$555,234
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year −$279,075−$309,597
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $534,706$411,574
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $255,631$101,977
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $735,381$657,211
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $101,977 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$4,555,748
XI-2 Total expenses$4,709,403
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$153,655
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$255,631
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$101,977

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 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.

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.