Heterodox Academy FY2023 filing

Claim this org

(tell your story, add context, and more)

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

To improve the quality of research and education in universities by increasing open inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and constructive disagreement.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
58¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$664K 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

FY2023 · 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
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $902K a year · 20% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
58%
of spending
Worth a look: 58% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$664K
to officers and key staff · 28% of spending
Worth a look: pay to officers and key staff is 28% of spending; over 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
12 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 12.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
25
named funders · $2.0M
Looks good: 25 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$637K
24% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 24% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
6
of 6 voting members
Looks good: 6 of 6 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$3.0M
-29% vs prior year
Spent
$2.4M
To programs
58%
Net assets
$2.0M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$3.0M
FY2023▼ -29%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$2.1M
FY2021$2.8M
FY2022$4.2M
FY2023$3.0M
FY2024$9.4M
FY2025$5.7M
Expenses
$2.4M
FY2023▼ -39%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$2.0M
FY2021$2.9M
FY2022$3.9M
FY2023$2.4M
FY2024$4.9M
FY2025$5.7M
Net assets
$2.0M
FY2023▲ +40%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$1.2M
FY2021$1.2M
FY2022$1.5M
FY2023$2.0M
FY2024$6.6M
FY2025$6.5M

From the FY2023 Form 990 (year ending August 2023) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim
You’re viewing the FY2023 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 Jul 2018.

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

Where the money goes

58 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 58% · $1.4M Management & general 23% · $557K Fundraising 19% · $445K

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

9 people listed on the 990; $664K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2022); the FY2023 filing did not itemize Part VII
Chief Executive Office
$466,321Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Programs
$117,292Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Director
$80,568Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer, Trustee
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Chair of the Board, Trustee
$0Pt VII · Sec A

John Tomasi’s $536K as President is at the 100th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3395 $1–10M education 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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
John Tomasi$535,630$482,922$466,321$82,302——
Michael Regnier$254,553$230,468$80,568———
Debra Mashek————$206,643$233,922
Manon Loustaunau———$155,536$135,559$71,254
Nicole Barbaro Simovski$139,923$146,384————
Martha McCaughey$125,774—————
Alexander R Arnold$119,680—————
Kyle Sebastian Vitale——$117,292———

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 Heterodox Academy 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

Promotes open inquiry, diverse viewpoints, and constructive disagreement to improve university research and education.

Questions for Heterodox Academy

Tap to ask. Heterodox Academy sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Heterodox Academy answers here, for everyone.

1 program · $1.4M · in their own filed words · FY2022
01

Costs associated with increasing public awareness, providing tools and resources, and supporting communities of practice that advance open inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and constructive disagreement on college and university campuses.

$1.4Mprogram 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
See all 25 funders →
Grants paid · 16 grants · $271K · 2020–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$23,048
Unitemized GrantFY2023$35,842
Unitemized GrantFY2023$7,200
Unitemized GrantFY2022$6,178
Urban Rural ActionDC · FY2021$26,397
University of DelawareDE · FY2021$22,319
Brigham Young UniversityUT · FY2021$20,166
Unitemized GrantFY2021$18,156
Bradley Study CenterVA · FY2021$15,325
Trinity UniversityTX · FY2021$15,100
Let Grow INCNY · FY2021$8,310
Unitemized GrantFY2020$15,980

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$3.0M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$3.0M
Investment incomeLn 3$9K
Other incomeLn 4–11$7K
Money outPt IX
$2.4M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.4M
Managementcol C$557K
Fundraisingcol D$445K
Owns and owesPt X
$2.0M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.5M
Total assetsLn 16$2.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$637K
PeoplePt VI, VII
9
listed · VII A
PaidVII A3
Voting boardVI 1a6
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$3.0M
Investment incomeLn 3$9K
Other incomeLn 4–11$7K
Total revenueLn 12$3.0M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.9M
SavingsLn 2$563K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$2.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1K
Other assetsLn 15$25K
Total assetsLn 16$2.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$637K
Net assetsLn 32$2.0M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 524
VolunteersI 6222
Fiscal year endsHeaderAugust
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 FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.3M$2.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$6K$1K
Total assetsLn 16$1.6M$2.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$188K$637K
Net assetsLn 32$1.5M$2.0M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$6K$6K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$609K$378K$110K$122K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$681K$422K$123K$136K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$2K$1K$350$389
Other employee benefitsLn 9$129K$80K$23K$26K
Payroll taxesLn 10$95K$59K$17K$19K
Legal feesLn 11b$13K$13K
Accounting feesLn 11c$114K$114K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$276K$173K$44K$60K
Office expensesLn 13$128K$78K$23K$27K
Information technologyLn 14$186K$115K$33K$37K
OccupancyLn 16$44K$27K$8K$9K
TravelLn 17$42K$26K$8K$8K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$4K$4K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$4K$4K
InsuranceLn 23$37K$37K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$20K$20K
All other expensesLn 24e$6K$4K$1K$1K
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.4M$1.4M$557K$445K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 LatestFiled with the IRS Jul 15, 2026 $5.7M$5.7M−$56K$6.5M 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS Jul 15, 2025 $9.4M$4.9M$4.5M$6.6M 990 PDF
FY2023 ViewingFiled with the IRS Jul 15, 2024 $3.0M$2.4M$585K$2.0M 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Jul 17, 2023 $4.2M$3.9M$257K$1.5M 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Jul 11, 2022 $2.8M$2.9M−$27K$1.2M 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS Jul 14, 2021 $2.1M$2.0M$141K$1.2M 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $2,980,573 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $4,145,007$2,964,256
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $141$9,010
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $28,229$7,307
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $4,173,377$2,980,573
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $276,251$6,178
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,874,329$1,515,885
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,766,061$873,606
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $3,916,641$2,395,669
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $256,736$584,904
Part VI · Governance 6 of 6 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body6
VI-1b Independent voting members6
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 $2,980,573 across 4 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $7,307 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$2,964,256
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$2,964,256
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $9,010$9,010
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $7,307 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $9,010$2,980,573
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,395,669 across 18 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $6,178$6,178
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $377,599 · Management $109,625 · Fundraising $121,805$609,029
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $422,411 · Management $122,636 · Fundraising $136,262$681,309
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $1,205 · Management $350 · Fundraising $389$1,944
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $79,984 · Management $23,221 · Fundraising $25,802$129,007
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $58,650 · Management $17,027 · Fundraising $18,919$94,596
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $12,591$12,591
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $113,700$113,700
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $172,994 · Management $43,560 · Fundraising $59,614$276,168
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $78,346 · Management $22,746 · Fundraising $26,932$128,024
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $115,224 · Management $33,452 · Fundraising $37,169$185,845
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $27,057 · Management $7,855 · Fundraising $8,728$43,640
IX-17 TravelPrograms $26,213 · Management $7,610 · Fundraising $8,456$42,279
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $3,726$3,726
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $4,217$4,217
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $37,284$37,284
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $20,287$20,287
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $3,623 · Management $1,053 · Fundraising $1,169$5,845
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,393,497 · Management $556,927 · Fundraising $445,245$2,395,669
Part X · Balance sheet $2,673,674 assets, 14 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $736,124$1,916,759
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $554,911$563,071
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $320,000$73,510
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $23,181$94,005
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $5,568$1,351
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $0$24,978
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,639,784$2,673,674
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $22,059$135,784
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $165,825$501,086
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $187,884$636,870
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $739,431$1,463,047
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $712,469$573,757
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,451,900$2,036,804
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,639,784$2,673,674
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $2,036,804 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$2,980,573
XI-2 Total expenses$2,395,669
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$584,904
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,451,900
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$2,036,804

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 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.