How to Build Up INC

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How to Build up's (Build Up) global core team builds peace around the world by bringing together diverse skills: mediation, negotiation, facilitation, marketing, media, filmmaking, design, coding, data analysis, social media, and graphic recording.

Form 990 Part I, line 1, FY2025. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 83-1982842) · Dispute this line
501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
75¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 6 volunteers and 1 employee.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · 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 $42K 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
75%
of spending
75% of spending went to programs.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$196K
to officers and key staff · 8% of spending
Pay to officers and key staff is 8% of spending.
Part VII, Section A
1.0 mo
of spending, in cash
1.0 months of spending in cash.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $104K
2 funders name it on their filings.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$193K
23% of total assets
Liabilities are 23% of assets.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
5
of 6 voting members
5 of 6 voting members are independent.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Revenue
$2.5M
-37% vs prior year
Spent
$2.4M
To programs
75%
Net assets
$648K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$2.5M
FY2025▼ -37%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$876K
FY2021$808K
FY2022$1.2M
FY2023$1.6M
FY2024$4.0M
FY2025$2.5M
Expenses
$2.4M
FY2025▼ -35%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$819K
FY2021$1.0M
FY2022$1.3M
FY2023$1.5M
FY2024$3.7M
FY2025$2.4M
Net assets
$648K
FY2025▲ +25%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$454K
FY2021$232K
FY2022$170K
FY2023$220K
FY2024$518K
FY2025$648K

From the FY2025 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Apr 2019.

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

Where the money goes

75 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 75% · $1.8M Management & general 9% · $224K Fundraising 15% · $363K

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

7 people listed on the 990; $196K paid to officers and key staff (Part VII, Section A).

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
CEO/Consultant
$154,224Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer/Secretary/Consultant
$42,000Pt 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
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Helena Puig Larrauri’s $154K as CEO/Consultant is at the 48th percentile of top reported officer pay among 2832 $1–10M community development 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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Helena Puig Larrauri$154,224$90,720$58,492$108,000$111,000$101,491
Jerry McCann$42,000$47,400$32,000$16,000$39,391$23,015

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 How to Build Up INC 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

Uses digital tools to foster peace globally.

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3 programs · $1.7M · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

Our most significant area of programming in 2025 was focused on digital conflict. This work focuses on analyzing online factors contributing to conflicts, with a special focus on social media, and then identifying programming or policy entry points to address them.

Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2025. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 83-1982842) · Dispute this line
$885Kprogram expense
02

The next most significant portion of build up's work in 2025 was in the area of inclusive politics where we provided support to peacebuilding processes at the intersection of governance and democratization using participatory methodologies, digital technologies and peacebuilding expertise.

Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2025. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 83-1982842) · Dispute this line
$654Kprogram expense
03

Build up developed a substantial open source peacebuilding tool enabling peacebuilders to "listen" to social media and gain greater understandings of the attitudes and behaviors driving digital conflicts. This tool is referred to as phoenix and has become recognized and adopted by many in the peacebuilding field.

Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2025. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 83-1982842) · Dispute this line
$175Kprogram 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 · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$104K

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$2.5M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.5M
Investment incomeLn 3$1K
Money outPt IX
$2.4M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.8M
Managementcol C$224K
Fundraisingcol D$363K
Owns and owesPt X
$648K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$208K
Total assetsLn 16$841K
LiabilitiesLn 26$193K
PeoplePt VI, VII
7
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a6
IndependentVI 1b5
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.5M
Government grantsLn 1e$1.3M
Investment incomeLn 3$1K
Total revenueLn 12$2.5M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$2K
SavingsLn 2$206K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$208K
Pledges and grants receivableLn 3$632K
Total assetsLn 16$841K
LiabilitiesLn 26$193K
Net assetsLn 32$648K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 51
VolunteersI 66
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3More from this return
Abroad and in kindSch F, M
Grants to other countriesSch F Pt II–III$575K
4Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$267K$208K
Total assetsLn 16$711K$841K
LiabilitiesLn 26$192K$193K
Net assetsLn 32$518K$648K
5Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$575K$575K
Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Ln 5$196K$96K$39K$61K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$18K$2K$10K$6K
Payroll taxesLn 10$2K$263$1K$627
Legal feesLn 11b$4K$4K
Accounting feesLn 11c$29K$29K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1.1M$753K$107K$276K
Office expensesLn 13$17K$8K$8K$1K
Information technologyLn 14$75K$60K$15K
OccupancyLn 16$11K$10K$1K
TravelLn 17$273K$256K$17K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$54K$54K
InsuranceLn 23$140$140
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.4M$1.8M$224K$363K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS Jun 26, 2026 $2.5M$2.4M$129K$648K 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS Oct 27, 2025 $4.0M$3.7M$298K$518K 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Oct 1, 2024 $1.6M$1.5M$51K$220K 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Sep 13, 2023 $1.2M$1.3M−$62K$170K 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS May 19, 2022 $808K$1.0M−$223K$232K 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS Oct 6, 2021 $876K$819K$57K$454K 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

A · Public support B · Donors F · Foreign J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990
Part I · Summary $2,521,027 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $3,969,643$2,519,875
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $1,320$1,152
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $3,970,963$2,521,027
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $664,143$575,486
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $161,944$216,698
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $2,846,565$1,599,527
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $3,672,652$2,391,711
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $298,311$129,316
Part VI · Governance 5 of 6 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body6
VI-1b Independent voting members5
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 $2,521,027 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$1,316,433
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,203,442
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$2,519,875
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $1,152$1,152
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $1,152$2,521,027
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,391,711 across 13 lines filed
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $575,486$575,486
IX-5 Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Programs $96,150 · Management $39,245 · Fundraising $60,829$196,224
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $2,399 · Management $10,332 · Fundraising $5,720$18,451
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $263 · Management $1,133 · Fundraising $627$2,023
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $4,185$4,185
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $29,231$29,231
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $752,627 · Management $106,551 · Fundraising $276,319$1,135,497
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $7,909 · Management $7,627 · Fundraising $1,331$16,867
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $59,950 · Management $14,987$74,937
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $10,266 · Fundraising $1,141$11,407
IX-17 TravelPrograms $256,274 · Fundraising $16,833$273,107
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $54,156$54,156
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $140$140
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,805,214 · Management $223,697 · Fundraising $362,800$2,391,711
Part X · Balance sheet $840,650 assets, 10 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearing$2,369
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $266,655$205,811
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $444,189$632,470
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $710,844$840,650
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $22,045$70,042
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $170,312$122,805
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $192,357$192,847
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $518,487$647,803
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $518,487$647,803
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $710,844$840,650
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $647,803 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$2,521,027
XI-2 Total expenses$2,391,711
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$129,316
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$518,487
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$647,803

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

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