Lever for Change

Tax-deductible

Chicago, IL501(c)(3)Since 2019Foundations & GrantmakersEIN 83-3044655Revenue $12.2M in FY2024

On file with the IRSleverforchange.org140 S Dearborn St Ste 705, 60603-5207 · Chicago, ILTax-exempt since Jul 2019Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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Our mission is to unlock significant philanthropic capital and accelerate social Change around the world's most pressing challenges. Lever for Change helps philanthropists source vetted, high-impact opportunities in two ways: by designing and managing customized competitions and by matching them with the top vetted proposals from all of its competitions in the bold solutions network, a searchable online database.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
82¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 286 volunteers.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2024 · 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
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 $1.7M a year · 27% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
82%
of spending
Looks good: 82% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Cash reserves
15 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 14.8 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
5
named funders · $2.7M
Looks good: 5 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$2.8M
20% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 20% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
4
of 5 voting members
Looks good: 4 of 5 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$12.2M
+421% vs prior year
Spent
$9.0M
To programs
82%
Net assets
$11.0M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$12.2M
FY2024▲ +421%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.6M
FY2021$11.1M
FY2022$4.6M
FY2023$2.3M
FY2024$12.2M
Expenses
$9.0M
FY2024▲ +6%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$7.7M
FY2021$7.8M
FY2022$7.7M
FY2023$8.5M
FY2024$9.0M
Net assets
$11.0M
FY2024▲ +41%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$13.7M
FY2021$17.0M
FY2022$13.9M
FY2023$7.8M
FY2024$11.0M

From the FY2024 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Jul 2019.

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

Where the money goes

82 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 82% · $7.3M Management & general 15% · $1.4M Fundraising 3% · $296K

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

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Who runs it and what they're paid

9 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Chief Executive Officer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director / Board Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary (through 12/20/24)
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Cecilia Conrad’s $380K as Chief Executive Officer is at the 81st percentile of top reported officer pay among 662 $10–100M philanthropy & grantmaking 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

NameFY2022FY2021FY2020
Cecilia Conrad$380,137$400,739$362,426
Dana Rice$254,642$248,044$237,591
Bradford Ballast$204,529$206,915$194,441
Joshua Mintz$53,616$52,102$49,988
Trisha Pomerenk$37,802$33,529$31,334

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 Lever for Change executive salaries →

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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

Connects philanthropists with vetted, high-impact social change opportunities through competitions and a database.

Questions for Lever for Change

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $7.3M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Competition Management

The organization develops and manages customized competitions for philanthropists and philanthropic institutions and matches donors with the top vetted proposals from such competitions in a searchable online database of solutions known as the bold solutions network.

$7.3Mprogram 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 5 funders →
Grants paid · 24 grants · $655K · 2020–2024
Talent Beyond Boundaries INCDC · FY2024$25,000
Power for AllCA · FY2024$25,000
IgniteCA · FY2024$25,000
Gallaudet UniversityDC · FY2024$25,000
Rural Development InstituteWA · FY2023$25,000
Power for AllCA · FY2023$25,000
OneskyCA · FY2023$25,000
Power for AllCA · FY2022$25,000
OneskyCA · FY2022$25,000
New Mexico Community CapitalNM · FY2022$25,000
IgniteCA · FY2022$25,000
Bard CollegeNY · FY2022$25,000
Just Community INCTX · FY2022$10,000
IgniteCA · FY2022$10,000
See all 24 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$12.2M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$8.6M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$3.6M
Investment incomeLn 3$61K
Money outPt IX
$9.0M
Ln 25
Programscol B$7.3M
Managementcol C$1.4M
Fundraisingcol D$296K
Owns and owesPt X
$11.0M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$11.0M
Total assetsLn 16$13.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.8M
PeoplePt VI, VII
9
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a5
IndependentVI 1b4
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$8.6M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$3.6M
Investment incomeLn 3$61K
Other incomeLn 4–11$400
Total revenueLn 12$12.2M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$11.0M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$11.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Other assetsLn 15$240K
Total assetsLn 16$13.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.8M
Net assetsLn 32$11.0M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 6286
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$8.5M$11.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$6K$0
Total assetsLn 16$8.9M$13.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.1M$2.8M
Net assetsLn 32$7.8M$11.0M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$125K$125K
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$50K$50K
Legal feesLn 11b$95K$95K
Accounting feesLn 11c$16K$16K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$7.9M$6.5M$1.1M$289K
Office expensesLn 13$4K$635$4K
Information technologyLn 14$46K$46K
OccupancyLn 16$178K$151K$21K$6K
TravelLn 17$331K$292K$39K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$182K$166K$16K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$6K$6K
InsuranceLn 23$36K$36K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$19K$19K
All other expensesLn 24e$0$0$0$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$9.0M$7.3M$1.4M$296K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $12.2M$9.0M$3.2M$11.0M 990 PDF
FY2023 $2.3M$8.5M−$6.1M$7.8M 990 PDF
FY2022 $4.6M$7.7M−$3.0M$13.9M 990 PDF
FY2021 $11.1M$7.8M$3.3M$17.0M 990 PDF
FY2020 $1.6M$7.7M−$6.1M$13.7M 990 PDF

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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 FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $12,203,215 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $60,000$8,558,253
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $2,195,804$3,583,863
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $87,296$60,699
I-11 Other revenue$400
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $2,343,100$12,203,215
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $135,000$175,000
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefits$0
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $8,323,871$8,797,138
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $8,458,871$8,972,138
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$6,115,771$3,231,077
Part VI · Governance 4 of 5 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body5
VI-1b Independent voting members4
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 $12,203,215 across 7 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$8,558,253
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$8,558,253
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $3,583,863$3,583,863
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $60,699$60,699
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $400$400
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $3,583,863 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $61,099$12,203,215
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $8,972,138 across 14 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $125,000$125,000
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $50,000$50,000
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $94,808$94,808
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $16,500$16,500
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $6,508,402 · Management $1,084,988 · Fundraising $289,189$7,882,579
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $635 · Management $3,760$4,395
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $45,623$45,623
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $151,334 · Management $20,688 · Fundraising $6,354$178,376
IX-17 TravelPrograms $292,340 · Management $38,731$331,071
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $165,853 · Management $16,375$182,228
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $6,489$6,489
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $36,050$36,050
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $19,019$19,019
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $7,312,583 · Management $1,364,012 · Fundraising $295,543$8,972,138
Part X · Balance sheet $13,824,636 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $8,518,480$11,036,606
X-3 Pledges and grants receivable$2,307,253
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $195,909$47,914
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $161,638$193,031
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $6,489$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $0$239,832
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $8,882,516$13,824,636
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $212,096$271,830
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $836,178$2,287,890
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $27,088$226,685
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,075,362$2,786,405
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $7,807,154$8,332,382
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictions$2,705,849
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $7,807,154$11,038,231
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $8,882,516$13,824,636
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $11,038,231 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$12,203,215
XI-2 Total expenses$8,972,138
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$3,231,077
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$7,807,154
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$11,038,231

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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