Catalyst Research & Education Fund

Tax-deductible

Charlottesvle, VA501(c)(3)Civil Rights & AdvocacyEIN 85-1462968Revenue $2.3M in FY2024

On file with the IRS937 Belmont Ave, 22902-5905 · Charlottesvle, VATax-exempt since Jul 2020Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

This page gets seen. Tell your story. Claim this org.

To promote valuable public interest legal work that seeks to improve the lives of those most often denied access to justice, and to achieve systemic change within the legal system and profession.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
89¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$357K 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

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
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $308K a year · 20% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
89%
of spending
Looks good: 89% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$357K
to officers and key staff · 12% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 81% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 12% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
8 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 7.9 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
3
named funders · $1.4M
Looks good: 3 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$435K
22% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 22% 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
$2.3M
-15% vs prior year
Spent
$2.9M
To programs
89%
Net assets
$1.5M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$2.3M
FY2024▼ -15%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$210K
FY2021$2.2M
FY2022$106K
FY2023$2.7M
FY2024$2.3M
Expenses
$2.9M
FY2024▲ +103%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$64K
FY2021$418K
FY2022$1.2M
FY2023$1.4M
FY2024$2.9M
Net assets
$1.5M
FY2024▼ -29%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$146K
FY2021$1.9M
FY2022$893K
FY2023$2.2M
FY2024$1.5M

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

Form 990 (PDF) Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Jul 2020.

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

Where the money goes

89 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 89% · $2.6M Management & general 11% · $310K Fundraising 1% · $24K

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

Something off? The org can add a note here. Request edit privileges.

Who runs it and what they're paid

5 people listed on the 990; $357K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$208,727Pt VII · Sec A
Deputy Director
$147,827Pt VII · Sec A
Director, President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director, Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director, Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Jacob Lipton ESQ’s $209K as Executive Director is at the 81st percentile of top reported officer pay among 797 $1–10M 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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2021
Jacob Lipton ESQ$208,727$107,083$119,000
Renee Schomp$147,827$145,833—

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 Catalyst Research & Education Fund executive salaries →

Are you one of these people? Claim this org to confirm your role

Something off? The org can add a note here. Request edit privileges.

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

Advocates for justice, improving lives and changing the legal system for the underserved.

Provided by the organization

Know this organization? Claim it to add your story

1 program · $2.6M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Administered a project-based fellowship program supporting public interest projects at legal and law-related organizations that use novel legal approaches to achieve broad-scale and sustainable impact for marginalized or under-resourced communities.

$2.6Mprogram 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 3 funders →
Grants paid · 27 grants · $3.8M · 2021–2024
North Star Fund INCNY · FY2024$406,000
Kaplan & Grady LLCFY2024$167,672
National Advocates for Pregnant WomenNY · FY2024$70,000
Cuneo Gilbert & Laduca LLPFY2024$70,000
Legal Aid at WorkCA · FY2024$52,500
Freedom Community CenterMO · FY2024$45,000
Urban Justice CenterNY · FY2024$35,000
Upper Seven LawMT · FY2024$35,000
Latinojustice PrldefNY · FY2024$35,000
See all 27 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$2.3M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.9M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$372K
Investment incomeLn 3$639
Money outPt IX
$2.9M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.6M
Managementcol C$310K
Fundraisingcol D$24K
Owns and owesPt X
$1.5M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.9M
Total assetsLn 16$2.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$435K
PeoplePt VI, VII
5
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a3
IndependentVI 1b3
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.9M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$372K
Investment incomeLn 3$639
Total revenueLn 12$2.3M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$928K
SavingsLn 2$991K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.9M
Other assetsLn 15$12K
Total assetsLn 16$2.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$435K
Net assetsLn 32$1.5M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 51
VolunteersI 60
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$2.1M$1.9M
Total assetsLn 16$2.2M$2.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$26K$435K
Net assetsLn 32$2.2M$1.5M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$1.7M$1.7M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$364K$234K$112K$18K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$79K$39K$39K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$18K$11K$6K$722
Other employee benefitsLn 9$84K$52K$28K$3K
Payroll taxesLn 10$32K$20K$11K$1K
Management feesLn 11a$40K$40K
Legal feesLn 11b$50K$35K$15K
Accounting feesLn 11c$31K$31K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$456K$451K$4K
Office expensesLn 13$4K$4K
Information technologyLn 14$22K$6K$16K
InterestLn 20$75$75
InsuranceLn 23$2K$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$3K$3K
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.9M$2.6M$310K$24K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $2.3M$2.9M−$623K$1.5M 990 PDF
FY2023 $2.7M$1.4M$1.3M$2.2M 990 PDF
FY2022 $106K$1.2M−$1.0M$893K 990 PDF
FY2021 $2.2M$418K$1.8M$1.9M 990 PDF
FY2020 $210K$64K$146K$146K 990 PDF

Want to add your own materials alongside these filings? 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 FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $2,297,216 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $2,462,750$1,925,000
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $249,996$371,577
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $983$639
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $2,713,729$2,297,216
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $732,000$1,735,782
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $419,075$576,326
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $290,427$608,005
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,441,502$2,920,113
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $1,272,227−$622,897
Part VI · Governance 3 of 3 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body3
VI-1b Independent voting members3
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 $2,297,216 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,925,000
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,925,000
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $371,577$371,577
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $639$639
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $371,577 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $639$2,297,216
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,920,113 across 15 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $1,735,782$1,735,782
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $234,095 · Management $112,105 · Fundraising $18,221$364,421
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $39,466 · Management $39,466$78,932
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $10,825 · Management $5,960 · Fundraising $722$17,507
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $51,687 · Management $28,383 · Fundraising $3,430$83,500
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $19,767 · Management $10,882 · Fundraising $1,317$31,966
IX-11a Management feesManagement $40,250$40,250
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $34,925 · Management $15,244$50,169
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $31,434$31,434
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $451,239 · Management $4,451$455,690
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $4,449$4,449
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $6,104 · Management $15,517$21,621
IX-20 InterestManagement $75$75
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $1,567$1,567
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $2,750$2,750
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,586,640 · Management $309,783 · Fundraising $23,690$2,920,113
Part X · Balance sheet $1,977,102 assets, 12 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,837,661$927,500
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $291,281$991,400
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $46,075$46,075
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $15,647$12,127
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $2,190,664$1,977,102
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $25,703$17,638
X-18 Grants payable$417,400
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $25,703$435,038
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,414,211$1,059,168
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $750,750$482,896
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $2,164,961$1,542,064
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $2,190,664$1,977,102
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,542,064 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$2,297,216
XI-2 Total expenses$2,920,113
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$622,897
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$2,164,961
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,542,064

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.

If you ARE the filing organization, claim this org and add context

Made it to the end? Claim this organization

Keep this kind of thing free
Keep public charity data easy to read.

Free to the public, because obviously. Like this? Pay it forward. Don't like this? Help us get better.

Card, Apple Pay or Google Pay through Stripe. One time.
Keep this kind of thing free
Keep public charity data easy to read.

Free to the public, because obviously. Like this? Pay it forward. Don't like this? Help us get better.

Card, Apple Pay or Google Pay through Stripe. One time.

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.