I Am Why brings young women and gender expansive activists together with researchers and other partners to increase young activists individual and collective power. By celebrating their strengths and sharing their stories and visions for justice, young people lead the way to policies, practices and programs that work.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
75¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$4K 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

FY2025 · 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
1 of 3
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $75K a year · 20% of revenue · last 3 filings
Concern: a surplus in 1 of the last 3 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 3 filings
Spent on programs
75%
of spending
Looks good: 75% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$4K
to officers and key staff · 1% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 1% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Worth a look: 0.8 months of spending in cash; under 1.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $300K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$2K
7% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 7% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
5
of 5 voting members
Looks good: 5 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
$374K
+5% vs prior year
Spent
$358K
To programs
75%
Net assets
$23K
By yearFY2023–FY2025
Revenue
$374K
FY2025▲ +5%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2023$393K
FY2024$357K
FY2025$374K
Expenses
$358K
FY2025▼ -19%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2023$546K
FY2024$443K
FY2025$358K
Net assets
$23K
FY2025▲ +207%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2023$92K
FY2024$7K
FY2025$23K

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Feb 2024.

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% · $270K Management & general 23% · $83K Fundraising 1% · $5K

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

5 people listed on the 990; $4K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
President/Fo
$4,497Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Francine Sherman’s $4K as President/Fo is at the 3rd percentile of top reported officer pay among 1993 $100K–1M youth 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 · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024
Francine Sherman$4,497$11,938

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 I Am Why INC 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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Empowers young women and gender-expansive activists by connecting them with researchers to amplify their power and drive justice.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $270K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

I am why centers young activists in all our work using three approaches: -a methodology that is authentic, connecting young activists narratives to policy and practice; -communications tools and opportunities that clarify issues, reframe solutions and model shared power; and -movement building through young womens direct engagement with…

$270Kprogram 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
Tides FoundationFY2024$300K
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$300K

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$374K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$371K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$3K
Money outPt IX
$358K
Ln 25
Programscol B$270K
Managementcol C$83K
Fundraisingcol D$5K
Owns and owesPt X
$23K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$24K
Total assetsLn 16$25K
LiabilitiesLn 26$2K
PeoplePt VI, VII
5
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a5
IndependentVI 1b5
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$371K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$3K
Total revenueLn 12$374K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$24K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$24K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$610
Total assetsLn 16$25K
LiabilitiesLn 26$2K
Net assetsLn 32$23K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 53
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aNo
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$8K$24K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2K$610
Total assetsLn 16$24K$25K
LiabilitiesLn 26$17K$2K
Net assetsLn 32$7K$23K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$114K$114K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$39K$39K
Payroll taxesLn 10$11K$11K
Accounting feesLn 11c$7K$7K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$144K$91K$50K$4K
Office expensesLn 13$9K$1K$6K$1K
Information technologyLn 14$4K$4K$390
OccupancyLn 16$2K$2K
TravelLn 17$24K$13K$12K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$1K$1K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$1K$1K
InsuranceLn 23$488$488
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$2K$700$1K
Total functional expensesLn 25$358K$270K$83K$5K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $374K$358K$16K$23K 990 PDF
FY2024 $357K$443K−$86K$7K 990 PDF
FY2023 $393K$546K−$154K$92K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $373,817 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $322,516$370,784
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $34,470$3,033
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $356,986$373,817
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $273,831$163,516
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $168,810$194,759
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $442,641$358,275
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$85,655$15,542
Part VI · Governance 5 of 5 board members independent, 4 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body5
VI-1b Independent voting members5
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyNo
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $373,817 across 4 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$370,784
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$370,784
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $3,033$3,033
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $3,033$373,817
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $358,275 across 13 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $113,643$113,643
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $38,874$38,874
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $10,999$10,999
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $6,838$6,838
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $90,800 · Management $49,708 · Fundraising $3,515$144,023
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $1,361 · Management $6,317 · Fundraising $1,170$8,848
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $3,551 · Fundraising $390$3,941
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $1,603$1,603
IX-17 TravelPrograms $12,567 · Management $11,687$24,254
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $1,375$1,375
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $1,221$1,221
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $488$488
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $700 · Management $1,468$2,168
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $270,319 · Management $82,881 · Fundraising $5,075$358,275
Part X · Balance sheet $24,841 assets, 9 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $7,898$24,231
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $1,831$610
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $24,045$24,841
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $16,492$1,746
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $61$61
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $16,553$1,807
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $7,492$23,034
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $7,492$23,034
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $24,045$24,841
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $23,034 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$373,817
XI-2 Total expenses$358,275
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$15,542
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$7,492
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$23,034

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

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