Breakthrough Ideas

Wheaton, ILUnknown exempt organization EIN 86-1403165Revenue $768K in FY2024Latest return filed Sep 23, 2025

On file with the IRSbreakthrough-ideas.comWheaton, IL

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Breakthrough Ideas is a policy advocacy and education network that advances the causes of peace, prosperity and freedom by highlighting the value of taxpayer centered and liberty focused policies.

Form 990 Part I, line 1, FY2024. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 86-1403165) · Dispute this line
100¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 25 volunteers.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2024 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
Latest return
FY2024
latest Form 990
The latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 4
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $3K a year · 0.4% of revenue · last 4 filings
A surplus in 3 of the last 4 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 4 filings
Spent on programs
100%
of spending
100% of spending went to programs.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$178K
to officers and key staff · 23% of spending
Pay to officers and key staff is 23% of spending.
Part VII, Section A
0.2 mo
of spending, in cash
0.2 months of spending in cash.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Liabilities
$26K
171% of total assets
Liabilities are 171% of assets.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
3
of 3 voting members
3 of 3 voting members are independent.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Revenue
$768K
+106% vs prior year
Spent
$758K
To programs
100%
Net assets
−$11K
By yearFY2021–FY2024
Revenue
$768K
FY2024▲ +106%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$624K
FY2022$1.1M
FY2023$374K
FY2024$768K
Expenses
$758K
FY2024▲ +27%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$531K
FY2022$962K
FY2023$595K
FY2024$758K
Net assets
−$11K
FY2024▲ +49%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$93K
FY2022$201K
FY2023−$21K
FY2024−$11K

From the FY2024 Form 990 · see the original

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024.

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

Where the money goes

100 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 100% · $758K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

3 people listed on the 990; $178K paid to officers and key staff (Part VII, Section A).

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
CEO and Board Member
$100,000Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$78,000Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Jeanne Ives$100,000$100,000$132,000$95,000
Kathleen Murphy———$104,000
Babette Holder$78,000$78,000$54,000—

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 Breakthrough Ideas 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

Advocates for taxpayer-centered policies promoting peace, prosperity, and freedom.

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1 program · $758K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Breakthrough digital content and grassroots meetings.

Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2024. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 86-1403165) · Dispute this line
$758Kprogram expense

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$768K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$768K
Money outPt IX
$758K
Ln 25
Programscol B$758K
Owns and owesPt X
−$11K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$12K
Total assetsLn 16$15K
LiabilitiesLn 26$26K
PeoplePt VI, VII
3
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a3
IndependentVI 1b3
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$768K
Total revenueLn 12$768K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$12K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$12K
Other assetsLn 15$3K
Total assetsLn 16$15K
LiabilitiesLn 26$26K
Net assetsLn 32−$11K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 625
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2K$12K
Total assetsLn 16$5K$15K
LiabilitiesLn 26$26K$26K
Net assetsLn 32−$21K−$11K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$265K$265K
Payroll taxesLn 10$94K$94K
Management feesLn 11a$714$714
Accounting feesLn 11c$19$19
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$127K$127K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$78K$78K
Office expensesLn 13$26K$26K
OccupancyLn 16$18K$18K
TravelLn 17$3K$3K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$15K$15K
InsuranceLn 23$5K$5K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$127K$127K
Total functional expensesLn 25$758K$758K$0$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS Sep 23, 2025 $768K$758K$10K−$11K 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Aug 27, 2024 $374K$595K−$222K−$21K 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Nov 7, 2023 $1.1M$962K$106K$201K 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Nov 15, 2022 $624K$531K$93K$93K 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

I · Grants O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990
Part I · Summary $767,894 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $373,635$767,894
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $373,635$767,894
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $363,867$358,350
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $231,599$399,263
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $595,466$757,613
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$221,831$10,281
Part VI · Governance 3 of 3 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body3
VI-1b Independent voting members3
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyNo
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $767,894 across 3 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$767,894
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$767,894
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$767,894
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $757,613 across 12 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $264,648$264,648
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $93,702$93,702
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $714$714
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $19$19
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $126,878$126,878
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $77,893$77,893
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $26,026$26,026
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $17,500$17,500
IX-17 TravelPrograms $2,678$2,678
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $15,400$15,400
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $5,438$5,438
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $126,717$126,717
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $757,613 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$757,613
Part X · Balance sheet $14,992 assets, 11 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,590$11,871
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $3,121$3,121
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $4,711$14,992
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $5,513$5,513
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $20,081$20,081
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $25,594$25,594
X-29 Capital stock or trust principalStart of year $0$0
X-30 Paid-in or capital surplusStart of year $0$0
X-31 Retained earnings or endowmentStart of year −$20,883−$10,602
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year −$20,883−$10,602
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $4,711$14,992
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets −$10,602 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$767,894
XI-2 Total expenses$757,613
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$10,281
XI-4 Net assets at start of year−$20,883
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year−$10,602

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

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