The Alternatives Foundation

Tax-deductible

Austin, TX501(c)(3)Since 2021Arts & CultureEIN 87-3652885

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TAF accepts and liquidates illiquid assets such as closely held business interests and private equity interests to provide funds to educational research scholarship and arts organizations in alignment with our charitable mission. In 2025 TAF also sponsored donor-advised funds allowing donors to contribute assets receive immediate tax benefits and recommend grants to charitable organizations over time.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
100¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 60 volunteers.
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
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
3 of 3
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $378K a year · 76% of revenue · last 3 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 3 of the last 3 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 3 filings
Spent on programs
100%
of spending
Looks good: 100% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Cash reserves
50 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 49.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Liabilities
$78K
8% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 8% 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
$955K
+786% vs prior year
Spent
$55K
To programs
100%
Net assets
$930K
By yearFY2023–FY2025
Revenue
$955K
FY2025▲ +786%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2023$433K
FY2024$108K
FY2025$955K
Expenses
$55K
FY2025▼ -31%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2023$225K
FY2024$80K
FY2025$55K
Net assets
$930K
FY2025▲ ×31
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2023$2K
FY2024$30K
FY2025$930K

From the FY2025 Form 990 · see the original

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jun 2023.

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% · $55K

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

9 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Nonvoting Board Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Jarett Rodriguez’s $66K as Executive Director is at the 61st percentile of top reported officer pay among 2216 $100K–1M arts & culture 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

NameFY2024FY2023
Jarett Rodriguez$65,625$204,564

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 The Alternatives Foundation 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
  • Loans to or from officersSch L · Pt II1 listed

Programs and updates

Converts hard-to-sell business and investment assets into funds for education, research, and arts groups.

Provided by the organization

This section is blank until The Alternatives Foundation claims this page.

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2 program services account for $55K of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2025.
01

Facilitating Donations of Illiquid Assets

The foundation worked to educate potential donors on using illiquid assets in their philanthropic efforts. We specifically focused on holders of private equity venture capital and closely held business interests.

$55Kprogram expense
02

Supporting Educational Institutions

The Foundation focused on helping Texas-based higher education institutions by educating development officers on the benefits of alternative assets used in philanthropy.

$163program expense

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Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · this organization's grantmaking
Grants paid · 2 grants · $55K · 2025–2025
University of Texas at AustinFY2025$50,000

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$955K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$953K
Investment incomeLn 3$2K
Money outPt IX
$55K
Ln 25
Programscol B$55K
Owns and owesPt X
$930K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$228K
Total assetsLn 16$1.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$78K
PeoplePt VI, VII
9
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a3
IndependentVI 1b3
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$953K
Government grantsLn 1e$0
Noncash giftsLn 1g$880K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$0
Investment incomeLn 3$2K
Gains on assetsLn 7−$215
Total revenueLn 12$955K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$23K
SavingsLn 2$205K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$228K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Other assetsLn 15$780K
Total assetsLn 16$1.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$78K
Net assetsLn 32$930K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 660
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$108K$228K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0$0
Total assetsLn 16$108K$1.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$78K$78K
Net assetsLn 32$30K$930K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$55K$55K
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$0$0$0$0
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0$0$0$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$0$0$0$0
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0$0$0$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$0$0$0$0
Payroll taxesLn 10$0$0$0$0
Management feesLn 11a$0$0$0$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0$0$0$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$0$0$0$0
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0$0$0$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0$0$0$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$0$0$0$0
Advertising and promotionLn 12$0$0$0$0
Office expensesLn 13$163$163$0$0
Information technologyLn 14$0$0$0$0
RoyaltiesLn 15$0$0$0$0
OccupancyLn 16$0$0$0$0
TravelLn 17$0$0$0$0
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0$0$0$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$0$0$0$0
InterestLn 20$0$0$0$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0$0$0$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$0$0$0$0
InsuranceLn 23$0$0$0$0
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$0$0$0$0
All other expensesLn 24e$0$0$0$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$55K$55K$0$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $955K$55K$900K$930K 990 PDF
FY2024 $108K$80K$28K$30K 990 PDF
FY2023 $433K$225K$208K$2K 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 FY2025 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $954,783 across 16 lines filed
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$0
VIII-1b Membership dues$0
VIII-1c Fundraising events$0
VIII-1d Related organizations$0
VIII-1e Government grants$0
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$952,531
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$880,361
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$952,531
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $2,467$2,467
VIII-5 RoyaltiesRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax −$215−$215
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsUnrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $2,252$954,783
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $55,163 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $55,000$55,000
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $0$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $0$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for membersPrograms $0$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $0$0
IX-11f Investment management feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $163 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$163
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-15 RoyaltiesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-17 TravelPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officialsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-20 InterestPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliatesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $55,163 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$55,163
Part X · Balance sheet $1,007,892 assets, 24 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $240$22,546
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $107,733$205,346
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $0$0
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $0$0
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $0$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $0$0
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $0$0
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $0$0
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $0$0
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $0$0
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $0$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $0$780,000
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $107,973$1,007,892
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $0$0
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $0$0
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $0$0
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $0$0
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $0$500
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $77,800$78,300
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year −$77,560$0
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $107,733$929,592
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $30,173$929,592
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $107,973$1,007,892
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $929,592 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$954,783
XI-2 Total expenses$55,163
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$899,620
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$30,173
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$0
XI-6 Donated services and use of facilities$0
XI-7 Investment expenses$0
XI-8 Prior period adjustments−$201
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$929,592

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

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