To end victimization, criminalization, incarceration, and institutionalization of people with disabilities and deaf people. Activating Change fosters alignment, builds capacity, and supports greater coordination across social justice movements to realize its goals of freedom and healing - not harm and punishment - for people with disabilities and deaf people.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
89¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$179K 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

FY2023 · 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
2 of 4
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $517K a year · 15% of revenue · last 4 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 2 of the last 4 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 4 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
$179K
to officers and key staff · 5% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 5% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
6 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 5.8 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
4
named funders · $1.1M
Looks good: 4 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$275K
12% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 12% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
1
of 3 voting members
Worth a look: 1 of 3 voting members are independent, under half.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$2.7M
-5% vs prior year
Spent
$3.4M
To programs
89%
Net assets
$2.0M
By yearFY2022–FY2025
Revenue
$2.7M
FY2023▼ -5%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2022$2.8M
FY2023$2.7M
FY2024$4.4M
FY2025$3.6M
Expenses
$3.4M
FY2023▲ +496%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2022$569K
FY2023$3.4M
FY2024$3.8M
FY2025$3.7M
Net assets
$2.0M
FY2023▼ -26%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2022$2.7M
FY2023$2.0M
FY2024$2.6M
FY2025$2.5M

From the FY2023 Form 990 (year ending September 2023) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2023 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

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

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% · $3.0M Management & general 10% · $330K Fundraising 1% · $39K

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; $179K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2022); the FY2023 filing did not itemize Part VII
President & Executive Director
$104,173Pt VII · Sec A
Of Operations & Innovations
$74,552Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Trustee
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Nancy Smith’s $226K as President & Executive Director is at the 81st percentile of top reported officer pay among 733 $1–10M diseases & disorders 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 · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023
Nancy Smith$225,515$223,601$104,173
Charity Hope Secretary$183,727$168,657—
Sandra Harrell Director$158,945$157,012—
Allison Hastings$140,130$123,074—
Olga Trujillo Director—$139,031—
Olga Trujillo Dir Ldr Dev$115,334——
Liam Esposito$113,858$100,892—
Jannette Brickman$107,290$105,857—

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 Activating Change 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 15aYes

Programs and updates

Advocates to stop disabling people from being victimized, criminalized, or institutionalized.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $2.8M · in their own filed words · FY2022
01

Creating Pathways to Healing

We welcomed five new communities into our accessing safety network a diverse group of disability organizations, rape crisis centers, and domestic violence programs dedicated to improving their services for survivors with disabilities and deaf survivors.

$1.7Mprogram expense
02

Expanding Deaf Services and Advocacy

We continued to provide support training, expert guidance, and peer to peer learning exchanges to increase the number of "for deaf, by deaf" victim services providers and strengthen the capacity of the more than 20 programs that exist across the country.

$601Kprogram expense
03

Ending Criminalization and Incarceration

We launched the ending criminalization and incarceration program to end the over-policing and mass incarceration of people with disabilities. As an initial step, we conducted a comprehensive landscape analysis on disability and criminal justice reform, including a literature review, listening sessions with more than 60 people working in…

$503Kprogram 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 4 funders →
Grants paid · 9 grants · $478K · 2022–2024
DeafhopeCA · FY2024$81,944
Justice Innovation INCNY · FY2024$64,467
DeafhopeCA · FY2023$46,915
DeafhopeCA · FY2022$67,742
Deaf Abused Womens NetworkDC · FY2022$26,412

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$2.7M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.7M
Other incomeLn 4–11$23K
Money outPt IX
$3.4M
Ln 25
Programscol B$3.0M
Managementcol C$330K
Fundraisingcol D$39K
Owns and owesPt X
$2.0M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.6M
Total assetsLn 16$2.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$275K
PeoplePt VI, VII
5
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a3
IndependentVI 1b1
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.7M
Government grantsLn 1e$687K
Other incomeLn 4–11$23K
Total revenueLn 12$2.7M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.6M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.6M
Other assetsLn 15$390K
Total assetsLn 16$2.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$275K
Net assetsLn 32$2.0M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 530
VolunteersI 64
Fiscal year endsHeaderSeptember
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 FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.3M$1.6M
Total assetsLn 16$2.8M$2.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$73K$275K
Net assetsLn 32$2.7M$2.0M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$143K$143K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$476K$412K$60K$5K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.6M$1.6M$54K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$41K$40K$284
Other employee benefitsLn 9$319K$302K$17K
Payroll taxesLn 10$169K$160K$8K$292
Accounting feesLn 11c$18K$18K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$8K$8K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$371K$220K$126K$24K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$210$210
Office expensesLn 13$76K$61K$14K$2K
Information technologyLn 14$5K$521$5K
TravelLn 17$129K$116K$13K
InsuranceLn 23$12K$12K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$3K$3K
Total functional expensesLn 25$3.4M$3.0M$330K$39K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $3.6M$3.7M−$54K$2.5M 990 PDF
FY2024 $4.4M$3.8M$548K$2.6M 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $2.7M$3.4M−$697K$2.0M 990 PDF
FY2022 $2.8M$569K$2.3M$2.7M 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 FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $2,692,847 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $2,841,781$2,670,329
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$22,518
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $2,841,781$2,692,847
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$143,307
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $504,126$2,624,157
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$7,875
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $64,901$614,578
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $569,027$3,389,917
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $2,272,754−$697,070
Part VI · Governance 1 of 3 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body3
VI-1b Independent voting members1
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 $2,692,847 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1d Related organizations$1,661,954
VIII-1e Government grants$686,919
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$321,456
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$2,670,329
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $22,518$22,518
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $22,518 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$2,692,847
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $3,389,917 across 15 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $143,307$143,307
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $411,631 · Management $59,682 · Fundraising $4,504$475,817
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,564,887 · Management $54,311$1,619,198
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $40,408 · Management $284$40,692
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $302,430 · Management $16,896$319,326
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $160,398 · Management $8,434 · Fundraising $292$169,124
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $17,500$17,500
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $7,875$7,875
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $220,392 · Management $126,493 · Fundraising $24,240$371,125
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $210$210
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $60,607 · Management $13,591 · Fundraising $2,198$76,396
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $521 · Management $4,665$5,186
IX-17 TravelPrograms $116,475 · Management $12,768$129,243
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $12,337$12,337
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Management $2,581$2,581
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $3,021,056 · Management $329,752 · Fundraising $39,109$3,389,917
Part X · Balance sheet $2,289,101 assets, 11 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,288,093$1,632,567
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $521,238$197,583
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $50,480$68,788
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $923,732$390,163
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $2,783,543$2,289,101
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $72,517$275,145
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $72,517$275,145
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,134,241$1,224,136
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $1,576,785$789,820
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $2,711,026$2,013,956
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $2,783,543$2,289,101
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $2,013,956 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$2,692,847
XI-2 Total expenses$3,389,917
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$697,070
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$2,711,026
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$2,013,956

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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