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Country First Foundation FY2023 filing

Ottawa, ILUnknown exempt organization EIN 88-3020032Revenue $681K in FY2023Latest return filed Oct 29, 2025

On file with the IRScountry1st.comPo Box 2385 · Ottawa, IL

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At Country First Foundation we pursue a path to educate the public on important civic and policy issues. Country First Foundation strives to support nonprofits that are working on proven solutions that empower local communities from the bottom-up. For too long, many have looked to washington, DC to solve the problems facing rural, exurban, suburban, and urban america. Real change often takes place closest to the people at the local level. Country First Foundation will work to educate citizens on strengthening our democratic institutions and look to invest in nonprofit organizations that seek to implement proven solutions with a lasting impact for the american people.

84¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$28K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2023 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
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
1 of 2
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $0 a year · under 1% of revenue · last 2 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 1 of the last 2 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 2 filings
Spent on programs
84%
of spending
Looks good: 84% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$28K
to officers and key staff · 16% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 16% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
36 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 35.9 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $13K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$23K
4% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 4% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
2
of 3 voting members
Looks good: 2 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
$681K
Spent
$176K
To programs
84%
Net assets
$505K
By yearFY2023–FY2024
Revenue
$681K
FY2023
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2023$681K
FY2024$178K
Expenses
$176K
FY2023
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2023$176K
FY2024$683K
Net assets
$505K
FY2023
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2023$505K
FY2024$0

From the FY2023 Form 990 · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2023 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

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

84 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 84% · $148K Management & general 16% · $29K

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

3 people listed on the 990; $28K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Greg Ridenour
Secretary and Treasurer
$27,750Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Austin Weatherford
Director and President
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023
Greg Ridenour$17,500$27,750

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 Country First Foundation 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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Educates the public on civic issues and supports local community solutions.

Questions for Country First Foundation

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1 program · $148K · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

Dash for Democracy

On september 15TH, 2023, country first joined the world in celebrating the international day of democracy as we launched a nationwide celebration to encourage all americans to join in and reflect on the importance of democracy.

$148Kprogram 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
Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift FundFY2024$13K
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$13K
Grants paid · 5 grants · $684K · 2023–2024
Country First Action Foundation INCIA · FY2024$254,500
Keep Country First Policy Action INCDC · FY2024$250,000
Country First ActionIL · FY2024$75,000
Keep Country First Policy Action INCDC · FY2023$90,000
US Capital Police Memorial FundFY2023$14,051

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$681K
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$415K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$266K
Investment incomeLn 3$18
Money outPt IX
$176K
Ln 25
Programscol B$148K
Managementcol C$29K
Owns and owesPt X
$505K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$528K
Total assetsLn 16$528K
LiabilitiesLn 26$23K
PeoplePt VI, VII
3
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a3
IndependentVI 1b2
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$266K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$415K
Investment incomeLn 3$18
Total revenueLn 12$681K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$321K
SavingsLn 2$208K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$528K
Total assetsLn 16$528K
LiabilitiesLn 26$23K
Net assetsLn 32$505K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 51
VolunteersI 65
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$0$528K
Total assetsLn 16$0$528K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$23K
Net assetsLn 32$0$505K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$104K$104K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$28K$22K$6K
Payroll taxesLn 10$3K$2K$538
Legal feesLn 11b$13K$13K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$6K$868$5K
Office expensesLn 13$23K$19K$5K
Total functional expensesLn 25$176K$148K$29K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 LatestFiled with the IRS Oct 29, 2025 $178K$683K−$505K$0 990 PDF
FY2023 ViewingFiled with the IRS Nov 15, 2024 $681K$176K$505K$505K 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants O · Explanations
See the full FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $681,494 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grants$266,476
I-9 Program service revenue$415,000
I-10 Investment income$18
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenue$681,494
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$104,151
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefits$30,439
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expenses$41,898
I-18 Total expenses$176,488
I-19 Revenue less expenses$505,006
Part VI · Governance 2 of 3 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body3
VI-1b Independent voting members2
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
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $681,494 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1d Related organizations$14,500
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$251,976
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$266,476
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $415,000$415,000
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $18$18
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $415,000 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $18$681,494
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $176,488 across 6 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $104,151$104,151
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $22,200 · Management $5,550$27,750
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $2,151 · Management $538$2,689
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $13,123$13,123
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $868 · Management $4,717$5,585
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $18,552 · Management $4,638$23,190
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $147,922 · Management $28,566 · Fundraising $0$176,488
Part X · Balance sheet $528,120 assets, 8 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $0$320,601
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investments$207,519
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $0$528,120
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $0$23,114
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$23,114
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $0$505,006
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $0$505,006
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $0$528,120
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $505,006 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$681,494
XI-2 Total expenses$176,488
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$505,006
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$505,006

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

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