Democracy Sentry furthers the common good and general welfare of the community by advocating for pro-Democracy federal policies.

501(c)(4) social-welfare organization; gifts are not tax-deductible as charitable contributions.
86¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$166K 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

FY2024 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(4)
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
No
Donations are not tax-deductible
Worth a look: the IRS does not list gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
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 $15K 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
86%
of spending
Looks good: 86% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$166K
to officers and key staff · 6% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 6% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Concern: 0.1 months of spending in cash; under 2 weeks.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
4
named funders · $530K
Looks good: 4 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$581
2% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 2% 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
$1.1M
-44% vs prior year
Spent
$2.6M
To programs
86%
Net assets
$31K
By yearFY2023–FY2024
Revenue
$1.1M
FY2024▼ -44%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2023$2.0M
FY2024$1.1M
Expenses
$2.6M
FY2024▲ +381%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2023$545K
FY2024$2.6M
Net assets
$31K
FY2024▼ -98%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2023$1.5M
FY2024$31K

From the FY2024 Form 990 · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Nov 2024.

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

Where the money goes

86 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 86% · $2.3M Management & general 14% · $370K Fundraising 0% · $2K

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

4 people listed on the 990; $166K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$165,588Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Chair of Board
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Christopher Scott Fay’s $166K as President is at the 64th percentile of top reported officer pay among 797 $1–10M civil rights & advocacy 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
Christopher Scott Fay$165,588$55,196

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 Democracy Sentry 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 for pro-democracy federal policies to further the common good.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $2.3M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Execute issue advocacy campaigns in 5 states.

$1.2Mprogram expense
02

Lead a federal advocacy campaign with federal policymakers.

$1.1Mprogram expense
03

Protect the right to vote.

Pt IX · col B

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
Public Wise INCFY2024$10K
Total grants receivedfrom 4 funders$530K
See all 4 funders →
Grants paid · 3 grants · $180K · 2023–2024
Black Voters Matter Fund INCGA · FY2024$120,000
Democracy 21DC · FY2024$50,000

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.1M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.1M
Money outPt IX
$2.6M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.3M
Managementcol C$370K
Fundraisingcol D$2K
Owns and owesPt X
$31K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$31K
Total assetsLn 16$31K
LiabilitiesLn 26$581
PeoplePt VI, VII
4
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a3
IndependentVI 1b3
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.1M
Total revenueLn 12$1.1M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$31K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$31K
Total assetsLn 16$31K
LiabilitiesLn 26$581
Net assetsLn 32$31K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 52
VolunteersI 60
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.5M$31K
Total assetsLn 16$1.5M$31K
LiabilitiesLn 26$223$581
Net assetsLn 32$1.5M$31K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$170K$170K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$166K$166K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$63K$63K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$2K$2K
Payroll taxesLn 10$19K$19K
Legal feesLn 11b$40K$40K
Accounting feesLn 11c$32K$32K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$938K$909K$29K
TravelLn 17$19K$17K$2K
InsuranceLn 23$13K$13K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$1.2M$1.2M$4K$199
All other expensesLn 24e$2K$2K
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.6M$2.3M$370K$2K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $1.1M$2.6M−$1.5M$31K 990 PDF
FY2023 $2.0M$545K$1.5M$1.5M 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 J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,150,000 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $2,050,000$1,150,000
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 $2,050,000$1,150,000
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $10,000$170,000
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $78,440$250,042
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $456,848$2,203,817
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $545,288$2,623,859
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $1,504,712−$1,473,859
Part VI · Governance 3 of 3 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body3
VI-1b Independent voting members3
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 $1,150,000 across 3 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,150,000
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,150,000
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$1,150,000
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,623,859 across 12 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $170,000$170,000
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffManagement $165,588$165,588
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesManagement $63,072$63,072
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsManagement $1,892$1,892
IX-10 Payroll taxesManagement $19,490$19,490
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $39,618$39,618
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $31,775$31,775
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $908,750 · Management $29,073$937,823
IX-17 TravelPrograms $17,294 · Fundraising $1,758$19,052
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $13,103$13,103
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,155,881 · Management $3,991 · Fundraising $199$1,160,071
IX-24e All other expensesManagement $2,375$2,375
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,251,925 · Management $369,977 · Fundraising $1,957$2,623,859
Part X · Balance sheet $31,434 assets, 6 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,504,935$31,434
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,504,935$31,434
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $223$581
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $223$581
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,504,712$30,853
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,504,935$31,434
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $30,853 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,150,000
XI-2 Total expenses$2,623,859
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$1,473,859
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,504,712
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$30,853

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

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