Focus for Democracy Action FY2024 filing

Washington, DCUnknown exempt organizationSince 2023EIN 92-2097780Revenue $15.9M in FY2024

On file with the IRSfocus4democracy.org1200 G Street Nw 800 · Washington, DC

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Focus for Democracy Action is dedicated to empowering donors to make the most impactful contributions possible to strengthen Democracy.

95¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$3K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2024 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
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 $2.0M a year · 29% 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
95%
of spending
Looks good: 95% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$3K
to officers and key staff · 0.02% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 0% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.3 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
8
named funders · $10.1M
Looks good: 8 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$93K
2% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 2% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
5
of 5 voting members
Looks good: 5 of 5 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$15.9M
×24 vs prior year
Spent
$12.2M
To programs
95%
Net assets
$4.4M
By yearFY2023–FY2025
Revenue
$15.9M
FY2024▲ ×24
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2023$651K
FY2024$15.9M
FY2025$3.9M
Expenses
$12.2M
FY2024▲ ×701
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2023$17K
FY2024$12.2M
FY2025$2.4M
Net assets
$4.4M
FY2024▲ +590%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2023$634K
FY2024$4.4M
FY2025$5.9M

From the FY2024 Form 990 · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2024 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 Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

95 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 95% · $11.6M Management & general 3% · $381K Fundraising 1% · $177K

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

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

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$3,030Pt VII · Sec A
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024
Aaron Frank$59,000—
Jennifer Herrera$33,137$3,030

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 Focus for Democracy Action 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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Empowering donors to make impactful contributions that strengthen democracy.

Questions for Focus for Democracy Action

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $11.6M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Received donor contributions and allocated funds in support of pro-democracy organizations.

$11.6Mprogram 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
Tides FoundationFY2024$200K
Oakw FundFY2024$200K
Total grants receivedfrom 8 funders$10.1M
See all 8 funders →
Grants paid · 18 grants · $11.5M · 2024–2025
Rapid Resist ActionIL · FY2025$667,993
Pac for America's FutureFY2025$460,000
Working America ActionDC · FY2025$346,593
Project Bullhorn Action FundFY2025$150,000
Working AmericaDC · FY2025$90,000
Center for Voter InformationDC · FY2025$62,903
Asian American Voices MediaGA · FY2025$40,000
Working America ActionDC · FY2024$6,067,659
Rapid Resist ActionIL · FY2024$1,500,000
Accelerate Action INCMA · FY2024$671,404
Focus for Democracy FundDC · FY2024$400,000
Votevets Action Fund INCDC · FY2024$325,000
Courier NewsroomFY2024$300,000
Common Sense New YorkFY2024$100,000
Genblue PacFY2024$100,000
Fair DemocracyDC · FY2024$100,000
Working AmericaDC · FY2024$86,596
Sixteen Thirty FundDC · FY2024$71,844

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$15.9M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$15.9M
Investment incomeLn 3$776
Money outPt IX
$12.2M
Ln 25
Programscol B$11.6M
Managementcol C$381K
Fundraisingcol D$177K
Owns and owesPt X
$4.4M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$4.4M
Total assetsLn 16$4.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$93K
PeoplePt VI, VII
6
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a5
IndependentVI 1b5
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$15.9M
Investment incomeLn 3$776
Total revenueLn 12$15.9M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$4.4M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$4.4M
Other assetsLn 15$103K
Total assetsLn 16$4.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$93K
Net assetsLn 32$4.4M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 513
VolunteersI 64
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$498K$4.4M
Total assetsLn 16$634K$4.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$93K
Net assetsLn 32$634K$4.4M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$9.7M$9.7M
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$15K$12K$2K$1K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$306$244$39$23
Payroll taxesLn 10$765$610$98$57
Legal feesLn 11b$24K$24K
Accounting feesLn 11c$55K$55K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$2.2M$1.7M$278K$163K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$14K$11K$2K$1K
Office expensesLn 13$160K$128K$21K$12K
Information technologyLn 14$10$8$1$1
OccupancyLn 16$540$430$69$41
TravelLn 17$2K$1K$201$117
InsuranceLn 23$20$16$3$1
Total functional expensesLn 25$12.2M$11.6M$381K$177K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $3.9M$2.4M$1.5M$5.9M 990 PDF
FY2024 Viewing $15.9M$12.2M$3.7M$4.4M 990 PDF
FY2023 $651K$17K$634K$634K 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 FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $15,898,570 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $647,560$15,897,794
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $3,528$776
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $651,088$15,898,570
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$9,722,503
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $0$16,460
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $17,339$2,422,686
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $17,339$12,161,649
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $633,749$3,736,921
Part VI · Governance 5 of 5 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body5
VI-1b Independent voting members5
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
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $15,898,570 across 4 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$15,897,794
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$15,897,794
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $776$776
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $776$15,898,570
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $12,161,649 across 13 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $9,722,503$9,722,503
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $12,263 · Management $1,972 · Fundraising $1,154$15,389
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $244 · Management $39 · Fundraising $23$306
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $610 · Management $98 · Fundraising $57$765
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $24,054$24,054
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $54,680$54,680
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $1,727,189 · Management $277,705 · Fundraising $162,559$2,167,453
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $11,156 · Management $1,794 · Fundraising $1,050$14,000
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $127,790 · Management $20,546 · Fundraising $12,027$160,363
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $8 · Management $1 · Fundraising $1$10
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $430 · Management $69 · Fundraising $41$540
IX-17 TravelPrograms $1,248 · Management $201 · Fundraising $117$1,566
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $16 · Management $3 · Fundraising $1$20
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $11,603,457 · Management $381,162 · Fundraising $177,030$12,161,649
Part X · Balance sheet $4,463,492 assets, 10 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $498,050$4,357,576
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $33,041$110
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$3,023
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $0$102,783
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $633,749$4,463,492
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expenses$92,822
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$92,822
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $633,749$4,370,670
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $633,749$4,370,670
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $633,749$4,463,492
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $4,370,670 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$15,898,570
XI-2 Total expenses$12,161,649
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$3,736,921
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$633,749
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$4,370,670

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

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