Backbone Campaign amplifies the aspirations of We the People with creative strategies and artful activism

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
78¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$122K 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

FY2022 · 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
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
5 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $129K a year · 28% of revenue · last 5 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 5 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
78%
of spending
Looks good: 78% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$122K
to officers and key staff · 41% of spending
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 41% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 2.3 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
5
named funders · $24K
Looks good: 5 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$6K
1% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 1% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
9
of 9 voting members
Looks good: 9 of 9 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$306K
-33% vs prior year
Spent
$301K
To programs
78%
Net assets
$375K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$306K
FY2022▼ -33%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$370K
FY2021$458K
FY2022$306K
FY2023$412K
FY2024$762K
Expenses
$301K
FY2022▲ +4%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$267K
FY2021$290K
FY2022$301K
FY2023$380K
FY2024$425K
Net assets
$375K
FY2022▼ -10%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$193K
FY2021$415K
FY2022$375K
FY2023$440K
FY2024$799K

From the FY2022 Form 990 · see the original

Give Claim
You’re viewing the FY2022 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 ruling in Dec 2001.

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

Where the money goes

78 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 78% · $235K Management & general 17% · $52K Fundraising 5% · $14K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

11 people listed on the 990; $122K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$61,835Pt VII · Sec A
Deputy Director
$60,539Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

William Moyer’s $70K as Executive Director is at the 61st percentile of top reported officer pay among 2168 $100K–1M human services 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 · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
William Moyer$70,411$65,549$61,835$65,000—
Amy Morrison$62,553$65,549$60,539$61,650$62,500
Bill Moyer————$60,000

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 Backbone Campaign executive salaries →

On this list? Claim this org

Something off? Claim to add context

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

Amplifies people's aspirations using creative strategies and artful activism.

Questions for Backbone Campaign

Tap to ask. Backbone Campaign sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Backbone Campaign answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

Know this org? Add your story

3 programs · $204K · in their own filed words · FY2022
01

Backbone Campaign's Artful Activism developed and deployed innovative skills, tactics, and creativity to amplify progressive values to inform and inspire the public's mind, heart and imagination.

$105Kprogram expense
02

Our Solutionary Rail project champions rail in the public interest and researches and advocates for electrification, modeshift, and transmission of green energy along rail right of way. Solutionary Rail also, through its webinars and calls to action, helped to amplify the voices and demands of railroad workers as they prepared for a…

$90Kprogram expense
03

Backbone Campaign executed a number of creative actions advocating for the restoration of the Snake River through breaching the four dams on the lower part of the river. We took props - puppets and banners - to Washington DC several times, showed up across the region with compelling imagery, bannered on overpasses, created Human Orca…

$9Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
See all 5 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2022 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$306K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$204K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$93K
Investment incomeLn 3$6K
Money outPt IX
$301K
Ln 25
Programscol B$235K
Managementcol C$52K
Fundraisingcol D$14K
Owns and owesPt X
$375K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$57K
Total assetsLn 16$381K
LiabilitiesLn 26$6K
PeoplePt VI, VII
11
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b9
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$204K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$250
Fees for servicesLn 2g$93K
Investment incomeLn 3$6K
Other incomeLn 4–11$3K
Gains on assetsLn 7$2K
Total revenueLn 12$306K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$54K
SavingsLn 2$3K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$57K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$112K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$208K
Total assetsLn 16$381K
LiabilitiesLn 26$6K
Net assetsLn 32$375K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 53
VolunteersI 675
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 FY22End FY22
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$258K$57K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$155K$112K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$5K$208K
Total assetsLn 16$419K$381K
LiabilitiesLn 26$4K$6K
Net assetsLn 32$415K$375K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$111$111
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$64K$53K$7K$4K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$79K$66K$8K$5K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$19K$15K$2K$1K
Payroll taxesLn 10$15K$12K$2K$843
Legal feesLn 11b$2K$2K
Accounting feesLn 11c$6K$6K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$23K$22K$334
Advertising and promotionLn 12$1K$1K
Office expensesLn 13$6K$4K$2K$239
Information technologyLn 14$7K$3K$5K
OccupancyLn 16$5K$5K
TravelLn 17$18K$13K$5K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$3K$3K
InsuranceLn 23$3K$3K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$52K$46K$2K$3K
Total functional expensesLn 25$301K$235K$52K$14K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $762K$425K$338K$799K 990 PDF
FY2023 $412K$380K$32K$440K 990 PDF
FY2022 Viewing $306K$301K$5K$375K 990 PDF
FY2021 $458K$290K$168K$415K 990 PDF
FY2020 $370K$267K$103K$193K 990 PDF

More to add? Claim this org

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2022 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $306,121 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $409,622$203,856
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $46,003$93,089
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $1,032$5,952
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $1,236$3,224
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $457,893$306,121
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $100$111
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $166,124$176,059
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $123,900$124,625
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $290,124$300,795
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $167,769$5,326
Part VI · Governance 9 of 9 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body9
VI-1b Independent voting members9
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 $306,121 across 9 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$203,856
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$250
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$203,856
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $93,089$93,089
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $4,034$4,034
VIII-5 RoyaltiesExcluded from tax $3,224$3,224
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assets$1,918
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $93,089 · Excluded from tax $7,258$306,121
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $300,795 across 16 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $111$111
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $52,995 · Management $7,024 · Fundraising $3,831$63,850
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $65,857 · Management $8,096 · Fundraising $4,569$78,522
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $15,450 · Management $2,079 · Fundraising $1,155$18,684
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $11,975 · Management $2,185 · Fundraising $843$15,003
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $1,788$1,788
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $5,626$5,626
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $22,462 · Management $334$22,796
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $1,056$1,056
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $3,543 · Management $2,202 · Fundraising $239$5,984
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $2,566 · Management $4,669$7,235
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $4,575$4,575
IX-17 TravelPrograms $13,013 · Management $4,615$17,628
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $3,149$3,149
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $3,137$3,137
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $45,872 · Management $2,336 · Fundraising $3,443$51,651
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $234,900 · Management $51,815 · Fundraising $14,080$300,795
Part X · Balance sheet $380,751 assets, 11 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $38,378$54,251
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $220,106$2,905
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$4,018
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $4,673$207,674
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $155,439$111,903
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $418,596$380,751
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $3,688$5,526
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $3,688$5,526
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $414,908$375,225
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $414,908$375,225
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $418,596$380,751
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $375,225 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$306,121
XI-2 Total expenses$300,795
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$5,326
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$414,908
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$45,037
XI-7 Investment expenses−$27
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$55
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$375,225

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2022 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

Your org? Add context

Made it to the end? Claim this org

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.