Cities Forward INC EIN 93-1383745

Cities Forward INC

EIN  93-1383745 Public charity (501(c)(3)) Washington, DC Founded 2023
Form 990 (PDF) Compare with another nonprofit →
Verified accurate 8/19/26 · see original filing: IRS
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Size
$1–10M
What they do
a public benefit nonprofit
Leadership
Michael Tanglis · Secretary
Money in and out
$6.2M revenue, $6.9M expenses
Bottom line
97% program efficiency

Cities Forward INC is a public benefit nonprofit based in Washington, DC, formed in 2023. For fiscal year 2024 it reported $6.2M in revenue, $6.9M in expenses, and $195K in net assets.Pt I

Where the money goes · FY2024
Total revenue
$6.2M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$6.9M
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$195K
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expenses (Pt I · Ln 19): −$651K
Where spending went · Part IX cols B–D
Program services $0.97 Management & general $0.03
Program efficiency
97%
of spending reaches programs▲ +14% vs prior filing year
Operating runway
0.3mo
months of highly liquid reserves at operating expense rate▼ -100% vs prior filing year
Surplus margin
-10%
revenue over expenses, this year▼ -112% vs prior filing year

Summary of the Filing

Part I · fiscal year 2024 · Form 990
Revenue
$6.2M
FY2024▲ +519%
Expenses
$6.9M
FY2024▲ ×44
Total assets
$213K
FY2024▼ -75%
Total liabilities
$18K
FY2024▲ +138%
Total revenue
$6.2M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$6.9M
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$195K
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expensesPt I · Ln 19−$651K
Total assetsPt X · Ln 16$213K
Program-expense ratioPt IX · col B97%
Voting members of governing bodyPt I · Ln 33
Independent voting membersPt I · Ln 43
Mission & Programs · Part III

Where the work happens

2 program services account for $6.7M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2024.
01

In 2024, cities forward developed a theory of change focused on investing in nonpartisan civic engagement programs that enhance city governments ability to build genuine relationships with community members and residents.

$6.4Mprogram expense
02

Cities forward believes that governments have immense potential as drivers of civic engagement. Tribal governments are uniquely positioned to drive civic engagement among their members and reduce barriers to voting for native communities.

$276Kprogram expense

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Identity & Classification

Form 990 Header · IRS Business Master File
Legal nameHdr · item CCities Forward INC
EINHdr · item D93-1383745
Principal addressHdr · item CWashington, DC
WebsiteHdr · item Jcitiesforward.org
Year of formationHdr · item L2023
State of legal domicileHdr · item MDC
Exempt statusHdr · item I501(c)(3) · active
NTEE classificationIRS BMFPublic & Societal Benefit (W20)
Ruling yearIRS BMFJan 2024

Governance & Policies

Part VI
Voting members of the governing bodyPt VI · Ln 1a3
Independent voting membersPt VI · Ln 1b3
Conflict-of-interest policyPt VI · Ln 12aYes
Whistleblower policyPt VI · Ln 13No
Document retention policyPt VI · Ln 14Yes
CEO/top-official compensation independently reviewedPt VI · Ln 15aNo
Family or business relationships among officers/directorsPt VI · Ln 2No

Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Chair Assistant Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Trevor Ostbye’s $35K as Assist. Treasurer is at the 5th percentile of top reported officer pay among 732 $1–10M public & societal benefit 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.

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Statement of Revenue

Part VIII
Contributions & grants100%$6.2M
Total revenueLn 12$6.2M

Statement of Functional Expenses

Part IX · allocated across program, management, and fundraising
Allocation · columns B–D
Program services $0.97 Management & general $0.03
Program services97%$6.7M
Management & general3%$196K
Total functional expensesLn 25$6.9M

Balance Sheet

Part X · end of year
CashLn 1$159K
Total assetsLn 16$213K
Total liabilitiesLn 26$18K
Total net assetsLn 32$195K
Months of cash on handcomputed0.3

Financial Metrics

Form 990 · FY2024 · each ratio shown with the dollars behind it
Liquidity & Payout
Operating runway
Highly liquid reserves $159K · Operating expenses/yr $6.9M
0.3 months
Where the money goes
Program services
Program services $6.7M · Total expenses $6.9M
97%
Management & General
Management & general $196K · Total expenses $6.9M
3%
Fundraising
Fundraising $0 · Total expenses $6.9M
0%
Cost to raise $1
Fundraising expense (2-yr avg) $0 · Solicited contributions (2-yr avg) $3.6M
Solicited contributions below reporting floor
Where the money comes from
Contribution dependence
Contributions & grants $6.2M · Total revenue $6.2M
100%
Government reliance
Government grants — · Total revenue $6.2M
Earned-income share
Program service revenue $0 · Total revenue $6.2M
0%
Investment reliance
Investment income $0 · Total revenue $6.2M
0%
Program self-sufficiency
Program service revenue $0 · Total expenses $6.9M
0%
Growth & trend
Revenue growth (YoY)
This year $6.2M · Prior year $1.0M
+519%
Net-asset trend (YoY)
End of year $195K · Beginning of year —
Beginning net assets not meaningfully positive — showing dollar change
Balance sheet
Surplus Margin
Revenue $6.2M · Expenses $6.9M
-10%
Liabilities-to-Assets
Total liabilities — · Total assets $213K
Net-asset ratio
Net assets $195K · Total assets $213K
92%
Marketable Investment Share
Publicly traded securities (Pt X, ln 11) — · Other securities (Pt X, ln 12) — · Total assets (Pt X, ln 16) $213K
Excludes program-related investments (Pt X, ln 13)
People & payroll
Highest Reported Total Compensation
Individual Michael Tanglis · Reported title SECRETARY · Highest reported compensation $0 · Total expenses $6.9M
0%
Personnel share
Salaries, benefits & payroll (Pt IX 5-10) $0 · Total expenses $6.9M
0%
Peer comparison

Same NTEE category, revenue band, and state where available. Descriptive — not a grade.

MetricThis orgPeer medianPercentile
Program ratio 97%
Overhead ratio 3%
Fundraising cost ratio 0%
Revenue growth 519%
Investment management fee ratio 0%
Legal fee ratio 0%
Accounting fee ratio 0%

Straight from the Form 990 — descriptive, not an evaluation. A ratio is hidden when its base is zero or too small to be meaningful; the dollars are always shown.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
New Venture FundFY2024$1.5M
Total grants receivedfrom 5 funders$6.2M
See all 5 funders →
Grants paid · 10 grants · $3.7M · 2024–2024
Count Mi Vote Education FundMI · FY2024$1,550,000
City of Milwaukee Election CommissionFY2024$786,850
Pizza to the PollsOR · FY2024$525,000
The Committee of SeventyPA · FY2024$285,000
Municipal Department of the City of MilwaukeeFY2024$250,000
PA Alliance FoundationPA · FY2024$100,000
Tohono O Odham NationFY2024$25,000
Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian CommunityFY2024$25,000

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Filings & Schedule Manifest

Part IV
III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
FY2024 (Latest)$6.2M revenue · viewing · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2023$1.0M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF

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Sources

Every figure above is drawn from these filings
Form 990 e-file (XML) · FY2024IRS
Classification, formation year, addressIRS Business Master File
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