Is it real?
Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Jul 1995.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File
Where the money goes
97 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.
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
15 people listed on the 990; $1.0M paid to officers and key staff.
Sangeeta Chowdhry’s $306K as Executive Director is at the 56th percentile of top reported officer pay among 572 $10–100M community development 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 · 8 named individuals · Part VII
| Name | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | FY2021 | FY2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sangeeta Chowdhry | $306,300 | $126,154 | — | — | — |
| Karissa Lewis | $239,991 | $195,750 | $188,428 | $133,660 | — |
| Peggy Saika | — | — | $214,583 | $179,023 | $150,000 |
| Philip Smith | $208,688 | $198,855 | $194,189 | $150,619 | — |
| Sarah Gort | $208,688 | $207,133 | $194,672 | $149,027 | — |
| M Adams | — | $206,500 | $161,833 | — | — |
| Jazmin Segura Moctezuma | $200,275 | $185,605 | — | — | — |
| Allistair Mallillin | — | $192,996 | $186,208 | — | — |
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.
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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
Advances equity and environmental health by providing strategic philanthropic advising, grants management, and administrative support to independent foundations and donor-advised funds.
Questions for Common Counsel Foundation
Your first name shows with your question. Common Counsel Foundation answers here, for everyone.
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Strategic and Values-Driven Grantmaking
In 2021, common counsel foundation (common counsel) managed just under $20 million in grants to charitable organizations that are advancing effective solutions to longstanding social and environmental inequities, through its direct grantmaking and influencing independent foundations.
Fiscal Sponsorship
Common counsel foundation's fiscal sponsorship program ensures the health and vitality of the sponsored community-led organizations, and promotes strategic coordination in the philanthropic sector. In 2021, CCF acted as fiscal sponsor for the kindle project, the windcall institute, roadmap, the movement 4 black lives, and color congress.
Philanthropic Services
Common counsel foundation provides strategic philanthropic advice, grants management and administration, and accounting support to independent foundations that share a commitment to equity and environmental health. CCF assists its clients in streamlining their grantmaking processes and deepening their impact.
Funders
Who pays for it.
From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.
Grants
By the numbers
The FY2021 990, line by line.
Download 990
| Line | Start FY21 | End FY21 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and savingsLn 1–2 | $33.1M | $65.3M |
| InvestmentsLn 11–13 | $5.6M | $4.6M |
| Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c | $2K | $134 |
| Total assetsLn 16 | $40.8M | $96.8M |
| LiabilitiesLn 26 | $1.4M | $3.5M |
| Net assetsLn 32 | $39.4M | $93.3M |
| Line | Total | Programs | Management | Fundraising |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1 | $19.4M | $19.4M | ||
| Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5 | $351K | $18K | $259K | $74K |
| Other salaries and wagesLn 7 | $4.0M | $3.8M | $157K | $19K |
| Pension plan contributionsLn 8 | $92K | $81K | $9K | $2K |
| Other employee benefitsLn 9 | $658K | $597K | $48K | $13K |
| Payroll taxesLn 10 | $345K | $308K | $30K | $7K |
| Legal feesLn 11b | $107K | $61K | $43K | $3K |
| Accounting feesLn 11c | $237K | $77K | $160K | |
| Investment management feesLn 11f | $15K | $15K | ||
| Other fees for servicesLn 11g | $5.4M | $5.3M | $100K | $26K |
| Advertising and promotionLn 12 | $121K | $110K | $10K | $1K |
| Office expensesLn 13 | $506K | $467K | $33K | $6K |
| Information technologyLn 14 | $111K | $101K | $9K | $1K |
| OccupancyLn 16 | $75K | $68K | $6K | $886 |
| TravelLn 17 | $460K | $457K | $3K | $623 |
| Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19 | $264K | $254K | $8K | $2K |
| Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22 | $2K | $754 | $656 | $150 |
| InsuranceLn 23 | $44K | $20K | $20K | $4K |
| Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24 | $35K | $33K | $1K | $295 |
| Total functional expensesLn 25 | $32.2M | $31.1M | $911K | $159K |
Filing history
| Year | Money in | Money out | In minus out | Net assets | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2024 Latest | $51.4M | $126.1M | −$74.7M | $63.7M | 990 PDF |
| FY2023 | $102.1M | $58.0M | $44.1M | $138.2M | 990 PDF |
| FY2022 | $55.0M | $54.1M | $859K | $94.2M | 990 PDF |
| FY2021 Viewing | $85.7M | $32.2M | $53.5M | $93.3M | 990 PDF |
| FY2020 | $41.3M | $13.2M | $28.1M | $39.4M | 990 PDF |
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Schedules filed Part IV
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $85,692,119 revenue, 12 lines filed
Part VI · Governance 8 of 8 board members independent, no flags
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $85,692,119 across 8 lines filed
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $32,200,833 across 19 lines filed
Part X · Balance sheet $96,797,040 assets, 19 lines filed
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $93,301,647 net assets at year end
Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File
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