The Reason Foundation FY2020 filing

Tax-deductible

Los Angeles, CA501(c)(3)Since 1978EducationEIN 95-3298239

Advance a free society by developing, applying, and promoting libertarian principles.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
87¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$2.4M 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

FY2020 · 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
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
5 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $1.3M a year · 7% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 5 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
87%
of spending
Looks good: 87% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$2.4M
to officers and key staff · 18% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 18% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
1 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.4 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
6
named funders · $27K
Looks good: 6 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$2.1M
14% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 14% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
22
of 24 voting members
Looks good: 22 of 24 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$16.2M
Spent
$13.1M
To programs
87%
Net assets
$13.1M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$16.2M
FY2020
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$16.2M
FY2021$15.5M
FY2022$15.2M
FY2023$15.5M
FY2024$23.3M
FY2025$22.8M
Expenses
$13.1M
FY2020
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$13.1M
FY2021$13.4M
FY2022$15.0M
FY2023$17.5M
FY2024$19.9M
FY2025$22.0M
Net assets
$13.1M
FY2020
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$13.1M
FY2021$16.7M
FY2022$14.6M
FY2023$13.4M
FY2024$19.4M
FY2025$22.0M

From the FY2020 Form 990 (year ending September 2020) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2020 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 ruling in Mar 1979.

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

Where the money goes

87 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 87% · $11.4M Management & general 4% · $480K Fundraising 9% · $1.2M

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

Who runs it and what they're paid

37 people listed on the 990; $2.4M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2019); the FY2020 filing did not itemize Part VII
President, CEO
$411,897Pt VII · Sec A
Editor at Large
$227,825Pt VII · Sec A
Founder, Director of Transportation Policy
$226,667Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President Policy
$205,554Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Financial Officer
$193,731Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President Government Reform
$189,605Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President/Editor-In-Chief
$186,667Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President, Operations
$181,431Pt VII · Sec A

David Nott’s $408K as President, CEO is at the 81st percentile of top reported officer pay among 3683 $10–100M education 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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
David Nott$407,827$418,617$412,948$411,628$409,134$411,897
Adrian T Moore$256,830$232,056$221,122$211,956$202,179$205,554
Jonathan Graff$250,251$224,322$213,402$202,461$194,134$193,731
Leonard Gilroy$250,237$221,540$211,454$202,500$188,982$189,605
Nicholas Gillespie$247,174$234,517$227,014$227,417$227,265$227,825
Katherine Mangu-Ward$240,585$219,666$216,667$202,500$195,000$186,667
Robert Poole$240,000$235,000$230,833$230,000$230,000$226,667
Michael Alissi$230,439$202,086$193,356$182,835$175,591$181,431

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 The Reason Foundation 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

Promotes libertarian principles to advance a free society.

Provided by the organization

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3 program services account for $9.1M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2019.
01

Promoting free minds and free markets since 1968- 11 issues published- 45,000 PAID/REQUESTED copies and 4,000 newsstand copies sold per month- average of 5.4 million user visits per month at REASON.COM and 6 million visits to reasontv

$4.6Mprogram expense
02

Reason foundation publishes research and journalism and engages in educational outreach from a libertarian perspective to policymakers, relevant stakeholders, and the general PUBLIC.- 17,000 articles citing reason experts- 3,000 media appearances by reason experts- 18 legislative testimonies- 45 policy studies- 165 policy commentaries…

$4.0Mprogram expense
03

Reason works with motivated policymakers to develop and implement market-based reforms that are a model for reform-minded policymakers at all levels of government. Our pension integrity project educates policymakers and taxpayers on pension reform.

$449Kprogram expense

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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 · FY2025
See all 6 funders →
Grants paid · 5 grants · $856K · 2021–2024
Equable InstituteNY · FY2023$360,000
Equable InstituteNY · FY2022$280,000
Florida Policy Project INCFL · FY2022$75,602
Equable InstituteNY · FY2021$80,000

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$16.2M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$15.0M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$845K
Investment incomeLn 3$227K
Money outPt IX
$13.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$11.4M
Managementcol C$480K
Fundraisingcol D$1.2M
Owns and owesPt X
$13.1M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.5M
Total assetsLn 16$15.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.1M
PeoplePt VI, VII
37
listed · VII A
PaidVII A12
Voting boardVI 1a24
IndependentVI 1b22
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$15.0M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$492K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$124K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$845K
Investment incomeLn 3$227K
Other incomeLn 4–11$78K
Gains on assetsLn 7−$519
Total revenueLn 12$16.2M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.5M
SavingsLn 2$56K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.5M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$10.6M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2.7M
Other assetsLn 15$177K
Total assetsLn 16$15.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.1M
Net assetsLn 32$13.1M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 595
VolunteersI 620
Fiscal year endsHeaderSeptember
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 FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.0M$1.5M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$6.1M$10.6M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2.8M$2.7M
Total assetsLn 16$11.4M$15.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.0M$2.1M
Net assetsLn 32$9.4M$13.1M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$1.8M$1.5M$66K$157K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$5.7M$5.0M$209K$484K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$466K$385K$21K$61K
Payroll taxesLn 10$496K$420K$17K$59K
Legal feesLn 11b$94K$2K$93K
Accounting feesLn 11c$28K$4K$24K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$2.0M$2.0M$28K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$231K$191K$51$39K
Office expensesLn 13$263K$198K$15K$50K
Information technologyLn 14$151K$143K$3K$6K
OccupancyLn 16$378K$331K$18K$29K
TravelLn 17$267K$178K$3K$86K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$53K$51K$2K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$50K$44K$2K$4K
InsuranceLn 23$148K$134K$4K$10K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$883K$681K$2K$200K
All other expensesLn 24e$94K$86K$4K$4K
Total functional expensesLn 25$13.1M$11.4M$480K$1.2M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $22.8M$22.0M$846K$22.0M 990 PDF
FY2024 $23.3M$19.9M$3.4M$19.4M 990 PDF
FY2023 $15.5M$17.5M−$2.1M$13.4M 990 PDF
FY2022 $15.2M$15.0M$252K$14.6M 990 PDF
FY2021 $15.5M$13.4M$2.1M$16.7M 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $16.2M$13.1M$3.1M$13.1M 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 FY2020 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $16,170,727 across 10 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$124,371
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$14,895,379
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$491,914
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$15,019,750
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $845,445$845,445
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $227,918$227,918
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax −$519−$519
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Unrelated business $71,705 · Excluded from tax $6,428$78,133
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $845,445 · Unrelated business $71,705 · Excluded from tax $233,827$16,170,727
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $13,074,096 across 17 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $1,533,518 · Management $65,778 · Fundraising $156,616$1,755,912
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $5,019,954 · Management $209,420 · Fundraising $484,170$5,713,544
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $384,555 · Management $20,973 · Fundraising $60,893$466,421
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $420,361 · Management $16,841 · Fundraising $58,552$495,754
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $1,873 · Management $92,597$94,470
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $4,007 · Management $23,743$27,750
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $1,974,487 · Fundraising $27,617$2,002,104
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $191,484 · Management $51 · Fundraising $39,107$230,642
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $197,983 · Management $14,992 · Fundraising $49,866$262,841
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $142,614 · Management $2,820 · Fundraising $5,846$151,280
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $331,103 · Management $17,799 · Fundraising $29,326$378,228
IX-17 TravelPrograms $177,516 · Management $2,893 · Fundraising $86,282$266,691
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $51,349 · Fundraising $1,974$53,323
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $43,814 · Management $1,756 · Fundraising $4,201$49,771
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $134,058 · Management $4,244 · Fundraising $10,162$148,464
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $680,836 · Management $1,900 · Fundraising $200,052$882,788
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $85,568 · Management $4,334 · Fundraising $4,211$94,113
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $11,375,080 · Management $480,141 · Fundraising $1,218,875$13,074,096
Part X · Balance sheet $15,187,245 assets, 16 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,680,890$1,472,812
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $366,384$56,485
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $259,593$20,000
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $87,601$120,531
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $2,774,602$2,735,831
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $6,105,945$10,604,451
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $102,915$177,135
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $11,377,930$15,187,245
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,113,660$1,084,623
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $301,016$282,226
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $591,054$743,315
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $2,005,730$2,110,164
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $7,551,786$11,113,553
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $1,820,414$1,963,528
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $9,372,200$13,077,081
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $11,377,930$15,187,245
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $13,077,081 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$16,170,727
XI-2 Total expenses$13,074,096
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$3,096,631
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$9,372,200
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$608,250
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$13,077,081

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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