Ab Foundation

Overview

Mission

The ab foundation's mission is to compare and contrast progressive and conservative solutions to america's public policy concerns and to educate the american people and the nation's leaders on the results of that research.

What it reported doing in 2024

The organization advocated and researched progressive solutions to america's public policy concerns, and worked to educate the american people and the nation's leaders on progressive ideas.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 100% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 87% of its reported program spending out as grants.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
275278038
IRS 990 coverage
2012–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Headquarters
Washington, DC, USA
Phone
2027472060
Rating
85
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Research Institutes and Public Policy Analysis

Official website

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 88
  • Transparency & Controls: 83
  • Accountability: 87
  • Sustainability: 47
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 89.6%; rating input score 90
  • Program expense ratio: 94.8%; rating input score 95
  • Fundraising efficiency: $23.81 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 61; 61st percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 85.7%; rating input score 86; 31st percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 5.5%; rating input score 58; 58th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.04; rating input score 1; 1st percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.07; rating input score 85; 85th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0.9%; rating input score 76; 76th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 25.7% per year; rating input score 100; 95th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 22.3% per year; rating input score 100; 95th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 8% per year; rating input score 100; 59th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 89.6% of revenue deployed · 94.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 6 of 7 board members independent · 8 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $66.8M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $200K · 10 people listed · 3 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 2 contractors listed · $3M reported
  • Consistency: 30 of 30 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 11 annual filings from 2012 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 17 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 10 filed related-organization links
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Leadership & pay

10 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • CECILE RICHARDS (CHAIR): $200,000 total reported compensation
  • PILAR MARTINEZ (CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER): $178,786 total reported compensation
  • PATRICK DENNIS (PRESIDENT): $132,478 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.