Policy Matters Ohio

Overview

Mission

Conducting research to create a more prosperous, equitable, sustainable and inclusive Ohio.

What it reported doing in 2024

In 2024, policy matters Ohio released 110 reports, blogs, briefs and other publications and generated 859 press hits, ensuring that accurate, compelling research on how state policy can make Ohio a more vibrant, equitable, sustainable and inclusive state was part of the public debate. The organization provided 124 informative presentations to groups across Ohio to over 4,400 people, and remains active in multiple local, statewide, and national coalitions. Through research and advocacy policy matters continued to highlight the need for revenue and an equitable tax code, paying workers a fair wage, accessible pathways to good union jobs, adequate public childcare funding that pays a fair wage to workers, adequate and fair public school funding, expanded crisis response services, an end to unjust fines & fees, affordable and accessible health care, and energy and environmental policies that ensure publicly-funded projects protect and benefit communities. Our research and advocacy helped pave the way for legislation guaranteeing a paystub for all Ohio workers, the elimination of some debt-related driver's license suspensions, and defensive work to stave off bad property tax limitations, caps, and freezes.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 96% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
341921881
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Headquarters
Cleveland, OH, USA
Phone
2163619801
Rating
87
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Interdisciplinary Research

Official website

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 83
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 40
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 89.8%; rating input score 90
  • Program expense ratio: 80.5%; rating input score 80
  • Fundraising efficiency: $17.07 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 54; 54th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • 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: -10.4%; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.93; rating input score 64; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 72; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 7.6%; rating input score 45; 45th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 6.8% per year; rating input score 100; 50th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 6.6% per year; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 19% per year; rating input score 100; 80th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 89.8% of revenue deployed · 80.5% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 10 of 10 board members independent · 7 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $1.3M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $122K · 11 people listed
  • Consistency: 28 of 28 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 15 annual filings from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • 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.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Leadership & pay

11 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • HANNAH HALBERT (EXECUTIVE DI): $122,500 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.