The Center for Effective Philanthropy Inc

Overview

Mission

Cep provides data, feedback, programs, and insights to help individual and institutional donors improve their effectiveness. We do this work because we believe effective donors, working collaboratively and thoughtfully, can profoundly contribute to creating a better and more just world.

What it reported doing in 2025

Cep provides data, feedback, programs, and insights to help individual and institutional donors improve their effectiveness. We do this work because we believe effective donors, working collaboratively and thoughtfully, can profoundly contribute to creating a better and more just world.see schedule o for more information on program service accomplishments.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
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
043523528
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Headquarters
Cambridge, MA, USA
Phone
6174920800
Rating
75
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Management & Technical Assistance

Official website

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and most voting board members are independent. The filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad and the filing does not identify recipients for some grant dollars.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 79
  • Transparency & Controls: 57
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 50
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 76.3%; rating input score 76
  • Program expense ratio: 85.9%; rating input score 86
  • Fundraising efficiency: $42.35 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 72; 72nd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 4 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 67
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Pass
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Scored; rating input score 0
  • Grant itemization coverage: Scored; rating input score 0
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 91.7%; rating input score 92; 21st percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 12.3%; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.56; rating input score 42; 42nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.12; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 22.5%; rating input score 4; 4th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 8.5% per year; rating input score 100; 61st percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 7.9% per year; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 11.6% per year; rating input score 100; 75th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 76.3% of revenue deployed · 85.9% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 11 of 12 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $13.6M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $701K · 24 people listed · 4 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $1.1M reported
  • Consistency: 32 of 32 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 16 annual filings from 2010 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 13 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • 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

24 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • PHILLIP BUCHANAN (PRESIDENT): $701,020 total reported compensation
  • KEVIN BOLDUC (VP, ASSESSMENT & ADVISORY SERVICES): $320,580 total reported compensation
  • ELISHA SMITH ARRILLAGA (VP, RESEARCH): $315,351 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2025.