America Works USA

Overview

Mission

To find unique and creative ways to promote progressive policy, strengthen our democracy, and build powerful infrastructure in states.

What it reported doing in 2024

AMERICA WORKS USA WORKED TO ADVANCE public policies that will lead to fiscally responsible government, economic development and job creation

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Hybrid. The nonprofit split its reported program spending across 69% for direct work, and 31% for grants.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
452315353
IRS 990 coverage
2019–2024
Official website data refreshed
Sep 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Headquarters
Washington, DC, USA
Phone
2027725600
Rating
77
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate

Official website

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Few specific pay-setting methods are documented in the filing; unanswered boxes are not proof of absence and a relatively small share of voting board members are independent.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 97
  • Transparency & Controls: 71
  • Accountability: 48
  • Sustainability: 44
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 96.2%; rating input score 96
  • Program expense ratio: 99%; rating input score 99
  • Fundraising efficiency: $1,215.75 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 97; 97th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 0 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 0
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Missing
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 50%; rating input score 50; 8th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 4 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 44
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: Fail
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Fail
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 2.8%; rating input score 45; 45th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.06; rating input score 2; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 99; 99th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0.4%; rating input score 90; 90th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 29% per year; rating input score 100; 95th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 28.8% per year; rating input score 100; 96th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 53.9% per year; rating input score 100; 99th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: Mission, programs, and operating context captured from the official website.
  • Where the money goes: 96.2% of revenue deployed · 99% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 3 of 6 board members independent · 4 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $22.9M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $308K · 7 people listed · 0 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $15.8M reported
  • Consistency: 25 of 25 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 6 annual filings from 2019 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 10 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 13 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

7 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • MEGHAN MEEHAN-DRAPER (DIR/PRESIDENT BEGAN SEPT 2024): $307,543 total reported compensation
  • STEPHEN HILL (DIR/TREAS RESIGNED MAR 2025): $253,266 total reported compensation
  • JILLIAN EDELMAN (DIRECTOR): $227,611 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.