Chiefs for Change

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
472373903
IRS 990 coverage
2015–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Washington, DC, USA
Phone
2026817643
Rating
82
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Educational Services and Schools - Other

Reported finances

Revenue
$7,363,593
Expenses
$9,485,864
Assets
$5,901,202
Liabilities
$1,143,789

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

12 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • ROBERT RUNCIE (CEO)

Highest reported compensation

  • ROBERT RUNCIE (CEO): $360,718 total reported compensation
  • SHAYLA FAYE CANNADY (CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS & EAO): $214,828 total reported compensation
  • CARLENE MILLEN (SENIOR DIRECTOR): $208,036 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Chiefs for change accelerates progress in public education by building leaders and systems' capacity to provide young people with 21st-century experiences that prepare them for success on a pathway to economic and social mobility.

What it reported doing in 2024

Chiefs for change (cfc) fills a critical gap in the education sector by equipping system-level leaders with the training, tools, and influence needed to drive transformative change for students. Through its integrated focus on leadership development, system support, and policy and advocacy, cfc advances equity and excellence across k12 public education.leadership development: cfc prepares both sitting and aspiring superintendents and state chiefs to navigate the complexities of modern education leadership with clarity, compassion, and courage. Through cohort-based fellowships, executive coaching, and peer mentorship, cfc supports leaders in building the skills, mindsets, and networks required to lead transformative systems change.system support: cfc partners directly with member districts and states to co-design and deliver customized engagements and communities of practice that accelerate system improvement. Over the past year, these engagements have focused on strengthening early literacy, building sustainable educator pipelines, responsibly integrating new technologies, transforming high schools, and improving postsecondary readiness and outcomes.policy and advocacy: cfc amplifies the collective voice of bold education leaders to shape policy and practice at the local, state, and national levels. Through strategic convenings, policy briefs, and public advocacy, cfc members influence education agendas that promote equity, innovation, and student success. By centering practitioner expertise in policy discussions, cfc ensures that the systems serving students are responsive, evidence-based, and built for long-term impact.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 93% 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.

The verdict

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

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 92
  • Transparency & Controls: 74
  • Accountability: 87
  • Sustainability: 16
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 88.8%; rating input score 89
  • Fundraising efficiency: $20.63 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 60; 60th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 85.7%; rating input score 86; 17th 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: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Fail
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -28.8%; rating input score 4; 4th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.62; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.19; rating input score 45; 45th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 14.4%; rating input score 20; 20th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 21.9% per year; rating input score 100; 87th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 15.1% per year; rating input score 100; 82nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 16.1% per year; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 88.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 6 of 7 board members independent · 8 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $8.4M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $361K · 12 people listed · 2 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 3 contractors listed · $826K reported
  • Consistency: 24 of 24 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 9 filing years from 2015 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 6 filed money-flow records
  • 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.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 4/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 23/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Audit committee oversight not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 20/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 45/100.