Common Power

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
872832368
IRS 990 coverage
2024–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-N 2023
Location
Seattle, WA, USA
Phone
2063954546
Rating
46
Verdict
MIXED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Voter Education, Registration

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,918,781
Expenses
$1,695,516
Assets
$1,090,418
Liabilities
$160,945

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

Leadership & pay

2 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • CHARLES DOUGLAS III (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

People named in this filing

  • CHARLES DOUGLAS III (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
  • LARCY DOUGLAS (DIRECTOR)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

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

Overview

Mission

Common power (cp) works to foster, support, and amplify a democracy that is just and inclusive. We provide creative on-ramps to civic fieldwork, expand the people engaging in and benefiting from it, and sustain this effort by investing in the next generation of leaders. We catalyze our work through education and bolster a public that takes action in support of a just and inclusive democracy. By fostering a community in which people learn from, support, and grow with one another; we identify and invest in young, diverse leaders and promote them into leadership positions within cp and beyond.

What it reported doing in 2024

In 2024, we significantly expanded our educational reach and impact. Our lecture series, workshops, and courses grew to 12 offerings, attracting over 2,000 registrants and engaging learners from diverse backgrounds. Our learning tours also saw remarkable growth, with 4 total tours including 1 educator-focused tour and an educator symposium bringing together 100+ participants, including 31 new educators. By the end of the year, our network of educator ambassadors reached 66, reflecting sustained growth and influence from 2022 through 2024.through our education to action grants, we distributed 7 grants to empower innovative projects that translate learning into real-world impact. The scholars in motion program continued to thrive, serving 16 students cumulatively by the end of 2024. We celebrated the launch of a second chapter in selma, al, adding 4 new students and expanding opportunities for hands-on learning in new communities. Across all initiatives, 2024 marked a year of growth, connection, and increased impact strengthening our mission to foster learning, leadership, and action across classrooms, communities, and beyond.

Operating model

Revenue model
Affiliate-supported. 88% of the money available for current operations came from contributions from related organizations.
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

MIXED - The filed numbers largely add up. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of total spending goes to programs.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 24
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 30
  • Sustainability: 53
  • Growth: NotEnoughData

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 18.1%; rating input score 18
  • Program expense ratio: 20.5%; rating input score 20
  • Fundraising efficiency: $29.85 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 68; 68th 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: Limited
  • Governance controls: 5 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 71
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 11.6%; rating input score 64; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.64; rating input score 30; 30th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.15; rating input score 36; 36th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: Limited
  • Revenue growth: Limited
  • Asset growth: Limited

Details

  • Where the money goes: 18.1% of revenue deployed · 20.5% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 5 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $347K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 2 people listed
  • Consistency: 28 of 28 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 2 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.

Key Signals

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

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 18/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 20/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 30/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 36/100.