Grassroots Leadership Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
581581743
IRS 990 coverage
2015–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Austin, TX, USA
Phone
7043323090
Rating
84
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,418,643
Expenses
$1,832,586
Assets
$3,093,929
Liabilities
$1,555,373

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

Leadership & pay

5 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • ANNETTE PRICE (EXECUTIVE DI): $118,220 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Transforming the narrative of criminalization: an abolitionist approach. Ending the reliance on the private prison industry decarceration: advocating for policies that reduce the prison population, such as bail reform and funding alternative approaches like diversion programs. Re-imagining public safety: challenging the idea that prisons are the primary solution to crime and promoting community-based approaches that prioritize prevention, rehabilitation, and restorative justice. Non-punitive measures restorative justice: focusing on repairing the harm caused by crime through dialogue, mediation, and community service rather than punishment. Alternative dispute resolution: encouraging the use of mediation and arbitration to resolve conflicts peacefully and avoid the criminal justice system. Harm reduction: implementing strategies to reduce the negative consequences of substance abuse and other harmful behaviors, such as needle exchange programs and safe consumption sites. Community safe

What it reported doing in 2024

Criminal justice programs - the criminal justice programs work to end for- profit private prisons and jails and end criminalization of communities of color while building a base of impacted people and allies for change. Campaigns under this program include a campaign to reduce incarceration in Texas and close prison and jail facilities and a campaign to end the criminalization of actions driving mass incarceration. Texas advocates for justice (taj) is a project of directly impacted people striving to end the criminalization of our communities, break down the barriers of reentry from jail and prison in Texas, and demolish the legacy of racism in the criminal justice system. Taj unites formerly incarcerated individuals, their families, people of all faiths, and allies to build safe and resilient communities through organizing, leadership training, and connections to community resources. Additionally, participatory defense is a community organizing model for people facing charges, their families, and communities to impact the outcome of cases and transform the landscape of power in the court system. Statistically, we measure the participatory defense program on the number of cases we can take on and the total amount of time saved for our clients. We have more than doubled the case count again this year, with a total of 79 cases completed in 2023 (compared to 27 cases in 2022) and 10 more active cases carried into 2024 by the participatory defense organizers in austin and houston. Their tireless work in 2023 saved a total of 1425 years, 10 months, and 16 days for individuals not to be held in cages.

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 99% 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. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 75
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 28
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 88.2%; rating input score 88
  • Program expense ratio: 68.3%; rating input score 68
  • Fundraising efficiency: $8.46 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 33; 33rd 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: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings
  • 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: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • 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: -29.2%; rating input score 6; 6th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.69; rating input score 59; 59th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.5; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 6.5%; rating input score 49; 49th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 7.4% per year; rating input score 100; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 2% per year; rating input score 100; 24th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 17.7% per year; rating input score 100; 78th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 88.2% of revenue deployed · 68.3% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 4 of 4 board members independent · 7 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $1.3M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $118K · 5 people listed
  • Consistency: 32 of 32 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 9 filing years from 2015 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • 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.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Key Signals

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

  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 33/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 6/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Document-retention policy not reported.
  • Review — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 59/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 16/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 49/100.