Hacker Initiative

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
814838801
IRS 990 coverage
2017–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
San Francisco, CA, USA
Phone
4152095337
Rating
64
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Scholarships, Student Financial Aid Services, Awards

Reported finances

Revenue
$276,321
Expenses
$128,744
Assets
$2,153,479
Liabilities
$0

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

Leadership & pay

5 people listed

People named in this filing

  • WILLIAM D POLLOCK (CHAIR OF THE)
  • GARRET GEE (BOARD MEMBER)
  • VICKI FRIEDBERG (INTERIM SECR)

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

Hacker initiative is created to support and grow the collective knowledge and contributions of the worldwide hacker community.

What it reported doing in 2024

Hacker initiative, through reviews by the programming committee, awarded grants of 20,000 to tennesse valley stellar corporation and 5000 to laurens valk. The programming committee is comprised of all volunteers from the engineering community, the broader community, and some of the board members of hacker initiative. Details of grant recipients and projects granted are on the hacker initiative nonprofit website.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 72% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 100% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. 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: 26
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 88
  • Sustainability: 88
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 35.5%; rating input score 36
  • Program expense ratio: 19.4%; rating input score 19
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 80th 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: 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: 53.4%; rating input score 92; 92nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 16.73; rating input score 94; 94th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 80; 80th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 6.7% per year; rating input score 100; 60th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -14.9% per year; rating input score 0; 4th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 8.9% per year; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 35.5% of revenue deployed · 19.4% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 3 of 3 board members independent · 5 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $25K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 5 people listed
  • Consistency: 20 of 20 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 7 filing years from 2017 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • 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.

  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 36/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 19/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.