Movement Strategy Resource Project

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
993107114
IRS 990 coverage
2025–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Location
Philadelphia, PA, USA
Phone
5106818722
Rating
62
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Research Institutes and Public Policy Analysis

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,155,894
Expenses
$102,191
Assets
$1,053,703
Liabilities
$0

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

8 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • Mark Engler (President)
  • Paul Engler (Secretary & Executive Director)

Highest reported compensation

  • Sally Taylor (Director): $52,588 total reported compensation
  • Mark Engler (President): $50,000 total reported compensation
  • Paul Engler (Secretary & Executive Director): $19,250 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

To conduct research and provide public education related to issues of social change and democratic participation. Main activities: writing, media production, the creation of research reports, and advising to promote civic engagement.

What it reported doing in 2025

Research & Publications: Producing and disseminating original research, written articles, media content, and educational materials on issues of social change and democratic participation. FY2025 deliverables: the Whirlwind Institute Substack publication, research articles (including Uruguayan political history analysis), commissioned writing from research-team contributors, and the public-facing website. Grants paid include the Research & Publications portion of a $80,000 program grant to Center for the Working Poor supporting allied research and publications work.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 100% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 82% of its reported program spending out as grants.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and revenue comfortably covers expenses. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of voting board members are independent.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 47
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 52
  • Sustainability: 88
  • Growth: NotEnoughData

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 8.5%; rating input score 8
  • Program expense ratio: 95.3%; rating input score 95
  • Fundraising efficiency: $576.72 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 95; 95th 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; 78th 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; 14th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 5 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 56
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: Fail
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 91.2%; rating input score 99; 99th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 10.31; rating input score 92; 92nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 88; 88th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 10.9%; rating input score 35; 35th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

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

Details

  • Where the money goes: 8.5% of revenue deployed · 95.3% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 4 of 8 board members independent · 5 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $97K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $53K · 8 people listed
  • Consistency: 17 of 17 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 3 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 8/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Independent voting board scored 50/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 3 of 8 not reported.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 35/100.