Political Research Associates Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
363193323
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2023
Forms available
Form 990 2023
Location
Somerville, MA, USA
Phone
6176665300
Rating
72
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Political Science

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$4,692,441
Expenses
$4,397,512
Assets
$3,131,167
Liabilities
$434,669

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2023. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

13 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • TARSO RAMOS (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, EX-OFF)

Highest reported compensation

  • TARSO RAMOS (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, EX-OFF): $172,685 total reported compensation
  • ANNMARIE O'CONNOR (MANAGING DIRECTOR): $151,308 total reported compensation
  • ORLISHA FOX (DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR): $140,078 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2023. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Political research associates is a social justice think tank devoted to supporting movements that are building a more just and inclusive democratic society. We expose movements, institutions, and ideologies that undermine human rights.

What it reported doing in 2023

Political research associates is a nonprofit social justice research and strategy center dedicated to blocking the advance of oppressive, anti-democratic movements, and to building a just and inclusive democratic society. Over the past 4 decades, pra has researched, monitored, and publicized the agenda and strategies of the u.s. And global right, revealing the powerful intersections of christian nationalism, white nationalism, and patriarchy.pra produces investigative reports, articles, and tools; publishes the peer-reviewed magazine the public eye; advises social justice movement organizers; and offers expert commentary for local and national media outlets. Our core issue areas span reproductive justice, lgbtq rights, racial and immigrant justice, civil liberties, and economic justice.vision: political research associates envisions a just and inclusive democratic society free from oppression and exploitation a society in which supremacist and authoritarian forces no longer wield significant cultural or political power.pra's core values: pra conducts research of the highest quality and methodological rigor, and is committed to making our research and analysis readily available and accessible. Our work is even-handed, fact-based, reliable, and not over-dramatized. Our commitment to mutual respect means that in our work, we do not caricature or demonize the followers of right-wing organizations, and we recognize the abilities of the movement's leadership. Our integrity demands that we speak the truth as we perceive it without fear or favor, and remain independent of forces that would stifle this voice. Pra's progressive analysis and critique derives from a deep desire to understand and eliminate the root cause of oppression; in this sense pra prefers to work with social movements with a fundamental systemic analysis.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 99% 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

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 59
  • Transparency & Controls: 74
  • Accountability: 94
  • Sustainability: 42
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 61.8%; rating input score 62
  • Program expense ratio: 65.5%; rating input score 65
  • Fundraising efficiency: $6.7 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 25; 25th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd 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: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • 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: 90%; rating input score 90; 20th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 6.3%; rating input score 55; 55th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.71; rating input score 26; 26th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.14; rating input score 54; 54th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 13.6%; rating input score 20; 20th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 16.1% per year; rating input score 100; 80th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 14.3% per year; rating input score 100; 80th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 17.9% per year; rating input score 100; 79th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 61.8% of revenue deployed · 65.5% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 9 of 10 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $2.9M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $173K · 13 people listed · 2 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 2 contractors listed · $221K reported
  • Consistency: 32 of 32 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2010 to 2023
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 5 filed money-flow records
  • 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.

Key Signals

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

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 25/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 26/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 55/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 20/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 54/100.