The Institute on Religion and Public Life Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
521628303
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
Location
New York, NY, USA
Phone
2126272288
Rating
76
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$4,431,915
Expenses
$4,397,118
Assets
$3,330,300
Liabilities
$2,907,698

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

Leadership & pay

16 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • DAVID NOVAK (VICE PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • RUSSELL R RENO (EXECUTIVE DIR): $277,367 total reported compensation
  • CARTER SKEEL (DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT): $186,803 total reported compensation
  • VICTOR CHONG (TREASURER, MGR): $175,162 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

The institute on religion and public life is an interreligious, nonpartisan research and educational 501(c)(3) organization. The institute's mission is to articulate a governing consensus that supports: (see schedule o)- a religiously pluralistic society that defends human dignity from conception to natural death.- a democratic, constitutionally ordered form of government supported by a religiously and morally serious culture.- a vision of freedom that encourages a culture of personal and communal responsibility.-loyalty to the western tradition that provides a basis for responsible global citizenship.the institute's flagship program, first things magazine, is the leading intellectual journal of its kind in the united states. In addition to publishing ten issues of first things each year, the institute hosts educational programs that promote religiously informed analysis of culture, society, theology, and politics.

What it reported doing in 2024

Education programs: beyond print and online publications, first things educational programs are a long standing, and ever growing, commitment. The institute believes strongly that creating a visible community of believers is an important part of accomplishing the mission. Each year the institute sponsors and hosts a variety of educational events and academic colloquia in order to engage our friends, subscribers, national influencers, as well as noted scholars and promising students.some examples of first things' educational offerings are:1. The first things seminar program in New York.the inaugural first things intellectual retreat was held in New York city in 2015, titled "the paradox of freedom." interest in the seminar was remarkably strong and enrollment was at capacity. Given the success of the first retreat the program expanded every year since to other cities in the us. In addition to the new annual retreat in New York city, first things has retreats in los angeles, waco, philadelphia, and Washington dc to meet the demand among readers in those regions of the country. The themes and assigned readings for the retreats vary and have covered topics such as economics and the human person, the life of the mind, the political life, the good of marriage, love and friendship, the common good and the search for happiness. The retreats commonly gather together 60 to 100 in-person participants.2. The annual erasmus lecture in New York city, now in its 37th year. The 2024 erasmus lecture was delivered by paul kingsnorth, an english writer and thinker and the author of nine books of fiction, non-fiction and poetry, including the novel the wake, longlisted for the man booker prize. His talk was entitled "against christian civilization". The lecture was the latest in the prestigious series held in New York, each year presenting an exceptional thought leader. Previous erasmus lecturers have included pope benedict xvi (then cardinal josef ratzinger), archbishop timothy dolan, rabbi jonathan sacks, dana gioia, ross douthat, russell moore, bishop robert barron, remi brague, and n. T. Wright, among many other noteworthy speakers. 3. Additionally, the institute hosts a number of academic colloquia throughout the year aimed at broadening understanding and promoting high level discussions among scholars of the ideas treated in the pages of first things.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 77% 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.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - 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: 71
  • Transparency & Controls: 74
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 28
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 77.3%; rating input score 77
  • Program expense ratio: 77.9%; rating input score 78
  • Fundraising efficiency: $4.81 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd 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: 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: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 0.8%; rating input score 37; 37th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.76; rating input score 28; 28th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.87; rating input score 8; 8th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 16.6%; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 6.5% per year; rating input score 100; 48th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 5.2% per year; rating input score 100; 43rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 14.7% per year; rating input score 100; 73rd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 77.3% of revenue deployed · 77.9% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 11 of 11 board members independent · 7 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $3.4M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $277K · 16 people listed · 2 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 4 contractors listed · $486K reported
  • Consistency: 32 of 32 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 12 filing years from 2011 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 5 filed money-flow records
  • 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.

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 16/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 37/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 28/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Other executive compensation review process not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 8/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 16/100.