Tradeoffs Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
834075323
IRS 990 coverage
2020–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-EZ 2019
Location
Philadelphia, PA, USA
Phone
5852698674
Rating
76
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Alliance/Advocacy Organizations

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,350,962
Expenses
$1,436,229
Assets
$994,084
Liabilities
$81,375

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

Leadership & pay

11 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • JESSICA SILVERMAN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • JESSICA SILVERMAN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $165,155 total reported compensation
  • DANIEL GORENSTEIN (FOUNDER, EXECUTIVE EDITOR): $165,155 total reported compensation
  • LESLIE WALKER (SENIOR PRODUCER): $122,681 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Tradeoffs' mission is to help america have smarter, more honest health policy conversations. Through our podcast, in-depth articles and live events, we explore the toughest choices in health care.(continued on schedule o) we dive into issues like the cost of care, health equity, insurance, mental health and artificial intelligence. We connect policy to practice, uncovering the data and personal stories that help audiences understand the stakes - and the potential solutions.

What it reported doing in 2024

Tradeoffs' podcast, articles, newsletter and events reach more than 170,000 people each month, influencing policymakers, educators, journalists and the public alike. In 2024, our work continued to elevate the national discourse around health policy. Our model of accessible reporting that pairs data and evidence with the stories of real people deeply resonated with our audience. In our 2024 audience survey, 96% of respondents reported they use tradeoffs to inform their thinking about health care. Our work was widely consumed and shared by many of the nation's top health policy leaders. We had a 51% increase in podcasting listening and our newsletter had higher-than-industry averages in open and click through rates, showcasing the value derived from our work. (continued on schedule o)our podcast and written stories were republished nearly 100 times in 2024, reaching millions of readers and listeners via partnerships with other media organizations. Our work earned national accolades, including a national edward r. Murrow award, a first-place national headliner award, and three awards for excellence in health care journalism from the association of health care journalists (ahcj) for 2024 coverage of health policy issues.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 94% 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 - 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: 72
  • Transparency & Controls: 74
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 25
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 77.1%; rating input score 77
  • Program expense ratio: 72.4%; rating input score 72
  • Fundraising efficiency: $14.99 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 50; 50th 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: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • 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: -6.3%; rating input score 22; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.69; rating input score 32; 32nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.08; rating input score 45; 45th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 54.8%; rating input score 2; 2nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 31.5% per year; rating input score 100; 91st percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 24.2% per year; rating input score 100; 89th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 23.6% per year; rating input score 100; 86th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 77.1% of revenue deployed · 72.4% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 4 of 4 board members independent · 8 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $1M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $165K · 11 people listed · 2 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 26 of 26 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 4 filing years from 2020 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 6 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.

Key Signals

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

  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 50/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 22/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 32/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Whistleblower policy not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 2/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 45/100.