Way to Rise

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
883300694
IRS 990 coverage
2022–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Washington, DC, USA
Rating
88
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Scholarships, Student Financial Aid Services, Awards

Reported finances

Revenue
$13,810,680
Expenses
$18,876,533
Assets
$8,076,329
Liabilities
$1,399,735

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

Leadership & pay

7 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • EBONI SPEIGHT (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/TREASURER)

People named in this filing

  • MIMI MARZIANI (CHAIR)
  • ANNA FINK (BOARD MEMBER)
  • ANU KHOSLA (BOARD MEMBER)

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

Way to rise centers communities most impacted by injustice, funding sustained nonpartisan civic engagement led by both state-based organizations and national groups that support state-based partners

What it reported doing in 2024

Way to rise works with our funders to develop and execute data-informed funding strategies that lead to breakthroughs in building a vibrant and sustainable democracy. Way to rise is unrivaled in the democracy landscape for our deep collaboration with frontline organizations, our ability to harness best in class data, and our in-house expertise in developing narrative that envisions what a multiracial democracy looks like. Since 2018, we have co-created successful community-centered campaigns to protect and enhance democracy. These years of experience, added to our founders and teams leadership and track record in movement spaces, have allowed us to create a powerbuilding framework to guide our funding. Our work is trategically focused on the south and southwest, two regions that have historically been overlooked for long term power building funding.

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 62% of its reported program spending out as grants.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Expenses are high relative to revenue and total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 86
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 23
  • Growth: 80

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 91.3%; rating input score 91
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd 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; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • 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: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -36.7%; rating input score 2; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.43; rating input score 12; 12th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.17; rating input score 62; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 96; 96th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 21.4% per year; rating input score 100; 91st percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 39.1% per year; rating input score 100; 98th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -4.8% per year; rating input score 0; 3rd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 91.3% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 6 of 6 board members independent · 7 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $17.2M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 7 people listed
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $2.3M reported
  • Consistency: 23 of 23 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 3 filing years from 2022 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 86 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 86 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 — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 2/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 12/100.
  • High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.