Grantmakers for Effective Organizations
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
GEO IS A COMMUNITY OF FUNDERS COMMITTED TO TRANSFORMING PHILANTHROPIC CULTURE AND PRACTICE BY CONNECTING MEMBERS TO THE RESOURCES AND RELATIONSHIPS NEEDED TO SUPPORT THRIVING NONPROFITS AND COMMUNITIES.
- Income
- $10.0 million
- Spending
- $7.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 72%
- Reserves
- 12.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 83%
- Employees
- 28
- Volunteers
- 480
- Highest pay
- $382,906, president & ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 71% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 12.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 10% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 25% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 105% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1572% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 37% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 14 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $1.9 million spent. MEMBER PROGRAMS: GEO IS A DIVERSE COMMUNITY OF NEARLY 500 GRANTMAKING ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TO TRANSFORM PHILANTHROPIC CULTURE AND PRACTICE. IN 2024, GRANTMAKERS ADDRESSED SHARED CHALLENGES IN GRANTMAKING THROUGH GEO'S PEER LEARNING PROGRAMS INCLUDING WEBINARS, MEMBER CALLS AND REMOTE LEARNING SERIES. OTHER MEMBER PROGRAMS, SUCH AS OUR FELLOWSHIP COHORTS AND CEO/SENIOR LEADER PROGRAMMING FOUND NEW WAYS FOR MEMBERS AND NON-MEMBER GRANTMAKERS TO COME TOGETHER TO ADDRESS THE BARRIERS TO ADOPTING GRANTMAKING PRACTICES THAT SUPPORT THRIVING COMMUNITIES. THESE OPPORTUNITIES ALLOW MEMBERS TO TALK ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THEY ARE FACING, ADVANCE EQUITY, WORK THROUGH COMPLEX CHANGES WITHIN THEIR ORGANIZATIONS, AND ADVOCATE FOR IMPROVED PRACTICES ACROSS THE FIELD.
- $1.4 million spent. CONFERENCES: GEO CONFERENCES EDUCATE AND INSPIRE ACTION. IN 2024, WE HELD A NATIONAL CONFERENCE THAT CONVENED OVER 1,000 GRANTMAKERS IN PERSON. ABOUT 1,000 PARTICIPANTS GATHERED IN LOS ANGELES TO CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER AND HEAR FROM DYNAMIC SPEAKERS ON TOPICS RELATED TO SHIFTING PHILANTHROPIC CULTURE. PARTICIPANTS EXCHANGED IDEAS AND DEEPENED THEIR SKILLSET RELATED TO ADVANCING RACIAL-EQUITY CENTERED CHANGE IN THEIR ORGANIZATIONS AND THE ADOPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PHILANTHROPIC PRACTICES THAT LEAD TO THRIVING COMMUNITIES.
- $964,940 spent. RESEARCH & LEARNING: WE CONDUCT RESEARCH ON FIELD TRENDS TO MARK CHANGES IN GRANTMAKER PRACTICE OVER TIME, AS WELL AS ONGOING SKILL-BUILDING FOR OUR STAFF, BOARD AND OTHER KEY STAKEHOLDERS TO INFORM OUR STRATEGY OF BUILDING COMMUNITY.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 2002.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.