Rock the Vote
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
FOUNDED IN 1990, ROCK THE VOTE IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO BUILDING THE CIVIC POWER OF YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGH VOTER REGISTRATION, EDUCATION AND MOBILIZATION AND REDUCING BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION BY MODERNIZING THE CIVIC PROCESS AND FIGHTING FOR YOUNG PEOPLES RIGHT TO VOTE.
- Income
- $11.3 million
- Spending
- $8.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 97%
- Reserves
- 5.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 98%
- Employees
- 17
- Volunteers
- 3,440
- Highest pay
- $152,312, president/executive director
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
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 59% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 26% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 33% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1597% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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: 93 out of 100. Higher than 26% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 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
0 of 7Reports no 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 (4)
- $6.9 million spent. Culture of Voting - Rock the Vote drives civic engagement by meeting young people where they are online, offline, and in spaces that shape their identities. Through trusted messengers, compelling storytelling, and research-based content, we harness social media to mobilize young voters. We integrate civic participation into concerts, festivals, and cultural moments, making it a natural part of young peoples lives.Partnerships with brands, entertainment companies,ssociations,sports leagues,and cultural influencers amplify democratic participation. In 2024,Rock the Votes multi-media campaign Voting is Self-Care earned 310 million impressions. The organization generated 272.4 million additional social media impressions and 128 media hits reaching 2.73 million people. Rock the Vote produced early vote microevents in 18 cities and large-scale early vote concerts and festivals in three cities. We partnered with dozens of athletes, influencers, musicians, and actors, plus more than 30 brands, leagues, and teams who served as trusted messengers to share vetted information and resources
- $669,692 spent. Voter Education - Rock the Vote delivers nonpartisan civic education across digital platforms, civic technology tools, classrooms, and community events, giving young people the knowledge to participate in democracy. Our Election Reminder Program provides step-by-step guidance via text, email, and our online Election Center. Through our innovative ballot education tool, Democracy Explainers and Democracy Class curriculum, we equip young people with the knowledge and skills to be informed voters. In 2024, 5.5 million people visited Rock the Votes Election Center for vetted information on election dates, deadlines, polling locations, and voting policies. Voters used Rock the Votes Ballot Tool in to view sample ballots with 34,021 endorsements from 3,667 sources across the political spectrum. Rock the Vote sent Election Reminders via email and text to over five million subscribers, adding 1.24 million new subscribers in 2024. More than 470 educators signed up for Democracy Class while 662,208 viewed our Democracy Explainers with 273,278 active readers.
- $578,611 spent. Voter Registration Mobilization - Rock the Vote engages and mobilizes young voters through digital tools, on-the-ground organizing, and partnerships. Recognizing that voting is habit-forming, we reach young people early to build lifelong civic participation.Rock the Vote develops and maintains civic technology that guides users through voter registration, status checks, and absentee ballot requests. These secure, compliant tools are provided free to nonprofits, schools, companies, and influencers nationwide, and are integrated into our own programs.In 2024, Rock the Vote provided technology tools to 192 partners, reaching 1,885,334 voters through our Online Voter Registration platform, Registration Status Lookup, Absentee Ballot Request Platform, Pledge to Vote Tool, and Ballot Tracking and Curing Tool. We directly messaged 252,216 unregistered young voters across two states with 975,938 registration contacts and coordinated 3,500 handwritten postcards to new voters. On Election Day, staff contacted 203,791 eligible young voters unlikely to have been reached by campaigns or parties
- Program Service Expenses 11,397, Grants and allocations 0, Revenue 0 Voting Rights Election Protection - Rock the Vote works to reduce barriers to participation and protect a healthy democracy by championing young peoples right to vote. Through initiatives, partnerships, and educational resources, Rock the Vote equips young voters with knowledge about civic systems and democratic foundations while defending access and modernizing the electoral process.In 2024, Rock the Vote participated in the Election Protection Coalition and promoted the 1-888-Our-Vote Election Protection Hotline through its Election Reminders program, Voting is Self-Care campaign, brand partnerships, and social media. Rock the Vote continued outreach to state election officials to promote adoption of connected voter registration to streamline and modernize voter registration.
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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 2006.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 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.