Ballot Initiative Strategy Center Inc
Public records raise at least one point you should look into before giving.
What it says it does
BALLOT INITIATIVE STRATEGY CENTER, INC. (BISC) STRENGTHENS DEMOCRACY BY BUILDING A NATIONAL PROGRESSIVE STRATEGY FOR BALLOT MEASURES.
- Income
- $2.6 million
- Spending
- $3.7 million
- Employees
- 20
- Volunteers
- 11
- Highest pay
- $253,544, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Financial health
We do not score finances when yearly spending is very small or the return has too little detail. The ratios stop meaning much at that size.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Governance
This return does not answer enough of the governance questions to score.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. 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 (6)
- $987,529 spent. STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS ENCOMPASSES OUR V2030/ALIGNMENT WORK, OUR WORK WITH OVER 60 NATIONAL AND STATE PARTNERS AND FUNDERS GEARED TO BETTER ALIGN THE BALLOT MEASURE SPACE AND DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT LONG TERM STRATEGIC IMPERATIVES FOR THE FIELD.
- $556,926 spent. ROAD AHEAD 2024 - THE ROAD AHEAD CONFERENCE IS THE PROGRESSIVE COMMUNITY'S ONLY CONFERENCE SOLELY DEDICATED TO BALLOT MEASURES. IT IS TYPICALLY HELD EVERY FEBRUARY IN LAS VEGAS.ROAD AHEAD ATTENDEES COME FROM ALL CORNERS OF THE COUNTRY AND ALL PARTS OF THE PROGRESSIVE COMMUNITY. WHAT UNITES THEM ALL IS A DESIRE TO USE BALLOT MEASURES AS A VEHICLE FOR SOCIAL CHANGE.
- $341,535 spent. THE TRAINING AND ORGANIZING CATEGORY ENCOMPASSES OUR CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAM. THE CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAM IS COMPRISED OF OUR FORMAL TRAINING PROGRAM THAT DEVELOPS CURRICULA AND TRAINS THE FIELD IN THE SKILLS NEEDED TO RUN AND WIN A TRANSFORMATIVE AND EQUITABLE BALLOT MEASURE CAMPAIGNS, AS WELL AS BISC'S PEER-TO-PEER AND SKILLS BUILDING COHORTS, WHICH HELP PARTNERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY MOVE UP BISC'S LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT LADDER AND SHARE BEST PRACTICES AND LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER ON AN ONGOING BASIS.
- $329,371 spent. COMMUNICATIONS: BISC USES EMAIL, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND PRESS INTERVIEWS TO COMMUNICATE ABOUT CRITICAL BALLOT MEASURES AND CAMPAIGNS AROUND THE COUNTRY.
- $222,590 spent. ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- $187,607 spent. POLICY AND LEGAL ADVOCACY ENCOMPASSES WORKING WITH STATE AND NATIONAL PARTNERS, INCLUDING BISC'S LAWYER'S GUILD, TO PROTECT DIRECT DEMOCRACY AND PROGRESSIVE BALLOT MEASURE WINS AROUND THE COUNTRY, WORKING WITH STATE AND NATIONAL PARTNERS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF EQUITABLE AND STRATEGIC BALLOT MEASURE POLICIES, AS WELL AS THE TRACKING OF BALLOT MEASURES AND ANALYSIS OF BALLOT MEASURE TRENDS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. 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)(4) social welfare 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? Caution.
The IRS master file records contributions to this 501(c)(4) social welfare organization as not deductible.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, 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 August 1998.
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.