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Center for Effective Philanthropy Inc

EIN 04-3523528 · Cambridge, MA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

CEP PROVIDES DATA, FEEDBACK, PROGRAMS, AND INSIGHTS TO HELP INDIVIDUAL AND INSTITUTIONAL DONORS IMPROVE THEIR EFFECTIVENESS. WE DO THIS WORK BECAUSE WE BELIEVE EFFECTIVE DONORS, WORKING COLLABORATIVELY AND THOUGHTFULLY, CAN PROFOUNDLY CONTRIBUTE TO CREATING A BETTER AND MORE JUST WORLD.

Income
$18.1 million
Spending
$15.9 million
Spent on programs
86%
Reserves
13 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 49%
Employees
70
Volunteers
12
Highest pay
$701,020, president

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 13.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 12% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 12% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 27% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    86% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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 25

    11 of 12 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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 (1)
  1. $13.6 million spent. CEP PROVIDES DATA, FEEDBACK, PROGRAMS, AND INSIGHTS TO HELP INDIVIDUAL AND INSTITUTIONAL DONORS IMPROVE THEIR EFFECTIVENESS. WE DO THIS WORK BECAUSE WE BELIEVE EFFECTIVE DONORS, WORKING COLLABORATIVELY AND THOUGHTFULLY, CAN PROFOUNDLY CONTRIBUTE TO CREATING A BETTER AND MORE JUST WORLD.SEE SCHEDULE O FOR MORE INFORMATION ON PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS. DURING 2025, CEP PURSUED AN EXTENSIVE RESEARCH AGENDA, PUBLISHING NUMEROUS REPORTS SHEDDING LIGHT ON IMPORTANT QUESTIONS IN THE SECTOR. THOSE PUBLICATIONS WERE: -BREAKING THE MOLD: THE TRANSFORMATIVE EFFECT OF MACKENZIE SCOTT'S BIG GIFTS THE FINAL REPORT IN A THREE-YEAR STUDY (FEBRUARY 2025) -TRANSFORMATIVE GIFTS: INSIDE ORGANIZATIONS THAT RECEIVED MACKENZIE SCOTT GRANTS A COMPANION TO CEP'S THREE-YEAR STUDY (FEBRUARY 2025) -CHALLENGING TIMES: HOW U.S. NONPROFIT LEADERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE POLITICAL CONTEXT (MARCH 2025) -STATE OF NONPROFITS 2025: WHAT FUNDERS NEED TO KNOW (MAY 2025) -PARTNERING FOR PROGRESS: GRANTEE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EUROPE-BASED FUNDERS (JUNE 2025) -VOICES THAT MATTER: HOW NONPROFITS AND FOUNDATIONS ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITIES THEY SUPPORT (JULY 2025) -AI WITH PURPOSE: HOW FOUNDATIONS AND NONPROFITS ARE THINKING ABOUT AND USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE(SEPTEMBER 2025) IN ADDITION, CEP PRESENTED PRELIMINARY FINDINGS FROM ITS ONGOING RESEARCH ON THE CURRENT POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT AFFECTING PHILANTHROPY IN A DATA PRESENTATION TITLED MOUNTING PRESSURE: U.S. FOUNDATIONS AND NONPROFITS ON THE 2025 POLITICAL CLIMATE AT THE CEP2025 CONFERENCE IN NOVEMBER 2025. RESOURCES FROM OUR RESEARCH LIBRARY WERE DOWNLOADED OVER 25,000 DURING 2025. CEP COMPLETED MORE THAN 100 ASSESSMENT AND ADVISORY SERVICES ENGAGEMENTS FOR FOUNDATIONS AND GRANTMAKERS IN 2025, INCLUDING THE GRANTEE PERCEPTION REPORT (GPR), THE APPLICANT PERCEPTION REPORT (APR), THE STAFF PERCEPTION REPORT (SPR), THE DONOR PERCEPTION REPORT (DPR), AND CUSTOM ADVISORY PROJECTS. THESE ASSESSMENTS HELP FUNDERS HEAR FROM CRUCIAL CONSTITUENCIES AND IMPROVE THEIR EFFECTIVENESS. THROUGH ITS YOUTHTRUTH INITIATIVE, CEP GATHERED COMPARATIVE FEEDBACK FROM STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND SCHOOL STAFF ABOUT THEIR SCHOOL EXPERIENCES, CREATED ONLINE INTERACTIVE REPORTS FOR SCHOOL AND DISTRICT ADMINISTRATORS, AND PROVIDED FOLLOW-UP ADVISORY SUPPORT. IN 2025, YOUTHTRUTH SURVEYED MORE THAN 272,000 STUDENTS, 75,000 FAMILY MEMBERS, AND 25,000 STAFF IN 906 SCHOOLS ACROSS 137 DISTRICTS. FINDINGS WERE SHARED WITH OVER 900 SCHOOLS IN 137 DISTRICTS AND PUBLISHED A NATIONAL RESEARCH REPORT ABOUT THE ISSUE OF BULLYING IN US SCHOOLS. CEP'S LEARNING INSTITUTE DRAWS ON RIGOROUS RESEARCH AND EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN ADVISING FOUNDATIONS TO ENHANCE PHILANTHROPIC EFFECTIVENESS AND MAXIMIZE IMPACT. THE INSTITUTE OFFERS LEARNING COHORTS, TRAININGS, AND TAILORED WORKSHOPS, ENABLING FOUNDATION STAFF AND LEADERS TO ENGAGE DEEPLY WITH PEERS, SET GOALS, AND FOSTER SIGNIFICANT ADVANCEMENTS. IN 2025, THE INSTITUTE FACILITATED CUSTOM WORKSHOPS FOR FIVE FOUNDATIONS ON TOPICS LIKE STRONG FUNDER-GRANTEE RELATIONSHIPS, FACILITATED A PEER LEARNING COHORT FOR SENIOR LEADERS ON WORKING WELL WITH INTERMEDIARIES, FACILITATED TWO PROGRAM OFFICER PEER LEARNING COHORTS, AND LAUNCHED A LEADERSHIP COHORT FOR FOUNDATION CEOS AND PRESIDENTS. CEP'S 2025 CONFERENCE TOOK PLACE NOV. 3-5 IN LOS ANGELES AT THE INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL DOWNTOWN. THE EVENT WAS OUR LARGEST YET, DRAWING MORE THAN 550 FOUNDATION LEADERS, TRUSTEES, AND PROGRAM OFFICERS FROM ACROSS THE U.S. AND INTERNATIONALLY. FEATURING TIMELY DISCUSSIONS WITH KNOWLEDGEABLE SPEAKERS, THE EVENT RECEIVED HIGH OVERALL SATISFACTION AND USEFULNESS RATINGS FROM ATTENDEES. CEP'S "GIVING DONE RIGHT" PODCAST'S SIXTH SEASON LAUNCHED IN SEPTEMBER, WITH 14 EPISODES IN TOTAL, EXTENDING THROUGH GIVING TUESDAY. FEATURING INTERVIEWS WITH INDIVIDUAL DONORS, NONPROFIT LEADERS, AND PHILANTHROPY EXPERTS, THE SHOW SEEKS TO INSPIRE MORE EFFECTIVE GIVING. IN ADDITION, THE PROGRAMMING AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS TEAM SUPPORTED THE DISSEMINATION OF ALL 2025 RESEARCH REPORTS, INCLUDING HOSTING RELATED WEBINARS AND SEEKING EXTERNAL SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS WHERE CEP LEADERS SHARED FINDINGS WITH AUDIENCES OF INDIVIDUAL DONORS AND GRANTMAKERS ACROSS THE U.S. AND IN EUROPE.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since November 2000.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.

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