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Center for Economic and Social Rights Inc

EIN 13-3744727 · New York, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair57 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY TO PROMOTE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RIGHTS

Income
$1.2 million
Spending
$1.1 million
Spent on programs
76%
Reserves
1.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 99%
Employees
2
Volunteers
8
Highest pay
$132,533, 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

Fair: 57 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    2 of 20

    It owes 77% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 15% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 12% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    76% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 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.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 7 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, 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 (1)
  1. $798,041 spent. IN 2024, CESR CONTINUED TO STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE BY LINKING PARTNERS ACROSS THE GLOBE TO STRATEGIZE AND WORK TOGETHER IN PURSUIT OF A MORE EQUITABLE AND RIGHTS-BASED GLOBAL ECONOMY. THIS INCLUDES CONVENING PARTNERS TO SHARE STRATEGIES AND LEARNINGS ON THE SIDELINES OF MAJOR INTERNATIONAL ADVOCACY EVENTS, INCLUDING THOSE ORGANIZED BY THE UNITED NATIONS (UN), GROUP OF TWENTY (G20), AND INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND (IMF). WE HAVE ALSO CONTINUED TO BUILD ALLIANCES AND BRIDGE MOVEMENTS THROUGHOUT LATIN AMERICA THROUGH OUR ROLE AS THE SECRETARIAT OF THE INITIATIVE ON FISCAL POLICY AND HUMAN RIGHTS. CESR CONTINUED ITS ADVOCACY WORK TO CHALLENGE UNJUST TAX, DEBT AND BUDGET POLICIES IN NUMEROUS COUNTRIES ACROSS THE GLOBE - INCLUDING THE PHILIPPINES, NEPAL, UGANDA, GHANA, ZAMBIA AND ACROSS LATIN AMERICA, WHILE ALSO ADVOCATING INTERNATIONALLY FOR FAIRER FISCAL POLICIES TO REALIZE HUMAN RIGHTS AND REDUCE INEQUALITIES. FOR EXAMPLE, WE'VE CARRIED OUT WORK ON A WOMEN'S HUMAN RIGHTS IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF CLIMATE FINANCE PROJECTS WITH PARTNERS IN NEPAL. WE ALSO UNDERTOOK ADVOCACY IN INTERNATIONAL FORA SUCH AS THE UN, THE IMF, AND THE G20. FOR EXAMPLE, WE WORKED WITH PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE GLOBE TO INPUT INTO THE DEBATES AND PROCESSES AROUND A UN TAX CONVENTION, AS WELL AS BROUGHT TOGETHER PARTNERS FROM BRAZIL AND SOUTH AFRICA TO SHARE G20 ADVOCACY STRATEGIES. CESR PROVIDED TOOLS, TRAINING AND SUPPORT TO SCORES OF HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS AND DEFENDERS ACROSS THE GLOBE ON HOW TO MONITOR ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RIGHTS AND ENSURE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THEM. THIS INCLUDED THE ONGOING APPLICATION OF THE DECODING INJUSTICE TOOLKIT. DECODING INJUSTICE WAS USED IN TRAININGS WITH PARTNERS IN NEPAL, GHANA, UGANDA, AND EL SALVADOR. IT WAS ALSO THE FOCUS OF THE DECODING INJUSTICE LEARNING LAB, WHICH BROUGHT TOGETHER 25 ACTIVISTS FROM ASIA, AFRICA, LATIN AMERICA, AND NORTH AMERICA TO PARTICIPATE IN VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS AND PEER LEARNING. INTERNATIONALLY FOR FAIRER FISCAL POLICIES TO REALIZE HUMAN RIGHTS AND REDUCE INEQUALITIES. FOR EXAMPLE, WE'VE CARRIED OUT WORK ON FEMINIST FINANCING WITH PARTNERS IN ZAMBIA. WE ALSO UNDERTOOK ADVOCACY IN INTERNATIONAL FORA SUCH AS THE UN AND THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND. FOR EXAMPLE, WE WORKED WITH PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE GLOBE TO INPUT INTO THE DEBATES AND PROCESSES AROUND A UN TAX CONVENTION. CESR PROVIDED TOOLS, TRAINING AND SUPPORT TO SCORES OF HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS AND DEFENDERS ACROSS THE GLOBE ON HOW TO MONITOR ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RIGHTS AND ENSURE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THEM. THIS INCLUDED THE ONGOING APPLICATION OF THE DECODING INJUSTICE TOOLKIT. DECODING INJUSTICE WAS USED IN TRAININGS WITH PARTNERS IN THE PHILIPPINES, THAILAND, ZAMBIA AND ACROSS LATIN AMERICA. IT WAS ALSO THE FOCUS OF THE DECODING INJUSTICE LEARNING LAB, WHICH BROUGHT TOGETHER OVER 20 ACTIVISTS FROM ASIA, AFRICA, LATIN AMERICA, AND NORTH AMERICA TO PARTICIPATE VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS AND PEER LEARNING.

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

  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 2024.

    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 August 1994.

    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.

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.