Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Sagamore Inc

EIN 20-1161578 · Indianapolis, IN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood75 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

AN INDIANAPOLIS-BASED NONPROFIT, NONPARTISAN PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH ORGANIZATION OR "THINK TANK." IT IS OUR MISSION TO RESEARCH AND ANALYZE DIFFICULT ISSUES AND TO CONNECT THE BEST IDEAS WITH LEADERS WHO CAN TRANSFORM THEM INTO SMARTER POLICY AND IMPROVED PRACTICE.

Income
$23.2 million
Spending
$18.8 million
Spent on programs
92%
Reserves
2.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 90%
Employees
51
Volunteers
12
Highest pay
$276,844, chief executive officer

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: 75 out of 100. Higher than 47% of charities in its peer group (public benefit, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 9% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 19% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 39% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    92% 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 44% of charities in its peer group (public benefit, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 11 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 (7)
  1. $9.9 million spent. EDUCATION THE GLOBAL TEACH EXCHANGE (FORMERLY THE J-1 VISA PROGRAM) ISSUES VISAS AND MONITORS HIGHLY QUALIFIED INTERNATIONAL TEACHERS WHO COME TO THE U.S. TO TEACH AND SHARE THEIR CULTURE AND PERSPECTIVES. THE EXCHANGE VISITOR PROGRAM PROMOTES MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT NATIONS BY CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL EXCHANGE, ALLOWING FOREIGN TEACHERS TO TEACH IN ACCREDITED U.S. K12 SCHOOLS AND RETURN HOME TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCE. SAGAMORE ALSO OPERATES THE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR EDUCATION CHOICE PROGRAM, AN INDIANA SCHOLARSHIP-GRANTING ORGANIZATION (SGO). IT AWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS SO ELIGIBLE FAMILIES MAY CHOOSE THE SCHOOL THAT BEST FITS THEIR CHILD. THE PROGRAM ALLOWS INDIVIDUAL AND BUSINESS DONORS TO RECEIVE A STATE TAX CREDIT EQUAL TO 50 % OF THEIR GIFT.(CONT. ON SCH O)OVER ITS LIFETIME, THE PROGRAM HAS AWARDED TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN SCHOLARSHIPS TO INDIANA STUDENTS.
  2. $2.0 million spent. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT THE ORGANIZATION'S COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND CITIZENSHIP EFFORTS ENGAGE CITIZENS, SCHOLARS, AND PUBLIC LEADERS TO BUILD STRONGER COMMUNITIES. MANY OF THE INITIATIVES EMPHASIZE CAPACITY-BUILDING FOR COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND FOSTERING RESILIENT CIVIL SOCIETY.
  3. $1.2 million spent. CRIMINAL JUSTICE THE ORGANIZATION'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE PORTFOLIO ADVANCES NEW APPROACHES TO SUPPORT YOUTH AND INDIVIDUALS IMPACTED BY CRIME, STRENGTHEN PATHWAYS TO RESTORATION, AND IMPROVE OUTCOMES IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM.
  4. $1.5 million spent. POLICY REFORM THE ORGANIZATION HOUSES MULTIPLE POLICY REFORM PROGRAMS THAT FOCUS ON STATE INNOVATIONS IN PROMOTING HEALTHY FAMILIES, ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY, BUDGET RESPONSIBILITY, AND EDUCATION CHOICE.
  5. $673,565 spent. BUSINESS SUPPORT THE ORGANIZATION'S BUSINESS SUPPORT PORTFOLIO CREATES ECONOMIC PATHWAYS FOR DISADVANTAGED INDIVIDUALS TO LAUNCH, SUSTAIN, AND GROW SMALL BUSINESSES. THIS INCLUDES EDUCATION, CAPACITY BUILDING, AND ECOSYSTEM DEVELOPMENT.
  6. $676,621 spent. INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT THE ORGANIZATION'S INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES EXTEND THE ORGANIZATION'S REACH GLOBALLY, DELIVERING WISE COUNSEL IN NATIONS SUCH AS INDIA, LIBERIA, NIGERIA, GHANA, AND RWANDA.
  7. $1.2 million spent. PURPOSEFUL DESIGN PURPOSEFUL DESIGN HELPS REBUILD LIVES OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE FACED ADDICTION, HOMELESSNESS, INCARCERATION, OR OTHER OBSTACLES, BY EQUIPPING THEM WITH PRACTICAL WORK SKILLS IN A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT.

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 2004.

    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.