Institute for State Effectiveness
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE INSTITUTE FOR STATE EFFECTIVENESS SEEKS TO CLOSE THE GOVERNANCE GAP AND ADVANCE INCLUSIVE GROWTH SO THAT STATES AND MARKETS DELIVER TO CITIZENS. ISE ADVANCES PRACTICAL APPROACHES TO STRENGTHEN CAPACITY FOR TRANSFORMATION, THROUGH BUILDING CORE SYSTEMS AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR RESULTS ACROSS LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT.
- Income
- $2.1 million
- Spending
- $1.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- 8.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 80%
- Employees
- 5
- Volunteers
- 12
- Highest pay
- $182,805, director/ceo/president
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: 88 out of 100. Higher than 73% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 10% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 13% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 9% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 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
Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
18 of 252 of 3 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
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
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 (5)
- $1.1 million spent. COUNTRY ANALYSIS AND ENGAGEMENT - ISE WORKS THROUGH ITS COUNTRY STOCKTAKING PROGRAM TO UNDERSTAND COUNTRY CONTEXT. IN PARTICULAR COUNTRIES, ISE WORKS WITH COUNTRY PARTNERS TO UNDERSTAND COUNTRY CONTEXT AND TO DESIGN AND SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICIES AND PROGRAMS ON REGIONAL AND LOCAL LEVELS TO FIT THAT CONTEXT. ISE'S APPROACH RELIES ON UNDERSTANDING SYSTEMS ACROSS GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS, PROMOTING GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY THROUGH FOSTERING INCLUSIVE MARKETS, AND ENHANCING CITIZEN INCLUSION AND EMPOWERMENT BY EXPANDING THE SPACE FOR CIVIL SOCIETY. ISE TEAMS ALSO PROVIDE ADVISORY SUPPORT IN KEY INSTRUMENTS INCLUDING COUNTRY-WIDE PROGRAMS PARTICULARLY IN SUPPORT OF INCLUSIVE, LARGE-SCALE COMMUNITY-DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS; AND IN THEMATIC AREAS, INCLUDING EDUCATION AND TRAINING; PUBLIC FINANCE; AND SOCIAL POLICY AND PARTICIPATORY DEVELOPMENT. THIS WORK SUPPORTS LEADERS AND MANAGERS WITH THE KNOW-HOW TO ADDRESS THE GOVERNANCE GAP AND BUILD GOVERNANCE SYSTEMS THAT ARE RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF CITIZENS.
- $162,739 spent. INSIGHT AND ANALYSIS - ISE'S ANALYSIS IS INFORMED BY YEARS OF STUDYING AND WORKING WITH CIVIC ACTORS, PUBLIC SECTOR AND FIRMS ON GOVERNANCE AND MARKET BUILDING ACROSS A WIDE RANGE OF CONTEXTS. ISE CONDUCTS RESEARCH AND PROVIDES INPUT ON POLICY THROUGH SEVERAL PROGRAMS AND RESEARCH AREAS INCLUDING:- "STATE OF THE STATE" DIALOGUE AND RESEARCH TO IDENTIFY GAINS, LESSONS LEARNED AND EMERGING TRENDS RELATING TO THE SOCIAL COMPACT AND PUBLIC TRUST IN INSTITUTIONS.- DEMOCRACY & GOVERNMENT: STATE, MARKET, CITIZENSHIP - THIS WORK FOCUSES ONSTRENGTHENING DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE, RULE OF LAW AND INCLUSIVE MARKET BUILDING. ISEWORKS TO REFINE CONCEPTS AND FRAMEWORKS FOR GOVERNANCE, PROMOTE ECONOMIC AND CIVICENGAGEMENT, AND STRENGTHEN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS. ISE ALSO DEVELOPS TOOLS ANDFRAMEWORKS FOR BUILDING INTEGRATED MARKETS AND IDENTIFYING ASSETS TO SUPPORT INCLUSIVEGROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT; AND- SUCCESSFUL TRANSITIONS TO MAP PATHWAYS FROM POVERTY TO PROSPERITY AND FROM AUTOCRACY TODEMOCRACY IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST CENTURY TO EXTRACT RELEVANTLESSONS FOR TODAY'S CHALLENGES. THIS ALLOWS FOR COMPARISON ACROSS TIME AND CONTEXT.-GLOBAL ORDER & INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS - ISE IS COMMITTED TO GENERATING NEW IDEAS AND PERSPECTIVES TO STRENGTHEN THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM AND BETTER SERVE CITIZENS WORLDWIDE. THROUGH WORKSHOPS, ROUNDTABLES AND TARGETED RESEARCH, INCLUDING ISE'S "STATE OF THE STATE" PROCESS, THE INITIATIVE AIMS TO CONTRIBUTE IDEAS ON HOW TO REGENERATE AND REFORM INSTITUTIONS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY. SPECIFIC FOCUS TOPICS INCLUDE INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS; GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAINS AND LOCALIZED PARTICIPATION IN THE GLOBAL ORDER;-RESPONDING TO OPEN MOMENTS - ISE HAS BUILT TOOLS, TECHNIQUES AND ANALYTICAL APPROACHES TO IDENTIFY "OPEN MOMENTS" - CRITICAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRANSFORMATION AND REFORM IN COUNTRIES. ISE SUPPORTS COUNTRIES TO NAVIGATE THESE OPEN MOMENTS BY LEARNING FROM PAST EXPERIENCES AND IMPROVING ON CONVENTIONAL INTERNATIONAL APPROACHES. AREAS OF FOCUS INCLUDE RECONSTRUCTION AND RECOVERY, SUPPORT TO NEW GOVERNMENTS AND REFORM SEQUENCING;-ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS - ISE IS UNDERTAKING A SYSTEMIC ANALYSIS ON SUPPLY CHAIN SHIFTS AND HOW THEY MIGHT ADVANCE POSITIVE ECONOMIC, SECURITY AND DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES. THIS WORK FORMS PART OF ISE'S PRACTICE SUPPORTING COUNTRY STRATEGIES FOR GROWTH AND INNOVATION. THIS PRACTICE PARTNERS WITH COUNTRIES TO MAP POTENTIAL SOURCES OF GROWTH AND PRIORITIES FOR INNOVATION AND ALIGN INVESTMENTS, INCLUDING SKILLS, INFRASTRUCTURE AND INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY FOR THESE PRIORITIES;-FUTURE OF DEVELOPMENT: DEVELOPMENT 3.0 - ISE'S "FUTURE OF DEVELOPMENT" INITIATIVE PROVIDES CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH AND OPTIONS FOR HOW COUNTRIES AND THEIR INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS CAN MODERNIZE THEIR APPROACHES TO DEVELOPMENT AND GOVERNANCE. THIS EFFORT AIMS TO UPDATE THE TOOLKIT USED BY LEADING DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTIONS, ENSURING THEY REMAIN RELEVANT IN A RAPIDLY CHANGING WORLD;-AI, TECHNOLOGY & CITIZEN-CENTERED GOVERNANCE - ADDRESSES CRITICAL QUESTIONS AT THE NEXUS OF AI ADVANCEMENTS, GOVERNANCE AND DEVELOPMENT. IT INVESTIGATES THE IMPACT OF AI ON CORE GOVERNANCE FUNCTIONS; ETHICALLY INTEGRATES AI TO IMPROVE EXISTING ANALYTICAL TOOLS AND TO DEVELOP NEW ONES WHERE APPROPRIATE; AND DISSEMINATES FINDINGS TO HELP KEY STAKEHOLDERS UNDERSTAND BOTH THE RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES OF AI FOR GOVERNANCE, ENSURING ITS POTENTIAL IS FULLY LEVERAGED TO STRENGTHEN THE STATE-CITIZEN COMPACT;-ACCOUNTABILITY & ANTICORRUPTION - ISE'S NATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY DIAGNOSTICS TOOL ASSESSES A COUNTRY'S FISCAL, BUDGETARY, AND ANTI-CORRUPTION SYSTEMS. THIS DIAGNOSTIC TOOL HELPS GOVERNMENTS ADDRESS FIDUCIARY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES; AND-COMMUNITY-DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT & THE SOCIAL COMPACT - SE WORKS WITH GOVERNMENTS AND THEIR INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS TO DESIGN, OPERATIONALIZE AND SCALE CDD PROGRAMS, SUPPORTING NEW SOCIAL COMPACTS FOR ACCOUNTABLE GOVERNMENTS, FAIR ECONOMIES AND EMPOWERED COMMUNITIES AND CITIZENS. ISE DESIGNS SYSTEMS TO CONNECT COMMUNITIES TO NATIONAL-LEVEL DECISION-MAKERS FOR SERVICE DELIVERY AND DEVELOPMENT PLANNING.
- $143,247 spent. NETWORKS PARTNERSHIP AND DISSEMINATION - ISE ORGANIZES AND PARTICIPATES IN EVENTS ON GOVERNANCE AND DEVELOPMENT IN ORDER TO CREATE NETWORKS AND PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS FIELDS RELEVANT TO ISE'S WORK AND CREATES PRODUCTS TO DISSEMINATE IDEAS AND DEVELOP THINKING GOVERNANCE ISSUES. AUDIENCES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, GOVERNMENT, BUSINESS, AND CIVIL SOCIETY, AS WELL AS THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
- $51,390 spent. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS - ISE'S ENGAGE, EDUCATE, AND TRAIN PROGRAMS ADVANCE APPROACHES TO EQUIP NEW GENERATION LEADERS AND MANAGERS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND TOOLS TO CREATE INCLUSIVE POLICIES AND ACCOUNTABLE AND EFFECTIVE INSTITUTIONS. THE PROGRAM CONSISTS OF A VARIETY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING INITIATIVES, INCLUDING: I) TAILORED LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS AND RETREATS FOR SENIOR LEADERS AND MANAGERS ACROSS PRIVATE, PUBLIC, AND CIVIL SOCIETY SECTORS IN COUNTRIES AND REGIONS NAVIGATING PROCESSES OF TRANSFORMATION AND REFORM; II) MANAGING GOVERNANCE REFORM AND TRANSFORMATION COURSES TO EQUIP PROFESSIONALS WITH TOOLS AND SKILLS TO ACCELERATE INSTITUTIONAL REFORMS AND BETTER SERVE CITIZENS; III) ISE'S NEXTGEN FELLOWS PROGRAM TO ENHANCE PRACTICAL SKILLS AND SUBSTANTIVE EXPERTISE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF GLOBAL LEADERS, WHILE ESTABLISHING CONNECTIONS FOR THEM ACROSS FOCUS AREAS AND REGIONS; AND IV) SPECIALIZED TRAININGS THAT ENHANCE THE PRACTICAL SKILLS AND SUBSTANTIVE KNOWLEDGE OF LEADERS AND MANAGERS ON SECTOR SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNANCE.
- METHODS AND TOOLS - ISE HAS DEVELOPED METHODS AND TOOLS FOR SUPPORTING REFORM DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION, INCLUDING A PARTICIPATORY PROCESS THAT EMPOWERS CITIZENS TO WEIGH IN ON CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS AT LOCAL, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL LEVELS, HELPING TO IDENTIFY KEY ISSUES AND BUILDING CONSENSUS ACROSS DIVERSE GROUPS; A SET OF "HOW-TO" SOURCEBOOKS FOR THE CREATION OF SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS OF THE STATE; ASSET MAPPING TO REVIEW THE AVAILABLE ASSETS IN A COUNTRY THAT CAN BE LEVERAGED FOR REFORM AGENDAS; NATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEMS; AND DEVELOPMENT POLICY NOTES BASED ON THE BEST PRACTICES WE LEARN FROM OUR COUNTRY WORK.
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 2025.
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 June 2007.
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.
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