National Academy of Public Administration
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- Raising each dollar of donations cost 76 cents.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
The National Academy of Public Administration is an independent, 501(c)(3) nonprofit, non partisan Organization established in 1967 and chartered by Congress in 1984. See Schedule O
- Income
- $5.8 million
- Spending
- $6.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 60%
- Reserves
- 10.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 78%
- Employees
- 40
- Volunteers
- 19
- Highest pay
- $469,447, president and ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 38 out of 100. Higher than 7% of charities in its peer group (public benefit, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 10.2 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 33% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 16% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 26% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1560% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 76 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 70% of charities in its peer group (public benefit, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2519 of 19 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
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
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 September 30, 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)
- $4.0 million spent. NSF OPP The National Science Foundation engaged the Academy to review the Office of Polar Programs' (OPP) organizational and management structure and explore opportunities to improve mission delivery; examine OPP's alignment within NSF, Directorate for Geosciences, and with externally facing stakeholders; and optimize OPP's organizational structure. Navy Working Capital Fund The Assistant Secretary of the Navy commissioned the Academy to evaluate how resource management decisions impact the Navy Work Capital Fund (NWCF) and identify strategies for improving decision-making processes to safeguard the fund's integrity and the Department of Navy's operational efficacy. The report examined the effect of resource management decisions-including programmatic, budgetary, and execution-on the NWCF. Furthermore, it assesses whether program and budget development decision-makers consider the potential impacts of their choices on the NWCF. Google AI Google engaged the Academy to conduct a detailed examination of the impact that AI has on municipal economies. This project comprehensively analyzed AI's benefits and challenges and delivered an actionable and clear framework to local governments. The report included detailed case studies, a public policy white paper, and a municipal economy readiness framework. Balancing Data Sharing and Privacy to Enhance Integrity and Trust in Government Programs The Program Integrity Alliance contracted with the Academy to conduct a study to address the inherent tensions between increased data sharing and protecting individual privacy rights in the context of program integrity and fraud prevention. The study explored how government agencies can expand data-sharing initiatives to enhance fraud prevention and program efficiency without compromising privacy and addressed issues of required potential legal, regulatory, or policy changes across government agencies. Federal Aviation Administration Unmanned Aircraft Systems Pursuant to the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act, the Academy conducted an assessment of FAA Unmanned Aircraft System to assess the current state of partnerships for research, development, demonstration, and testing; provide the FAA with recommendations and strategies to more effectively promote the development of unmanned aircraft systems and advanced air mobility; and to ensure the safe integration of unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace system. The Agile Pathway for Policymaking The Freeman Charitable Trust has engaged the Academy to develop a report that deepens the understanding and practice of how Agile Government principles, concepts, and best practices can be incorporated into policy development, implementation, and evaluation at all levels of government. This study is conducting an analysis to bring together those who develop policy with those who implement policy earlier and more frequently; involve human-centered design and mechanisms to capture user feedback during policy development and implementation; leverage behavioral insights about how the public interacts with policy and programs to ensure they are designed and delivered in ways that meet the needs of the public; and create iterative processes for continuous learning throughout implementation and to be updated in real time to meet user needs.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, 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 September 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 December 1970.
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.