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The Forbes Funds

EIN 25-1418095 · Pittsburgh, PA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair63 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SEE SCHEDULE O

Income
$1.7 million
Spending
$2.3 million
Spent on programs
72%
Reserves
6.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
investment income, 45%
Employees
9
Volunteers
15
Highest pay
$720,300, member at large

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: 63 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 6.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 4% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 38% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 37% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    72% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 23 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

    6 of 8 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 (4)
  1. $883,017 spent. CAPACITY BUILDING: PROVIDING NONPROFITS WITH RESOURCES, THROUGH GRANTMAKING AND COHORTS, AND LEARNING FORUMS TO ENABLE THEM TO MANAGE A DISRUPTIVE EVENT, REFRAME THEIR THINKING ABOUT A SPECIFIC ISSUE THAT IMPACTS OPERATIONS, AND PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE. PRIORITY IS GIVEN TO HUMAN SERVICES AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS IN ALLEGHENY COUNTY.
  2. $333,098 spent. GPNP: LEVERAGING THE COLLECTIVE STRENGTH OF THE SECTOR TO INFORM POLICY, GIVE INPUT TO COMMUNITY PRIORITIES AND STRATEGIES, AND INCREASE THEIR PURCHASING POWER. BIENNIALLY, GPNP ORGANIZES AI COHORTS WHICH BRINGS TOGETHER LOCAL NONPROFIT STAFF AND BOARD MEMBERS PLUS OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES TO DISCUSS OVER AN AFTERNOON, VARIOUS TOPICS OF INTEREST FOR NONPROFITS THAT FOSTERS CAPACITY BUILDING AND SOCIAL INNOVATION.
  3. $49,311 spent. THE FUND SITS AT THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN PHILANTHROPY AND THE NONPROFIT COMMUNITY. BUILDING UPON OUR 40 PLUS YEAR HISTORY OF SUPPORTING OUR REGION, THE FUND HAS SHIFTED TOWARDS A SYSTEMIC, ECOSYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT APPROACH TO DRIVE TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE. THE MISSION OF THE FUND FOCUSES ON IMPROVING AND EMPOWERINGTHE MANAGEMENT CAPACITY AND IMPACT OF HUMAN SERVICES AND COMMUNITY-BASED NONPROFITS BOTH AS INDIVIDUAL ORGANIZATIONS AND AS A UNIFIED COALITION OF LEADERS, FUNDERS AND ADVOCATES WORKING COLLABORATIVELY THROUGHOUT SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. CONTINUES ON SCHEDULE O OVER THE PAST SIX YEARS THE FUND HAS ALIGNED ITS TRADITIONAL PROGRAMMING TO INCREASE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE FUND'S REGIONAL PARTNERS AND TO IDENTIFY WHERE GAPS AND OVERLAPS OF SERVICES AND INVESTMENTS EXIST. TODAY, THE FUND HAS CONVENED THOUGHT LEADERS WITHIN THE NONPROFIT SECTOR THROUGH THE GREATER PITTSBURGH NONPROFIT PARTNERSHIP ("GPNP"), LEARNING AND EDUCATION , EXECUTIVE-IN-RESIDENCE ("EIR"), MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE GRANTS ("MAGS"), CATALYTIC COMMUNITY COHORTS ("C3"), THE COMMONS, AND LARGE AND SMALL AGENCY COHORTS, THE FUND WORKS WITH NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN ALLEGHENY COUNTY AND SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA AND IS BUILDING A GROWING NETWORK OF PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, THE NATION, AND THE GLOBE. IN 2020, THE FUND'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS (THE "BOARD") APPROVED A RACIAL JUSTICE EQUITY FRAMEWORK.. THIS FRAMEWORK INCLUDES INVESTING IN DIVERSE LEADERSHIP, INCREASING THE CAPACITY OF MINORITY-LED ORGANIZATIONS, DEVELOPING SCENARIO PLANNING AND INCREASING COLLABORATIVE CAPACITY OF REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS. THIS HAS LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INTERNATIONAL ANTI-RACISM INSTITUTIONAL COHORT ("ARC") AND THE TRANSFORMATIVE LEADERSHIP COHORT. THE FUND WORKS WITH THE REGIONAL NONPROFIT SECTOR TO NOT ONLY HELP ORGANIZATIONS SURVIVE THE PANDEMIC BUT TO PREPARE FOR THE CHANGES THAT WILL LIKELY OCCUR INCLUDING CHANGES TO FUNDING CYCLES, PHILANTHROPIC PRIORITIES, AND AN INCREASE EMPHASIS ON COLLABORATION. THIS HAS LED TO THE LAUNCH OF VARIOUS LEARNING COHORTS WITH NONPROFITS ON TOPICS SUCH ASARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, HUMAN RESOURCES, EQUITABLE ENTREPRENEURISM, FUNDRAISING AND ADVOCACY, REVENUE DIVERSIFICATION, SUCCESSION PLANNING, OPERATIONAL RESERVES, AND SCENARIO PLANNING. THE FUND HAS WORKED WITH A GROUP OF SKILLS PRACTITIONERS, EDUCATORS, DOCTORS, SCIENTISTS, AND PHILANTHROPISTS TO ADDRESS THE IMPACT ON THE PANDEMIC ON RESILIENT COMMUNITIES AROUND THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA. THIS WORK WAS IN COLLABORATION WITH THE PA SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND IS FOCUSED ON ADDRESSING CURRENT HEALTH AND HEALTHCARE INEQUITIES, EQUIPPING FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS WITH RESOURCES LIKE CONTACT TRACERS, AND SUPPORTING WORKFORCE AND SOCIAL SECTOR INVESTMENTS FOR ESSENTIAL WORKERS WHO ARE MORE LIKELY TO CONTRACT THE DISEASE.THE FUND HAS ALSO PARTNERED WITH TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES TO SUPPORT NONPROFIT ADOPTION TO EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES LIKE ASSISTED INTELLIGENCE. THE FUND NOW ALIGNS ALL SERVICES WITH THE SOCIAL DETERMINATES OF HEALTH ("SDOH") AND UNITED NATIONS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS ("UNSDG") TO SHOW THE LOCAL AND GLOBAL IMPACTS OF THE REGION. THIS NEW APPROACH TO ECOSYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT REQUIRES LEVERAGING PARTNERSHIPS AND TOOLS TO ESTABLISH SHARED GOALS. THE GOAL IS TO NOT ONLY IMPROVE ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY OF NONPROFITS BUT TO ENSURE THAT THE POPULATIONS SERVED BY ORGANIZATIONS THE FUND SUPPORTS WILL BENEFIT AS WELL. THE PREMISE IS THAT INDIVIDUALS SERVED BY THE ORGANIZATIONS THE FUND SUPPORTS ARE OFTENTIMES DEALING WITH MORE THAN ONE ISSUE, AND A HOLISTIC, COLLABORATIVE APPROACH INVOLVING THE INPUT OF MULTIPLE ORGANIZATIONS IS NECESSARY. THE FUND'S WORK IS CENTERED AROUND MORE THAN TRANSACTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND APPROACHES; THE AIM IS TO FOSTER TRANSFORMATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS AND TO OPTIMIZE HOW THE NONPROFIT ECOSYSTEM INTERACTS WITH FUNDERS, GOVERNMENT, PRIVATE SECTOR AND OTHERS IN THE PITTSBURGH REGION. CURRENTLY, THE FUND IS EXPLORING CO-DESIGNED APPROACHES THAT ARE ITERATIVE AND AGILE, ESPECIALLY AS THE NONPROFIT SECTOR ADDRESSES THE REALITIES OF ECONOMIC STRESSES AND SHOCKS TO THE REGION. RECOGNIZING THAT THESE STRESSES AND SHOCKS WILL PUT UNTOLD STRAIN ON SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA, THE FUND'S INTENTION WILL BE MOVING FROM SYSTEMS CHANGE TO ECOSYSTEMS COCREATION--WHERE DIVERSE NETWORKS AND CROSS-SECTORAL PARTNERSHIPS CAN HAVE VIBRANT EXCHANGES OF IDEAS AND WHERE LEADERS CAN DRIVE SHARED SOLUTIONS.
  4. $398,154 spent. SOCIAL INNOVATION: ACCELERATING THE DEVELOPMENT OF PARTNERING MODELS AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION, LIKE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, TO REDUCE EXPENSES AND/OR INCREASE THE IMPACT OF COMMUNITY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.

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 November 6, 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 June 1982.

    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 November 4, 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.