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Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership

EIN 25-1728064 · Pittsburgh, PA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair65 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO ADVANCE INITIATIVES THAT FOSTER ECONOMIC VITALITY AND IMPROVE DOWNTOWN LIFE - FOR A MOMENT OR FOR A LIFETIME.

Income
$23.5 million
Spending
$19.8 million
Spent on programs
95%
Reserves
0 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 67%
Employees
86
Volunteers
1,730
Highest pay
$392,467, president & ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 65 out of 100. Higher than 49% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 26% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 16% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 89% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    95% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 42% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    48 of 49 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, 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 (3)
  1. $14.1 million spent. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRAMMING - IN 2025, THE DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT TEAM REMAINED FOCUSED ON ATTRACTING INVESTMENT IN NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, WITH A PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON GROWING THE RETAIL BASE THROUGH ITS RETAIL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS: DOWNTOWN RENT ABATEMENT AND PROJECT POP-UP. THE STATE OF DOWNTOWN SERIES WAS RELAUNCHED FEATURING FOUR QUARTERLY WEBINARS FOCUSED ON THE REAL ESTATE MARKET AND ECONOMIC GROWTH. THE TEAM LED THE MARKET SQUARE MODERNIZATION PROJECT AND COLLABORATED WITH LOCAL BUSINESS TO PREPARE FOR EXPANDED OUTDOOR DINING. PUBLIC REALM PROJECTS, INCLUDING PEDESTRIAN LIGHTING ON COFFEY WAY AND SIDEWALK REPAIRS, ENHANCED STREETSCAPES. THE EVENTS TEAM GENERATED EXCITEMENT AND ENERGY THROUGHOUT DOWNTOWN BY HOSTING MORE THAN 350 EVENTS IN 2025. EVENTS LIKE PICKLESBURGH, LIGHT UP NIGHT, NEW WINTER PROGRAMMING THROUGH THE THAW, AND PACKED WATCH PARTIES ON 6TH STREET HELPED DRIVE YEAR-ROUND ENGAGEMENT. SIGNATURE SERIES LIKE FARMER'S MARKET AND PEOPLES GAS HOLIDAY MARKET WERE RELOCATED DUE TO MARKET SQUARE CONSTRUCTION CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEW EXPERIENCES AND EXPANDED ACTIVATION THROUGHOUT DOWNTOWN. THE PLACEMAKING GRANT PROGRAM ALSO SERVED AS A VITAL TOOL FOR ACTIVATION AND CULTURAL ENRICHMENT FUNDING 18 PROJECTS, INCLUDING 11 SPECIAL EVENTS AND TWO EVENT SERIES.
  2. $4.5 million spent. OPERATIONS - THE PDP IS COMMITTED TO ITS CORE WORK ENSURING DOWNTOWN IS MAINTAINED THROUGH CONSISTENT, VISIBLE SERVICES. AN EXPANDED PARTNERSHIP WITH RENEWAL, INC INCREASED THE CLEAN TEAMS IMPACT BY SUPPORTING POWER WASHING, ALLEYWAY CLEANING AND PLANTER MAINTENANCE. THE OUTREACH TEAM OPERATED THE COMMUNITY CONNECTION SHUTTLE, TRANSPORTING MEMBERS OF THE UNHOUSED COMMUNITY TO WARM, OVERNIGHT SHELTERS DURING COLDER MONTH. THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE AMBASSADORS INFUSED DOWNTOWN WITH POSITIVE ENERGY THROUGH GREETINGS, PHOTO ASSISTS, AND DIRECTIONS. THE PDP ENGAGED OVER 250 VOLUNTEERS THROUGH CLEANUP INITIATIVES LIKE REDD UP WEEK AND PARTNERED WITH THE IMMACULATE COLLECTION A COORDINATED VOLUNTEER CLEAN-UP EFFORT AHEAD OF THE 2026 NFL DRAFT.
  3. $265,445 spent. TRANSPORTATION - WHETHER ARRIVING BY CAR, BUS, BIKE OR ON FOOT TRANSPORTATION REMAINS A CRITICAL ISSUE FOR THOSE WHO WORK, LIVE, AND VISIT HERE. AS THE REGION'S TRANSIT HUB, DOWNTOWN'S EVOLUTION WILL IMPACT HOW PEOPLE GET AROUND THE COUNTY. IN 2025, THE PDP OVERSAW THE INSTALLATION OF A NEW WORLD-CLASS PEDESTRIAN WAYFINDING SYSTEM - THE CULMINATION OF YEARS OF STAKEHOLDER COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE CITY, STATE, AND LOCAL ENTITIES. THE PDP ALSO COORDINATED WITH PITTSBURGH REGIONAL TRANSIT AND OTHER PARTNERS TO FACILITATE AROUND MAJOR SERVICE CHANGES, INCLUDING THE UNIVERSITY LINE PROJECT AND BUS LINE REDESIGN PLAN.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

  4. 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 September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since April 1994.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.