Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Fairplay Inc

EIN 27-1790210 · Boston, MA

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

FAIRPLAY WORKS TO ENHANCE CHILDREN'S WELL-BEING BY ELIMINATING THE EXPLOITATIVE AND HARMFUL BUSINESS PRACTICES OF MARKETERS AND BIG TECH.

Income
$4.4 million
Spending
$2.8 million
Spent on programs
83%
Reserves
2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 99%
Employees
19
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$227,199, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 8% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 36% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 60% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    83% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 64% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    11 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 June 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 (4)
  1. $1.4 million spent. FAIRPLAY LEADS THE DESIGNED WITH KIDS IN MIND (DWKIM) COALITION - COMPRISED OF ORGANIZATIONS WHO COLLABORATE TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC, LAWMAKERS, AND POLICY MAKERS ABOUT THE HARMFUL IMPACTS OF BIG TECH'S MANIPULATIVE BUSINESS MODEL UPON YOUNG PEOPLE, AND ADVOCATE FOR ENACTMENT AND ENFORCEMENT OF PROTECTIONS ON THE NATIONAL AND STATE LEVELS. MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS ARE: FAIRPLAY; ACCOUNTABLE TECH; THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS; CENTER FOR DIGITAL DEMOCRACY; CENTER FOR HUMANE TECH; CHILDREN AND SCREENS: INSTITUTE OF DIGITAL MEDIA AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT; COMMON SENSE; ELECTRONIC PRIVACY INFORMATION CENTER (EPIC); EXPOSURE LABS, CREATORS OF THE SOCIAL DILEMMA; PARENTSTOGETHER ACTION; AND RAINN (RAPE, ABUSE AND INCEST NATIONAL NETWORK).
  2. $247,545 spent. THE SCREEN TIME ACTION NETWORK AT FAIRPLAY IS A GLOBAL COLLABORATIVE OF PRACTITIONERS, EDUCATORS, ADVOCATES, AND PARENTS WORKING TO REDUCE EXCESSIVE AND HARMFUL SCREEN USE IN CHILDHOOD AND PROTECT KIDS ONLINE. OUR FIVE WORK GROUPS ARE THE HEART OF THE NETWORK, CREATING SMALLER COMMUNITIES FOCUSSING ON COMPLEX TOPICS RELATED TO CHILDREN'S SCREEN TIME, ONLINE HARMS PREVENTION, SCREENS IN SCHOOLS, MENTAL HEALTH, EARLY CHILDHOOD AND NATURE & PLAY. WORK GROUP MEMBERS SUPPORT EACH OTHER'S INDIVIDUAL WORK AND CONCERNS AND COLLABORATE TO CREATE RESOURCES AND ADVOCACY PROJECTS TO HELP MANY CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.
  3. $30,197 spent. FAIRPLAY COMPLETED A QUALITATIVE RESEARCH REPORT ON THE UNFAIR IMPACTS OF MARKETING IN SOCIAL GAMING SPACES, LIKE ROBLOX AND FORTNITE. THE REPORT SUPPORTS FAIRPLAY'S MISSION TO ELIMINATE EXPLOITATIVE AND HARMFUL BUSINESS PRACTICES BY CALLING OUT SPECIFIC PRACTICES AND HOW THEY HARM ADOLESCENTS. THE REPORT WILL BE USED TO BOLSTER FUTURE CAMPAIGNS FOR CORPORATE ACCOUNTABILITY IN ORDER TO PROTECT KIDS FROM RELATED HARMS. THE REPORT WAS PUBLISHED IN FEBRUARY 2025 (HTTPS://FAIRPLAYFORKIDS.ORG/WP-CONTENT/UPLOADS/2025/02/BUYING-TO-BELONG.PDF).
  4. $660,186 spent. FAIRPLAY'S "YOUNG CHILDREN THRIVE OFFLINE" WORKS TO ELIMINATE THE HARMFUL AND EXPLOITATIVE BUSINESS PRACTICES OF BIG TECH AND MARKETERS THAT IMPACT YOUNG CHILDREN. ACTIVITIES INCLUDE NARRATIVE CHANGE WORK, PUBLIC AWARENESS AND CORPORATE ACCOUNTABILITY CAMPAIGNS, AND COALITION-BUILDING.AFTER ESTABLISHING POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND STAFFING THE PROGRAM, FAIRPLAY'S YOUNG CHILDREN THRIVE OFFLINE PROGRAM CONDUCTED RESEARCH AND PUBLISHED A WHITE PAPER, "HOOKED FROM BIRTH: PROMOTING STRUCTURAL CHANGE AND AVOIDING PARENTAL SHAME IN THE BATTLE TO REDUCE EARLY CHILDHOOD SCREEN TIME," ALONG WITH A MESSAGING GUIDE FOR PARTNERS. THE PROGRAM DISSEMINATED THIS NEW NARRATIVE FRAMEWORK THROUGH TRAININGS, CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS, AND MEETINGS WITH PARTNERS. TO ADDRESS HARMFUL BUSINESS PRACTICES IMPACTING YOUNG CHILDREN, FAIRPLAY CALLED OUT GOOGLE FOR OPENING ITS GEMINI AI CHATBOT TO YOUNG CHILDREN UNDER 13, INCLUDING FILING A FTC COMPLAINT AND LETTER TO GOOGLE'S CEO. ADDITIONAL CAMPAIGNS WERE DEVELOPED FOR IMPLEMENTATION IN FY26. THE PROGRAM ALSO CONVENED CROSS-SECTOR EXPERTS THROUGH ROUNDTABLE EVENTS AND LED NEW INITIATIVES WITHIN FAIRPLAY'S SCREEN TIME ACTION NETWORK EARLY CHILDHOOD WORKGROUP.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 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 June 2025.

    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 May 2023.

    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.