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The Bridgespan Group Inc

EIN 31-1625487 · Boston, MA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

BRIDGESPAN'S MISSION IS TO BUILD A BETTER WORLD BY STRENGTHENING THE ABILITY OF MISSION-DRIVEN ORGANIZATIONS AND PHILANTHROPISTS TO ACHIEVE BREAKTHROUGH RESULTS IN ADDRESSING SOCIETY'S MOST IMPORTANT CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES.

Income
$91.6 million
Spending
$96.9 million
Spent on programs
82%
Reserves
12.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 72%
Employees
430
Volunteers
11
Highest pay
$717,347, managing partner

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: 85 out of 100. Higher than 75% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 12.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 18% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 6% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 8% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    82% 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

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

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    11 of 14 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 (3)
  1. $40.4 million spent. ADVISING PHILANTHROPY AND IMPACT INVESTORS FOR GREATER SOCIAL IMPACTWE HELP THE WORLD'S LEADING DONORS AND PHILANTHROPIES CRAFT AND ACHIEVE THEIR VISION FOR A MORE JUST AND EQUITABLE WORLD THROUGH THE FOLLOWING SERVICES: - DEVELOPING HIGH-IMPACT GIVING STRATEGIES - SOURCING AND STRUCTURING PHILANTHROPIC INVESTMENTS - DESIGNING AND REALIZING SPECIAL INITIATIVES / PROJECTS - STRUCTURING AND MANAGING PHILANTHROPIC ENTITIES - INCREASING IMPACT AND EFFECTIVENESS OF GRANTEESTHROUGH BRIDGESPAN SOCIAL IMPACT (BSI), A FULLY-OWNED SUBSIDIARY, WE ALSO ADVISE A VARIETY OF INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS, FOUNDATIONS, AND FAMILY OFFICES ON HOW TO INCORPORATE SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT INVESTING INTO THEIR PORTFOLIOS WITH A FOCUS ON THE FOLLOWING SUPPORTS: - IMPACT STRATEGY - IMPACT DILIGENCE - IMPACT VALUE CREATION
  2. $32.0 million spent. SUPPORTING NONPROFITS AND NGOS TO ACHIEVE IMPACT ASPIRATIONSWE SUPPORT NONPROFITS AND NGOS IN TWO PRIMARY WAYS. FIRST, WE OFFER CUSTOMIZED ADVISING, IN WHICH WE PARTNER CLOSELY WITH A DIVERSE SET OF NONPROFITS / NGOS AND SUPPORT THEM ON A RANGE OF TOPICS AND PRIORITIES: - STRATEGIC CLARITY - GROWTH AND SCALING - PROGRAM STRATEGY AND ALIGNMENT - FUNDING STRATEGY - ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS AND DESIGNSECOND, WE OFFER COHORT-BASED ADVISING, IN WHICH WE OFFER COACHING AND CAPACITY-BUILDING PROGRAMS FOR GROUPS OF LEADERSHIP TEAMS: - LEADING FOR IMPACT (LFI): 12-MONTH COHORT-BASED EXPERIENCE THAT COMBINES CLASSROOM SESSIONS AND TARGETED PROJECT SUPPORT - LEADERSHIP ACCELERATOR (US) AND BRIDGESPAN NONPROFIT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (ASIA AND AFRICA): SUPPORT FOR NGO LEADERSHIP TEAMS ON CRITICAL STRATEGY AND MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES THROUGH A COMBINATION OF DIGITAL TOOLS, WORKSHOPS, AND 1-ON-1 COACHING
  3. $7.0 million spent. SHARING INSIGHTS TO ADVANCE SECTOR-WIDE IMPACTACROSS OUR PORTFOLIO, WE AIM TO ENGAGE SOCIAL SECTOR LEADERS IN OUR KNOWLEDGE WORK IN WAYS THAT SHAPE THEIR THINKING AND BEHAVIOR, AND USE OUR PLATFORM TO AMPLIFY THE VOICES OF DIVERSE AND PROXIMATE LEADERS. - MULTIYEAR INITIATIVES: ADVANCE MOST INFLUENTIAL IDEAS FOR THE SOCIAL SECTOR TOWARDS SPECIFIC IMPACT OBJECTIVES THROUGH DEEP, SUSTAINED INVESTMENT - TARGETED INVESTMENTS: EXPLORE PROMISING CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES OR FIELD-SPECIFIC TOPICS WITH DISCRETE INVESTMENTS - FOUNDATIONAL KNOWLEDGE: SERVE AS A GO-TO SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE AND TOOLS TO BUILD STRONG, RESULTS-DRIVEN NONPROFITS AND DRIVE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PHILANTHROPYARTICLES PUBLISHED ON BRIDGESPAN.ORG SOUGHT TO ENGAGE OUR AUDIENCE ON TOPICS SUCH AS EFFECTIVE PHILANTHROPY, NONPROFIT GROWTH AND RESILIENCE, EQUITABLE SYSTEMS CHANGE, STRATEGIC PLANNING, AND DECISION-MAKING. EXAMPLES INCLUDE:THE GROWING MOMENTUM BEHIND PHILANTHROPIC COLLABORATIVES IN INDIABRIDGESPAN.ORG, 2/7/24BY PRITHA VENKATACHALAM, ANANT BHAGWATI, AKSHAY GAMBHIR, MEET AGRAWAL, RONOJOY DAS, PRACHI KAUR, AND GAURI VIJHOW PHILANTHROPIC COLLABORATIVES MEASURE, EVALUATE, AND LEARNBRIDGESPAN.ORG, 2/22/24BY MARIAH COLLINS, ERIKA CABALLERO MONTOYA, WENDY CASTILLO, ALISON POWELL, RADHIKA BHULA, DEIKA ALBERT, AND BRADLEY SEEMANDREAMING IN COLOR SEASON 3 (PODCAST)BRIDGESPAN.ORG, 3/7/24BY CHRISTIAN CELESTE TATE AND ANUM QADIRENDOWMENT FUNDING AS A GRANTMAKING TOOL: THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION APPROACH BRIDGESPAN.ORG, 3/26/24BY DARREN ISOM, JASMINE RELIFORD, CORA DANIELS, AND LYELL SAKAUEUSING ALL THE TOOLS IN THE TOOLKIT: FUNDING ADVOCACY FOR SOCIAL CHANGEBRIDGESPAN.ORG, 4/2/24BY DEBORAH BIELAK, LIZ JAIN, MAHDI FARISS, INDU PEREIRA, AND ZACH SLOBIGPOLICY INCREMENTALISM AND HOW PHILANTHROPY'S SUPPORT CAN TURN SMALL SUSTAINED STEPS INTO BIG IMPACTBRIDGESPAN.ORG, 4/2/24BY WILLIAM FOSTER, MARC SOLOMON, ERIC CHEN, AND ZACH SLOBIGTHE EVOLVING PHILANTHROPIC LANDSCAPE FOR SUPPORTING ABORTION ACCESS AND REPRODUCTIVE SERVICESBRIDGESPAN.ORG, 4/17/24BY MARINA FISHER, JULIA FINNERTY, KRISTEN LOUREIRO, AND ROGER THOMPSONILLUMINATING IMPACT: WHY GENDER MATTERS FOR FUNDERS IN ANY ISSUE AREABRIDGESPAN.ORG, 4/24/24BY NIDHI SAHNI, ELIZABETH BIBB BINDER, DEBORAH BIELAK, MADDIE HOLLAND, AND RITI MOHAPATRATHE TRUST-BASED PHILANTHROPY CONUNDRUM: TOWARD DONOR-DOER RELATIONSHIPS THAT DRIVE IMPACTBRIDGESPAN.ORG, 4/30/24BY JEFFREY BRADACH, KATHLEEN FLEMING, PREETA NAYAK, AND ZACH SLOBIGNONPROFIT LEADERSHIP TRANSITIONS: FOUR WAYS FUNDERS CAN SUPPORT LEADERS OF COLORBRIDGESPAN.ORG, 5/7/24BY NATE WONG, CARMITA SEMAAN, DOROTHY JONES, AND GRACE NGUYENHOW PHILANTHROPY CAN NARROW THE RACIAL WEALTH GAPBRIDGESPAN.ORG, 5/29/24BY DEVIN MURPHY, ZACH SLOBIG, CHRISTIAN CELESTE TATE, ALINA CLARKE, AND LOGAN BOTTSCOMMUNITY-DRIVEN CHANGE: DEMONSTRATING IMPACT IN AFRICA AND INDIABRIDGESPAN.ORG, 5/31/24BY PRITHA VENKATACHALAM, RITI MOHAPATRA, NTEFELENG NENE, ADITI SHARMA, UMANG MANCHANDA, AND ROGER THOMPSONWANT TO FUND IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH? PHILANTHROPIC COLLABORATIVES CAN HELPBRIDGESPAN.ORG, 6/5/24BY SONALI PATEL, ALEXANDRA HUGHES BROWNE, GAYLE MARTIN, AND ZACH SLOBIGHOW AFRICAN NGOS GROWBRIDGESPAN.ORG, 6/20/24BY NILOUFER MEMON, JULIA STANDISH-WHITE, NKANYISO HLONGWA, DOMINIQUE WELLS, MIKAL KOOIKER, BRADLEY SEEMANTHE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF LARGE-SCALE GIVING IN AFRICA BY NON-AFRICAN PHILANTHROPISTSBRIDGESPAN.ORG, 6/24/24BY NTEFELENG NENE, SIYASANGA HAYI-CHARTERS, SIVIWE NYATI, NUVIKA PILLAY, ROBYN PORTEOUSPHILANTHROPIC COLLABORATIONS IN AFRICA AND THEIR UNIQUE POTENTIALBRIDGESPAN.ORG, 6/24/24BY ANSULIE COOPER, JAN SCHWIER, NTEFELENG NENE, HANNAH BENN, FHATUWANI MABILA, AND ROGER THOMPSONDREAMING IN COLOR SEASON 4 (PODCAST)BRIDGESPAN.ORG, 6/27/24BY DARREN ISOMHOW NONPROFITS AND NGOS CAN MEASURE PROGRESS TOWARD SYSTEMS CHANGEBRIDGESPAN.ORG, 7/11/24BY MARIAH COLLINS, LIA BONAMASSA, ANALIA CUEVAS-FERRERAS, NISHI MEHTA, BRADLEY SEEMANLEARNING FROM NONPROFITS AND NGOS THAT HAVE PUT LARGE, FLEXIBLE GRANTS TO WORKBRIDGESPAN.ORG, 7/17/24BY PREETA NAYAK, LINDSEY WALDRON, CARMITA SEMAAN, KATRINA FREI-HERRMANN, AND ZACH SLOBIGWHAT PHILANTHROPISTS CAN LEARN FROM FIELD CATALYSTS ABOUT MEASURING PROGRESS ON SYSTEMS CHANGEBRIDGESPAN.ORG, 7/24/24BY LIJA MCHUGH FARNHAM, EMMA NOTHMANN, KEVIN CROUCH, AND BRADLEY SEEMANBUILDING CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND PROSPERITY IN INDIA: SIX BOLD BETS FOR SMALLHOLDER FARMERS AND FARM WORKERSBRIDGESPAN.ORG, 8/16/24BY ANANT BHAGWATI, SUDARSHAN (SUDY) SAMPATHKUMAR, RISHABH TOMAR, RIDHIMA KHURANA, LABONI SINGHFINDING YOUR NONPROFIT'S FUNDING STRATEGYBRIDGEPAN.ORG, 10/28/24BY ALI KELLEY, NAOMI SENBET, KATRINA FREI-HERRMANN, AND BRADLEY SEEMANLARGEST ASIAN AND GLOBAL INSTITUTIONAL PHILANTHROPIESBRIDGESPAN.ORG, 10/30/24BY GWENDOLYN LIM, PRITHA VENKATACHALAM, JEFFREY BRADACH, XUELING LEE, DENISE CHEW, AND ROGER THOMPSONHIGH-IMPACT PHILANTHROPY: FIVE PRACTICES THAT LEAD TO LASTING CHANGEBRIDGESPAN.ORG, 10/30/24BY GWENDOLYN LIM, PRITHA VENKATACHALAM, JEFFREY BRADACH, XUELING LEE, DENISE CHEW, AND ROGER THOMPSONHOW AMERICA'S MOST GENEROUS PHILANTHROPISTS ARE GIVING BIGBRIDGESPAN.ORG, 11/12/24BY LYELL SAKAUE, KATE LEWIS-LAMONICA, SUSAN WOLF DITKOFF, AND MICHAEL BORGERIN ADDITION TO PUBLISHING MAJOR ARTICLES ON BRIDGESPAN.ORG, BRIDGESPAN PARTNERS AND MANAGERS CONTRIBUTED ARTICLES TO CENTER FOR EFFECTIVE PHILANTHROPY, THE CHRONICLE OF PHILANTHROPY, STANFORD SOCIAL INNOVATION REVIEW, ALLIANCE MAGAZINE, FORBES INDIA, AND OTHERS. EXAMPLES INCLUDE:A NEW LOOK AT HOW US NONPROFITS GET REALLY BIGSTANFORD SOCIAL INNOVATION REVIEW, 6/20/24BY ALI KELLEY, DARREN ISOM, BRADLEY SEEMAN, JULIA SILVERMAN, ANALIA CUEVAS-FERRERAS, AND KATRINA FREI-HERRMANNTHE FUTURE OF EQUITABLE PHILANTHROPYSTANFORD SOCIAL INNOVATION REVIEW, 12/5/24BY DARREN ISOM, CORA DANIELS, AND LYELL SAKAUESUBSCRIPTIONS TO BRIDGESPAN'S NEWSLETTERS, THE BRIDGESPAN KNOWLEDGE LETTER, LEADERSMATTER, AND ALERTS, REACHED A COMBINED TOTAL OF 43,000 AT THE END OF 2024.IN 2024, BRIDGESPAN PARTICIPATED IN 109 CONFERENCES AND GAVE 83 P

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 October 13, 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 April 1999.

    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 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.