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Issue One

EIN 32-0384285 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair59 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

ISSUE ONE IS THE LEADING CROSSPARTISAN POLITICAL REFORM ORGANIZATION THAT EDUCATES THE PUBLIC, ENGAGES CAPITOL HILL, AND ADVOCATES FOR SOLUTIONS TO FIX OUR BROKEN POLITICAL SYSTEM.

Income
$6.9 million
Spending
$9.5 million
Spent on programs
72%
Reserves
6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 97%
Employees
47
Volunteers
21
Highest pay
$424,605, chief executive officer

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

Fair: 59 out of 100. Higher than 26% of charities in its peer group (public benefit, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 6.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 20% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 39% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 54% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    72% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 22 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 70% of charities in its peer group (public benefit, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    16 of 18 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 (3)
  1. $6.1 million spent. PROTECTING THE GUARDRAILS OF DEMOCRACY AND ADVANCING FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS ISSUE ONE LEADS CROSSPARTISAN EFFORTS TO CHECK EXECUTIVE OVERREACH AND ENSURE U.S. ELECTIONS ARE FREE & FAIR. WE MOBILIZE BIPARTISAN VALIDATORS, CIVIL SOCIETY AND GRASSROOTS SUPPORTERS TO CHECK ABUSES OF POWER, BUILD RESILIENCE AGAINST FALSE ELECTION NARRATIVES, DETER MANIPULATION AND DEFEND IMPARTIAL ELECTION ADMINISTRATION. WE RUN DIGITAL CAMPAIGNS AND ENGAGE WITH CAPITOL HILL AND THE MEDIA TO ADVANCE THESE GOALS, AS DETAILED IN SCHEDULE O. ISSUE ONE LEADS A CROSSPARTISAN EFFORT TO ENSURE U.S. ELECTIONS ARE FREE & FAIR. WE COLLABORATE WITH A RANGE OF EXPERTS, INCLUDING CURRENT AND FORMER ELECTED OFFICIALS AND ELECTION ADMINISTRATORS, TO STRENGTHEN PROTECTIONS FOR ELECTION WORKERS AND SECURE CONSISTENT, PREDICTABLE FEDERAL FUNDING FOR ELECTION ADMINISTRATION.ISSUE ONE IS THE LEADING CROSSPARTISAN POLITICAL REFORM GROUP IN WASHINGTON, DC. WE UNITE REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS, AND INDEPENDENTS IN THE MOVEMENT TO FIX OUR BROKEN POLITICAL SYSTEM AND BUILD AN INCLUSIVE DEMOCRACY THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE. WE ARE DEDICATED TO EDUCATING THE PUBLIC AND DECISION-MAKERS ON CAPITOL HILL AND PASSING BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION. BOTH INSIDE THE HALLS OF CONGRESS AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WE ADVANCE COMMONSENSE SOLUTIONS THAT IMPROVE GOVERNMENT AND ITS RESPONSIVENESS TO "WE THE PEOPLE."
  2. $769,047 spent. RESHAPING THE ONLINE INFORMATION ENVIRONMENT AND THE ROLE OF MONEY IN POLITICS ISSUE ONE ADVOCATES FOR STRUCTURAL DEMOCRACY REFORMS AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS. WE ADVANCE SOCIAL MEDIA REFORM SO THAT AMERICANS CAN TRUST THE INFORMATION THAT SHAPES THEIR CHOICES, ENGAGE ACROSS DIFFERENCES IN GOOD FAITH, AND LIVE FREE IN A DEMOCRACY WHERE NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW. WE ALSO ADVANCE INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO REDUCE THE DISTORTING INFLUENCE OF MONEY IN POLITICS AND STRENGTHEN EQUAL REPRESENTATION FOR ALL. WE RUN CAMPAIGNS, PUBLISH REPORTS, MOBILIZE PARTNERS, AND EDUCATE LEGISLATORS TO ADVANCE THESE GOALS, AS DETAILED IN SCHEDULE O.ISSUE ONE UNITES CIVIL SOCIETY, ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND INDEPENDENT RESEARCHERS IN THE FIGHT TO REFORM SOCIAL MEDIA, WITH THE AIM OF CREATING A HEALTHIER DEMOCRACY FOR THE DIGITAL AGE. IN 2024, WE HELPED PASS THE KIDS ONLINE SAFETY ACT IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE, GARNERING 91 VOTES IN A DIVIDED CHAMBER. IN 2025, WE WORKED WITH PARTNERS TO STRIKE DOWN A 10 YEAR MORATORIUM ON AI REGULATION IN A MAJOR FEDERAL SPENDING BILL. ISSUE ONE'S COUNCIL FOR RESPONSIBLE SOCIAL MEDIA SOLIDIFIED ITS ROLE AS A NATIONAL CONVENOR DRIVING PRAGMATIC, VALUES BASED TECHNOLOGY REFORM. BY FUSING RESEARCH, POLICY STRATEGY AND BIPARTISAN ADVOCACY, THE COUNCIL CONTINUES TO DEMONSTRATE HOW COLLECTIVE LEADERSHIP CAN RECLAIM THE DIGITAL PUBLIC SQUARE FOR DEMOCRACY.TO REDUCE THE ROLE OF MONEY IN POLITICS, ISSUE ONE LED MULTIPLE SECTOR CONVENINGS TO SURFACE BOLD AND PRACTICAL REFORMS ACHIEVABLE IN TODAY'S POLARIZED CLIMATE. WE ALSO SUPPORTED PROMISING CAMPAIGN FINANCE EFFORTS IN MONTANA AND MAINE, AND HELPED IDENTIFY AN EFFORT TO SCALE A STATE LEVEL CAMPAIGN FINANCE TRANSPARENCY MEASURE TO CONGRESS. WE CONTINUE SERVING AS A CREATIVE HUB FOR EXPERIMENTAL AND CROSSPARTISAN APPROACHES TO ANTI-CORRUPTION REFORMS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
  3. $54,011 spent. BUILDING CROSSPARTISAN CIVIC POWER FOR A STRUCTURAL REFORM AGENDA ISSUE ONE ENGAGES AMERICAN CITIZENS ACROSS SECTORS AND IDEOLOGIES TO CO-SHAPE A DURABLE, NONPARTISAN DEMOCRACY REFORM AGENDA FOR THE FUTURE. WE WORK WITH SECTOR PARTNERS, BIPARTSIAN COUNCILS AND GRASSROOTS LEADERS TO ENGAGE AND ACTIVATE CITIZENS, AND TO BUILD A BROAD COALITION FOR THE CO-SHAPED AGENDA, AS DETAILED IN SCHEDULE O. ISSUE ONE PLAYS A LEADING ROLE IN BUILDING CROSSPARTISAN CIVIC POWER TO DEFEND THE GUARDRAILS OF DEMOCRACY AND ENACT STRUCTURAL DEMOCRACY REFORMS. IN 2025, WE LAUNCHED THE COUNCIL FOR AMERICAN DEMOCRACY, BRINGING TOGETHER OVER 220 CIVIC AND BUSINESS LEADERS TO ADVANCE BOTH OBJECTIVES. THE COUNCIL'S IN-PERSON GATHERINGS IN MOUNT VERNON, PHILADELPHIA, BALTIMORE, NEW YORK, BOSTON AND MAINE ENGAGED MORE THAN 700 ATTENDEES TO HELP DRIVE ISSUE ONE'S CONSTITUTIONAL DEFENSE INITIATIVES. THEIR INFLUENCE CONTINUES TO FORTIFY ISSUE ONE'S CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY TO CO-SHAPE AND POWER THE DEMOCRACY REFORM AGENDA.

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 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 June 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 February 2014.

    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.