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World Privacy Forum

EIN 35-2241027 · Portland, OR

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceGood76 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE WORLD PRIVACY FORUM IS DEDICATED TO REIMAGING PRIVACY IN A DIGITAL ERA THROUGH GROUND-BREAKING, IN-DEPTH PRIVACY RESEARCH AND CONSUMER EDUCATION OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY. OUR VISION IS TO EMPOWER PEOPLE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE, RIGHTS, AND TOOLS THEY NEED TO THEIR PRIVACY AND SHARE THEIR DIGITAL LIVES.

Income
$504,779
Spending
$585,391
Spent on programs
86%
Reserves
37.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 90%
Employees
2
Highest pay
$316,357, executive dir.

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 59% of charities in its peer group (public benefit, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 37.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 16% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 6% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    86% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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

Good: 76 out of 100. Higher than 56% of charities in its peer group (public benefit, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    2 of 3 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no 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

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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. $216,587 spent. PRIVACY RESEARCH - WORLD PRIVACY FORUM CONDUCTS GROUND-BREAKING ORIGINAL PRIVACY RESEARCH OF HIGH QUALITY AND IMPORTANCE. MEDICAL ID THEFT, HEALTH PRIVACY, INCLUDING ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS PRIVACY AND RELATED ISSUES SUCH AS HIE PRIVACY ISSUES, FACIAL RECOGNITION AND BIOMETRIC PRIVACY, INCLUDING RETAIL AND NATIONAL ID APPLICATIONS OF THE TECHNOLOGIES, MULTI-NATIONAL AND CROSS-BORDER PRIVACY, STUDENT PRIVACY, OPT-OUT METHODOLOGIES EFFECTIVENESS, DATA BROKER RESEARCH, FINANCIAL PRIVACY RESEARCH, AND SUBSTANTIAL INTERNET PRIVACY RESEARCH, INCLUDING POLICY EFFECTIVENESS, CONSUMER UNDERSTANDING, AND TECHNICAL ISSUES.
  2. $211,550 spent. CONSUMER EDUCATION - WORLD PRIVACY FORUM HAS A STRONG FOCUS ON CONSUMER PRIVACY EDUCATION ACTIVITIES. OUR KEY ACTIVITIES ARE IN THE AREA OF HEALTHCARE PRIVACY, HIPAA, HEALTH TECHNOLOGY AND PRIVACY, INTERNET PRIVACY, MOBILE PRIVACY,STUDENT PRIVACY, BIOMETRICS, HOW-TO ARTICLES FOR CONSUMERS ON MULTIPLE TOPICS, AND FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR VICTIMS OF PRIVACY CHALLENGES, ESPECIALLY IN THE AREA OF MEDICAL ID THEFT AND OTHER FORMS OF IDENTITY THEFT, DATA BREACHES AND OTHER KINDS OF DATA LEAKAGES, AND OPT OUT. ACTIVITIES FOCUS ON MULTIPLE AGE RANGES.
  3. $75,553 spent. POLICY - WORLD PRIVACY FORUM IS ASKED TO TESTIFY BEFORE CONGRESS AND THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION ON VARIOUS CONSUMER PRIVACY TOPICS AS WELL AS PRESENT OUR RESEARCH. WORLD PRIVACY FORUM IS ALSO ASKED TO ASSIST EFFORTS SUCH AS THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE MULTI-STAKEHOLDER PROCESS AND SERVE ON BOARDS SUCH AS CALIFORNIA'S MEDICAL ID THEFT BOARD. WE ENGAGE AT THIS LEVEL BUT WE DO NOT USE FUNDS FOR LOBBYING. OUR MAIN FOCUS IS ON CONSUMER EDUCATION AND PRIVACY RESEARCH.

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 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 2024.

    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 May 2005.

    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.

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