Woodstock Institute
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
To create a just financial system in which lower-wealth persons and communities and people and communities of color can achieve economic security and community prosperity.
- Income
- $3.6 million
- Spending
- $1.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 74%
- Reserves
- 13.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 84%
- Employees
- 12
- Volunteers
- 18
- Highest pay
- $253,522, president and ceo
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
Strong: 96 out of 100.
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 13.1 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 18% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 50% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 133% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1574% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 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: 85 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 14 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports 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)
- $543,248 spent. Technical assistance/Small business
- $681,658 spent. Equitable lending & investment: Woodstock produces research on the often predatory and disproportionate impact of financial products and practices on low-wage workers, low-wealth people and communities of color, develops model reforms, and advocates with regional stakeholders for consumer protections and fair rates for mortgage and consumer credit. For example, Woodstock played a critical leadership role in eliminating many of the short-term credit industry's worst practices in Illinois with the passage of HB537, which included all of the key consumer protections identified in Woodstock's substantial body of consumer credit research. That law caps rates for short-term credit products, prevents the cycle of debt caused by frequent refinancing, and gives regulators the tools necessary to identify predatory practices before they become widespread. At the federal level, Woodstock works to ensure that the lending and consumer laws and rules apply to the widest possible range of products and effectively protect consumers, low-wage workers and small business owners before industry abuses become widespread. Woodstock's goals are to reduce the number of consumers using predatory credit products and the level of debt held by low-wealth people, and to help lower-wealth people and communities of color build and preserve wealth.
- $111,299 spent. Wealth creation and preservation: Woodstock uses innovative research to identify barriers to and opportunities for wealth creation for low-wealth persons and communities, and engages in coalition building and advocacy to expand policies that promote equitable wealth creation. For example, Woodstock conducted research on the extent of retirement security in Illinois and collaborated with the Illinois asset building group to persuade Illinois to create a first-ever state program for employment-based retirement savings plans to save through automatic enrollment and payroll deduction into a Roth IRA, with the ability to opt out.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since January 1978.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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.