Sharpen Strategy Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
We accelerate progress by tackling shared strategic challenges in the farm animal protection movement.
- Income
- $722,096
- Spending
- $263,006
- Spent on programs
- 78%
- Reserves
- 20.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 4
- Highest pay
- $59,957, ceoboard chair
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 82% of charities in its peer group (animals, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 20.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 64% of income.
Spending floor
15 of 1578% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 71 out of 100. Higher than 63% of charities in its peer group (animals, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
5 of 251 of 3 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
6 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, 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 (1)
- $205,329 spent. Sharpen Strategy accelerates progress by tackling shared challenges in the farm animal protection movement. In 2025, Sharpen provided intensive 1:1 advising to multiple animal advocacy organizations and distributed coaching and advising stipends to support organizational development. Sharpen also advanced two cross-movement projects: a Culture Change Indicators dashboard to help the movement track progress on key cultural metrics, and a campaigner pipeline project addressing a capacity challenge affecting many organizations in the movement. Sharpen also ran The Leadership Exchange, a peer learning program serving 78 unique leaders across nine cohorts, in which 78% reported increased confidence, 81% felt less isolated, and 84% implemented learnings. In addition, Sharpen delivered training to 123 leaders across three leadership topics.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Worth knowing.
Recognized by the IRS in December 2025. It is too new to have a track record.
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.