Schumacher Center for a New Economics
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
EDUCATION - TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT AN ECONOMICS THAT SUPPORTS BOTH PEOPLE AND THE PLANET.
- Income
- $2.3 million
- Spending
- $1.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 1.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 96%
- Employees
- 14
- Volunteers
- 16
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: 75 out of 100. Higher than 46% of charities in its peer group (social science, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 26% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 131% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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: 93 out of 100. Higher than 55% of charities in its peer group (social science, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 11 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
0 of 7Reports no 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.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited 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 (7)
- $763,989 spent. LOCAL CURRENCY PROJECT - THE SCHUMACHER CENTER FOR A NEW ECONOMICS PROVIDED RESEARCH ASSISTANCE, DEVELOPMENT, AND ADMINISTRATIVE OVERSIGHT FOR BERKSHARES, A LOCAL CURRENCY DESIGNED TO EDUCATE CITIZENS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF VIBRANT, SELF-SUFFICIENT, REGIONAL ECONOMIES. THE CENTER CREATED EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL FOR PRINT AND ONLINE; DEVELOPED SYSTEMS FOR INTERGRATING WITH BANK OPERATIONS; HOSTED MEDIA, AND REPRESENTATIVES OF COMMUNITIES IN OTHER REGIONS WHO ARE STUDYING THE PROGRAM. THE BERKSHARES PROGRAM SERVES 10,000 PERSONS REGIONALLY AND THROUGH MEDIA AND INTERNET REACHES OVER 50,000 PERSONS NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. IN ADDITON, THE SCHUMACHER CENTER SUPPORTED COMMUNITY ECONOMICS IN KENYA TO RESEARCH AND FURTHER DEVELOP CURRENCY SYSTEMS FOR UNBANKED MARGINAL COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT ITS REGION. THOUGH COMMUNITY INCLUSION CURRENCIES PEOPLE HAVE A WAY TO EXCHANGE GOODS AND SERVICES AND INCUBATE PROJECTS AND BUSINESSES, WITHOUT RELYING ON SCARCE NATIONAL CURRENCY AND VOLATILE MARKETS.
- $146,309 spent. REINVENTING THE COMMONS - THE REINVENTING THE COMMONS PROGRAM CONDUCTS RESEARCH INTO THE COMMONS AS A PARADIGM OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CHANGE, AND SHARES IT WITH SCHOLARS, POLICY EXPERTS, AND THE PUBLIC. IN 2024, THIS WORK WAS PRESENTED IN MANY FORMS. THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR MADE IN-PERSON KEYNOTE TALKS AT LARGE CONFERENCES AND PUBLIC EVENTS AND INFORMAL PRESENTATIONS TO SMALLER AUDIENCES. THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR ALSO HOSTED HIS OWN PODCAST SHOW AND ONLINE VIDEO LECTURE SERIES. HE PUBLISHED ESSAYS IN PRINT AND WEB MAGAZINES, PARTICIPATED IN ONLINE INTERVIEWS AND WEBINARS HOSTED BY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, OFFERED PUBLIC ENDORSEMENTS FOR NOTEWORTHY BOOKS, AND GAVE (NO-COST) CONSULTATIONS TO ACTIVISTS AND ORGANIZATIONS. MORE THAN 500 COPIES OF A BOOK PUBLISHED BY THE PROGRAM WERE SOLD OR DISTRIBUTED. THE PROGRAM'S MONTHLY PODCAST HAD MORE THAN 15,000 DOWNLOADS AND LIVE-STREAMS, AND ITS EIGHT WEBSITES (FOR COMMON-RELATED BOOKS AND TOPICS) HAD A COMBINED VISITORSHIP OF MORE THAN 50,000 PEOPLE.
- $280,693 spent. DU BOIS FELLOWSHIP - THE VENTER HOSTED A RESIDENT FELLOW FOR SIXM MONTHS. THE FELLOW ORGANIZED A SERIES OF EXPERIMENTAL GATHERINGS INCLUDING A PUBLIC TOWN HALL, A THREE DAY CARNIVAL AT MULTIPLE VENUES, AND AN INVITATIONAL SESSION DISCUSSING NEW APPROACHES TO PHILANTHROPY. IN TOTAL, 500 PERSONS PARTICIPATED IN THESE EVENTS AS PRESENTERS OR AUDIENCE MEMBERS.
- $62,798 spent. COMMUNITY LAND TRUST - PROVIDES INFORMATION ABOUT THE ROLE OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES IN A NEW ECONOMIC SYSTEM. WORKING WITH OUR LOCAL BERKSHIRE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST, THE SCHUMACHER CENTER HELPED FOUND AND PROMOTE FARMSTEADS FOR FARMERS AS A WAY TO SUPPORT SECURE ACCESS TO FARMLAND AND HOUSING FOR THE MANY SMALL FARMERS PROVIDING FOOD FOR THE REGION. A 79 ACRE SITE IS UNDER CONTRACT TO PURCHASE, HOLD, AND LEASE TO A BERKSHIRE MOBILE CHICKEN FARMER SUPPLYING EGGS TO LOCAL MARKETS AND FOOD PANTRIES. STORIES ABOUT THE FARMSTEADS FOR FARMERS APPEARED IN LOCAL AND REGIONAL PRINT, ONLINE, RADIO, AND TV MEDIA, REACHING OVER 30,000 PEOPLE. DOCUMENTS FOR THE FARMSTEADS FOR FARMERS MODELED ON THOSE OF INDIAN LINE FARM ARE ON THE SCHUMACHER CENTER'S WEBSITE WHERE THEY ARE ACCESSED BY GROUPS REPRESENTING FARMERS FACING SIMILAR LAND INSECURITY ISSUES.
- $76,864 spent. LIBRARY OPERATIONS - THE SCHUMACHER CENTER'S UNIQUE COLLECTION OF BOOKS AND PAPERS, INCLUDING FRITZ SCHUMACHER'S PERSONAL BOOKS AND PAPERS, AND THOSE OF OTHER DECENTRALIST AUTHORS AND ACTIVISTS ARE ALL CATALOGUED AND THAT CATALOGUE IS SEARCHABLE ONLINE. RESEARCHERS SEARCHED THE ONLINE CATALOGUE AND A NUMBER OF RESEARCHERS CAME IN PERSON TO ACCESS THE LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES. IN LIGHT OF THE CLIMATE AND INEQUALITY CRISES, RESEARCHERS ARE REVISITING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THINKERS IN THE PERIOD OF 1950 - 1980 ON CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL ACTIVISM AND BIOREGIONAL ECONOMICS. THE SCHUMACHER CENTER'S LIBRARY HAS FOCUSED ON COLLECTIONS FROM THIS PERIOD, PROVIDING AN IMPORTANT RESOURCE FOR ACTIVISTS AND RESEARCHERS. NEW COLLECTIONS RECEIVED IN 2024, INCLUDE THE BOOKS AND PAPERS OF KIRKPATRICK SALE, NOTED ADVOCATE OF BIOREGIONALISM. THE CURATED SELECTIONS OF JOHN MCCLAUGHRY'S DECENTRALISM FILE, FEATURING 115+ RARE AND OVERLOOKED CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS CANON THROUGH HISTORY, WAS PUBLISHED TO OUR WEBSITE FOR THE FIRST TIME.
- $5,310 spent. LECTURES AND EDUCATIONAL EVENTS - THE SCHUMACHER CENTER CONVENED FOUR IN-PERSON LECTURES IN 2024. THE FORTY-THIRD ANNUAL E.F. SCHUMACHER LECTURE WAS A JOINT PRESENTATION BY ALEX FORRESTER AND ALFA DEMMELLASH TITLED THE GREATEST MIGRATION: BELOVED COMMUNITY AS ECOLOGICAL CIVILIZATION. THE TALK WAS VIDEOED AND PLACED ON THE CENTER'S WEBSITE WHERE IT HAS BEEN SEEN 250 TIMES. THE INAUGURAL ANNUAL ROBERT SWANN LECTURE WAS DELIVERED BY KALI AKUNO, FOUNDER OF COOPERATION JACKSON. IT HAS BEEN WATCHED 1,100 TIMES ON YOUTUBE. INTERNATIONAL INTELLECTUAL BAYO AKOMOLAFE DELIVERED AN IN-PERSON LECTURE IN APRIL IN GREAT BARRINGTON TO A PACKED HOUSE OF 250. THE YOUTUBE POSTING HAS BEEN VIEWED ANOTHER 8,500 TIMES. IN CELEBRATION OF THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PUBLICATION OF SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL, THE SCHUMACHER CENTER CONVENED A MONTHLY SERIES OF ONLINE CONVERSATIONS AROUND THEMES FROM THE BOOK WITH LEADING THINKERS/ACTIVISTS IN EACH FIELD. THE SERIES AVERAGED 200 VIEWERS PER EACH EVENT PLUS CUMULATIVE OF 8,000 VIEWS ONCE POSTED ON THE SCHUMACHER YOUTUBE CHANNEL, IN TOTAL REACHING 10,500 PEOPLE.
- $58,386 spent. PUBLICATION PROGRAM - THE CENTER MAINTAINS A PUBLICATION PROGRAM BOTH IN PRINT AND ONLINE. THE PUBLICATIONS INCLUDE SCHUMACHER LECTURES, BUT ALSO INCLUDE THE LEGAL AND OPERATIONAL DOCUMENTS FOR THE ORGANIZATION'S LOCAL CURRENCY, COMMUNITY LAND TRUST, AND SHARE MICRO-CREDIT PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS BACKGROUND TEXTS TO THESE PROGRAMS. THERE WERE 134,000 VISITS TO THE WEBSITE IN 2024.
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 November 2013.
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.