The Barack Obama Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SEE SCHEDULE O
- Income
- $209.8 million
- Spending
- $91.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 56%
- Reserves
- 20.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 93%
- Employees
- 337
- Volunteers
- 750
- Highest pay
- $755,862, director/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: 93 out of 100. Higher than 69% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, over $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 20.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 56% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 49% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1556% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 33% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, over $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2515 of 16 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
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 (2)
- $27.5 million spent. OBAMA FOUNDATION PROGRAMMING:IN SERVICE OF THE FOUNDATION'S MISSION TO INSPIRE, EMPOWER, AND CONNECT PEOPLE TO CHANGE THEIR WORLD, THE FOUNDATION CONTINUED TO WORK WITH YOUNG LEADERS IN A VARIETY OF LOCAL, NATIONAL, AND GLOBAL PROGRAMS.SCHOLARS: OUR SCHOLARS PROGRAM SUPPORTS LEADERS AROUND THE WORLD WHO ARE READY TO TAKE THEIR WORK TO THE NEXT LEVEL VIA A ONE-YEAR RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM THAT BRINGS TOGETHER ACADEMIC, SKILLS-BASED, AND HANDS-ON LEARNING. FOR THE 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR, THE SCHOLARS PROGRAM INCLUDED 18 SCHOLARS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO AND 12 SCHOLARS AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY.LEADERS: LEADERS AFRICA, ASIA-PACIFIC, EUROPE, AND USA ARE EACH LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS AIMED AT BUILDING AND EMPOWERING REGIONAL NETWORKS OF CHANGEMAKERS. THE REGIONAL COHORTS PARTICIPATE IN VALUES-BASED LEADERSHIP TRAINING. THE LEADERS AFRICA PROGRAM BEGAN IN 2018, THE LEADERS ASIA-PACIFIC PROGRAM LAUNCHED IN 2019, THE LEADERS EUROPE PROGRAM LAUNCHED IN 2020, AND THE LEADERS USA PROGRAM LAUNCHED IN 2022. THE AFRICA, ASIA-PACIFIC, AND EUROPE COHORTS EACH CONTAIN 35 MEMBERS, AND THE USA COHORT CONTAINS 100.THE VOYAGER SCHOLARSHIP: THE OBAMA-CHESKY SCHOLARSHIP FOR PUBLIC SERVICE, LAUNCHED IN 2022 WITH THE SELECTION OF 100 STUDENTS TO RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIPS. EACH YEAR, 100 NEW STUDENTS ARE SELECTED TO RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIPS AND PARTICIPATE IN THE TWO-YEAR PROGRAM. THE VOYAGER SCHOLARSHIP IS DESIGNED TO BUILD THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS COMMITTED TO PUBLIC SERVICE THROUGH A TRANSFORMATIONAL COMBINATION OF BARRIER-REDUCING FINANCIAL AID AND MEANINGFUL, EDUCATIONAL TRAVEL EXPERIENCES.THE OBAMA LEADERSHIP NETWORK ('OLN'): OLN CONNECTS ALL FOUNDATION LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS ALUMNI TO EACH OTHER, TO INCREASE THEIR INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE IMPACT AND HELP THEM SUSTAIN THEMSELVES AS LIFELONG VALUES-BASED LEADERS. THE FOUNDATION SUPPORTS THIS NETWORK THROUGH A VARIETY OF VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON ACTIVITIES TO FOSTER CONNECTION, CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY, AND COLLABORATION. BY THE END OF 2024, OLN GREW TO INCLUDE 1,209 LEADERS IN NEARLY 150 COUNTRIES ACROSS 20 COHORTS OF OBAMA LEADERS, SCHOLARS, FELLOWS AND VOYAGERS.GIRLS OPPORTUNITY ALLIANCE: THE GIRLS OPPORTUNITY ALLIANCE SEEKS TO EMPOWER ADOLESCENT GIRLS AROUND THE WORLD THROUGH EDUCATION, ALLOWING THEM TO ACHIEVE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL AND TRANSFORM THEIR FAMILIES, COMMUNITIES, AND COUNTRIES. THE PROGRAM ENGAGES PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD TO TAKE ACTION TO HELP ADOLESCENT GIRLS AND THE GRASSROOTS LEADERS WORKING TO EDUCATE THEM.MY BROTHER'S KEEPER ALLIANCE: THE MBK ALLIANCE LEADS A NATIONAL CALL TO ACTION FOCUSED ON BUILDING SAFE AND SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITIES FOR BOYS AND YOUNG MEN OF COLOR WHERE THEY FEEL VALUED AND HAVE CLEAR PATHWAYS TO OPPORTUNITY.
- $23.6 million spent. OBAMA PRESIDENTAL CENTER:IN 2024 THE OBAMA FOUNDATION CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES INCLUDED COMPLETING THE MUSEUM BUILDING SUPERSTRUCTURE AND THE COMMENCEMENT AND INSTALLATION OF APPROXIMATELY 45% OF THE EXTERIOR CLADDING (STONE AND GLASS/CURTAINWALL) ACROSS THE MUSEUM, FORUM, AND LIBRARY BUILDINGS. CONSTRUCTION BEGAN ON THE ATHLETIC CENTER ("HOME COURT") AND BY YEAR'S END THE OVERALL CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS ON THE ATHLETIC CENTER WAS APPROXIMATELY 40% COMPLETE. INTERIOR FIT-OUT WORK BEGAN ON ALL FOUR CAMPUS BUILDINGS. ACTIVITIES ALSO INCLUDED ADVANCING THE MUSEUM COMPONENT THROUGH ACCELERATED EXHIBITION FABRICATION, MEDIA DEVELOPMENT, AND ARTIFACT MOUNTMAKING; ONGOING ARTIFACT COLLECTING, PRESERVATION, AND MANAGEMENT; AND EXPANDED ARTS COMMISSIONING ACTIVITY AND ARTS PROGRAM PLANNING. OPERATIONAL PLANNING BEGAN, FOCUSED ON FACILITIES, SECURITY, VISITOR EXPERIENCE, AND EARNED INCOME. IN ANTICIPATION OF THE OPENING OF THE OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL CENTER, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE FOUNDATION ALSO ATTENDED VARIOUS STAKEHOLDER AND COMMUNITY EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY IN AN EFFORT TO BUILD STRONG RELATIONSHIPS AND SPREAD AWARENESS ABOUT THE OPC.
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 2014.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 2026.
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