Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Independent Sector

EIN 52-1081024 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong90 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

WE UNITE NONPROFITS AND PHILANTHROPY TO STRENGTHEN THE CHARITABLE SECTOR, IDENTIFYING STRUCTURAL CHALLENGES AND MOBILIZING THE SECTOR AROUND POLICY AND PRACTICE SOLUTIONS.

Income
$9.2 million
Spending
$7.8 million
Spent on programs
67%
Reserves
16 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
34
Volunteers
85
Highest pay
$664,839, president & chief executive officer

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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 64% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 16.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 35% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 15% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 66% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    67% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 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 65% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    14 of 15 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a 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

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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 (5)
  1. $1.7 million spent. PUBLIC POLICY:INDEPENDENT SECTOR'S PUBLIC POLICY LEADERSHIP ACTIVITIES ARE FOCUSED ON RESEARCH, POLICY DEVELOPMENT, ANALYSIS, AND ADVOCACY EFFORTS TO ENSURE A HEALTHY, TRUSTED AND EQUITABLE NONPROFIT SECTOR. IN 2024, WE CONTINUED TO ADDRESS CONCERNS ABOUT DECLINING CHARITABLE GIVING THROUGH PASSAGE OF LEGISLATION THAT WOULD CREATE A UNIVERSAL CHARITABLE DEDUCTION. WE ALSO CONTINUED TO ADVANCE OUR BI-PARTISAN NONPROFIT STAKEHOLDERS ENGAGING AND ADVANCING TOGETHER (NONPROFIT SEAT) LEGISLATION IN THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES THAT WOULD ENSURE THE VOICE AND EXPERTISE OF THE NONPROFIT CHARITABLE SECTOR HAD PERMANENT REPRESENTATION WITHIN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. AS PART OF OUR SEAT AT THE TABLE INITIATIVE, INDEPENDENT SECTOR CO-HOSTED TWO WHITE HOUSE ROUNDTABLES IN 2024. THE FIRST FOCUSED ON THE STATE OF THE SECTOR'S WORKFORCE AND THE NEED FOR BETTER WORKFORCE DATA. THE SECOND ROUNDTABLE HAD SECTOR LEADERS AND WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS EXCHANGING INSIGHTS AND SHARING STRATEGIES TO ADVANCE A JUST SOCIETY. WE ALSO BEGAN WORK ON A LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVE TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT NONPROFIT EMPLOYERS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE SAME TAX INCENTIVES AS THEIR FOR-PROFIT PEERS FOR INVESTMENT IN THEIR WORKFORCE THROUGH THE CREATION OF RETIREMENT PLANS AND FACILITY-BASED CHILDCARE. IS LAUNCHED AN INTERACTIVE DIGITAL NONPROFIT SECTOR STATE PROFILES RESOURCE, WHICH PROVIDES THE MOST RECENT DATA FOR ALL 50 STATES, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AND THE UNITED STATES FROM THE IRS, BLS, CENSUS BUREAU, AMERICORPS, AND INDEPENDENT SECTOR'S OWN RESEARCH. INDEPENDENT SECTOR MEMBERS CAN USE THIS NATIONAL AND STATE DATA TO ADVOCATE MORE EFFECTIVELY WITH POLICYMAKERS, CONDUCT RESEARCH, AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SECTOR. IN 2024 WE CONCLUDED A TWO-YEAR SERIES OF REPORTS ON ADVOCACY PRACTICES IN THE NONPROFIT SECTOR AND WORKED WITH AN ADVISORY GROUP OF ADVOCATES TO DEFINE HIGH-PRIORITY INTERVENTIONS INFORMED BY THE RESEARCH. THIS AND OTHER INDEPENDENT SECTOR RESEARCH ALLOW US TO SHAPE MORE EFFECTIVE TOOLS AND TRAINING TO ENSURE NONPROFITS ARE INFORMED AND ACTIVE ADVOCATES. FINALLY, INDEPENDENT SECTOR'S PUBLIC POLICY PRIORITIES AND ADVOCACY EFFORTS ARE ADVANCED BY THE NONPROFIT INFRASTRUCTURE COALITION, A GROUP OF APPROXIMATELY 50 ORGANIZATIONS FROM ACROSS THE SECTOR, THAT ARE ALIGNED WITH THE CORE POLICY AIMS OF IS. THE COALITION IS CO-LED WITH KABOOM!
  2. $1.3 million spent. COMMUNICATIONS:COMMUNICATIONS AMPLIFIES CRITICAL INFORMATION, ANALYSIS AND STORIES FOR A BROAD, DIVERSE AUDIENCE TO ADVANCE A HEALTHIER CHARITABLE SECTOR. THIS WORK INCLUDES DIGITAL AND PRINT PUBLICATIONS, ANALYSIS AND PERSPECTIVES, AND OTHER RESOURCES DISSEMINATED ACROSS PROPRIETARY AND SOCIAL OR OTHER MEDIA CHANNELS. SAMPLE RESOURCES INCLUDE THE WEEKLY MEMBER NEWSLETTER THE DIGEST, WHICH INCLUDES NEWS AND EVENTS OF INTEREST TO OUR MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS; VOICES FOR GOOD, WHICH PRIMARILY FOCUSES ON THE ORGANIZATION'S PUBLIC POLICY WORK ON BEHALF OF THE SECTOR; AND CHANGEWORKS, WHICH LIFTS THE WORK OF OUR MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS. THIS WORK ALSO BRINGS VOICE AND VISIBILITY TO KEY CHARITABLE SECTOR RESEARCH IS CONDUCTS OR COMMISSIONS, INCLUDING THE PURSUIT OF INFLUENCE: INTERVIEWS WITH NONPROFIT LEADERS ABOUT ADVOCACY; ALICE IN THE NONPROFIT WORKFORCE: A STUDY OF FINANCIAL HARDSHIP, THE FIRST-EVER RESEARCH REPORT THAT FOUND THAT MORE THAN ONE IN FIVE NONPROFIT EMPLOYEES IN THE UNITED STATES STRUGGLE FINANCIALLY; AND INDEPENDENT SECTOR'S 2024 HEALTH OF THE U.S. NONPROFIT SECTOR: ANNUAL REVIEW, WHICH PROVIDED DATA, ANALYSIS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT THE KEY AREAS POWERING MORE THAN 1.9 MILLION U.S. NONPROFITS, INCLUDING ECONOMY AND FINANCES, WORKFORCE, TRUST AND GOVERNANCE, AND PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY. IS ALSO PRODUCED HARNESSING OUR COLLECTIVE POWER, A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT SUMMARIZING KEY INSIGHTS FROM A NATIONAL LISTENING TOUR, CAPTURING NONPROFIT AND PHILANTHROPIC SECTOR CHALLENGES, TRENDS, AND OPPORTUNITIES.
  3. $1.1 million spent. SECTOR HEALTH:INDEPENDENT SECTOR'S WORK ANALYZES AND SHARES INSIGHTS ON FOUR CORE ASPECTS OF THE CHARITABLE SECTOR'S HEALTH: (1) FINANCES; (2) WORKFORCE; (3) PUBLIC TRUST AND GOOD GOVERNANCE; (4) POLICY ADVOCACY. RESEARCH FROM VARIOUS AUTHORITATIVE SOURCES IS COMPILED IN THE HEALTH OF THE US NONPROFIT SECTOR ANNUAL REPORT, WHICH WAS RELEASED IN DECEMBER 2024. DATA FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS IN THE REPORT ARE THEN USED TO INFORM POLICY AND PRACTICE INTERVENTIONS NEEDED TO BUILD A HEALTHIER CHARITABLE SECTOR. IS ALSO COMMISSIONS AND CONDUCTS ORIGINAL RESEARCH. IN 2024, WE CONDUCTED OUR FIFTH ANNUAL SURVEY ON PUBLIC TRUST IN NONPROFITS AND PHILANTHROPY, CONDUCTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH EDELMAN DATA AND INTELLIGENCE. IN 2024, WE FOUND THAT THE NONPROFIT SECTOR IS THE MOST TRUSTED SECTOR OF AMERICAN SOCIETY, IN PART DUE TO CONCERNING LOSSES OF PUBLIC TRUST IN SMALL BUSINESSES AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES. IN 2024 WE CONCLUDED ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT BODY OF RESEARCH, ALSO COMMISSIONED BY INDEPENDENT SECTOR AND MENTIONED ABOVE, EXAMINING ADVOCACY ACTIVITIES BY NONPROFITS. THE QUANTITATIVE STUDY, RELEASED IN 2023, INDICATED CONCERNING DOWNWARD TRENDS IN POLICY ADVOCACY BY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. IN 2024, WE RELEASED A COMPLEMENTARY QUALITATIVE STUDY THAT PROVIDED MORE INSIGHT INTO HOW AND WHY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS DO OR DO NOT ADVOCATE. ALL OF INDEPENDENT SECTOR'S RESEARCH, TRUE TO IS PRACTICE, IS INTENDED TO INFORM TOOLS, TRAININGS, AND OTHER INTERVENTIONS TO STRENGTHEN THE HEALTH OF THE NONPROFIT SECTOR.
  4. $795,655 spent. CAPACITY BUILDING:CAPACITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES IN 2024 STRENGTHENED LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND ADVANCED COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION ACROSS THE NONPROFIT AND PHILANTHROPIC LANDSCAPE. THROUGH INTENTIONAL CONVENINGS WE CULTIVATED TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING SPACES AND CROSS-SECTOR COLLABORATION TO SUPPORT LEADERS AND ORGANIZATIONS WORKING AT THE INTERSECTION OF EQUITY, JUSTICE, AND IMPACT.
  5. $253,563 spent. MEMBERSHIP:MEMBERSHIP AT INDEPENDENT SECTOR PROVIDES FULL ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET, COLLABORATE WITH, AND LEARN FROM FELLOW CHANGEMAKERS AND THOUGHT LEADERS AT INDEPENDENT SECTOR EVENTS AND CONVENINGS; VIRTUALLY AND IN-PERSON. MEMBERS HEAR DIRECTLY FROM POLICY AND OTHER CHARITABLE SECTOR EXPERTS ON ISSUES IMPACTING THE SECTOR AND INCREASE INDIVIDUAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS THROUGH WEBINARS AND WORKSHOPS.

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 August 1977.

    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.

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.