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Economic Policy Institute

EIN 52-1368964 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

EPI USES THE TOOLS OF ECONOMICS TO BRING THE INTERESTS OF LOW- AND MIDDLE-INCOME WORKERS INTO ECONOMIC POLICY DISCUSSIONS. EPI'S RIGOROUS RESEARCH AND TRANSFORMATIVE IDEAS FORTIFY WORKER ORGANIZING, BUILD A SHARED UNDERSTANDING OF HOW POWER AND POLICY SHAPE ECONOMIC OUTCOMES, AND HELP DRIVE PROGRESSIVE POLICY CHANGE AT EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT. WE PARTNER WITH NATIONAL AND STATE GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS, ACADEMICS, AND LABOR UNIONS TO ADVANCE OUR MISSION.

Income
$17.4 million
Spending
$14.2 million
Spent on programs
81%
Reserves
4.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 88%
Employees
53
Volunteers
26
Highest pay
$270,559, president

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

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 66% of charities in its peer group (social science, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 8% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 18% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 46% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    81% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 45% of charities in its peer group (social science, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    26 of 27 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, 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 (5)
  1. $6.0 million spent. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH NETWORK (EARN): THE ECONOMIC ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH NETWORK (EARN) IS A NETWORK OF RESEARCH AND POLICY ORGANIZATIONS. EARN ADVANCES A WORKER-CENTERED ECONOMY THROUGH STATE AND LOCAL POLICY CHANGE, RIGOROUS RESEARCH, AND COLLABORATION BETWEEN RESEARCHERS, CHAMPIONS, AND COMMUNITY GROUPS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
  2. $2.1 million spent. RESEARCH: EPI PRODUCES THE HIGHEST QUALITY RESEARCH AND POLICY ANALYSIS, WIELDING THE TOOLS OF ECONOMICS TO ADVANCE THE INTERESTS OF WORKING FAMILIES. PROGRAM ON RACE, ETHNICITY, AND THE ECONOMY (PREE): PREE USES RESEARCH TO EXPLORE AND EXPLAIN HOW RACE, ETHNICITY, AND CLASS INTERSECT TO AFFECT ECONOMIC OUTCOMES IN THE UNITED STATES.
  3. $1.5 million spent. COMMUNICATIONS: EPI EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATES ITS IN-DEPTH RESEARCH AND POLICY ANALYSIS IN WAYS THAT CAN BE UNDERSTOOD AND SHARED BY A VARIETY OF AUDIENCES. EPI USES WEB TOOLS, INTERACTIVE MAPS AND CALCULATORS, PODCASTS, VIDEO EXPLAINERS, AND SOCIAL MEDIA TO SHARE OUR RESEARCH AND OUR POLICY ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
  4. $989,234 spent. POLICY: EPI USES POLICY ANALYSIS AND ADVOCACY TO BUILD POWER FOR WORKING PEOPLE. OUR EXPERTS PROVIDE TESTIMONY, SPEECHES, AND PRESENTATIONS, AND THEY PRODUCE ANALYSES AND REPORTS ON A VARIETY OF ISSUES FACING WORKERS.
  5. $942,498 spent. PROGRAM ON RACE, ETHNICITY, AND THE ECONOMY (PREE): PREE EXPLORES AND EXPLAINS HOW RACE, ETHNICITY, AND CLASS INTERSECT TO AFFECT ECONOMIC OUTCOMES IN THE UNITED STATES. THIS IS DONE THROUGH RESEARCH, POLICY PAPERS, WORKSHOPS, SPEAKER SERIES, OTHER CONVENINGS, AND SOCIAL MEDIA.

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

  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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

  4. 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.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since September 1985.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 2026.

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