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United Philanthropy Forum

EIN 52-2122029 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak30 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

AS THE LARGEST AND MOST DIVERSE NETWORK IN AMERICAN PHILANTHROPY, UNITED PHILANTHROPY FORUM HOLDS A UNIQUE POSITION IN THE SOCIAL SECTOR TO HELP INCREASE PHILANTHROPY'S IMPACT IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WE HELP PEOPLE WHO DO GOOD TO DO GOOD BETTER. THE FORUM IS A MEMBERSHIP NETWORK OF MORE THAN 90 REGIONAL AND NATIONAL PHILANTHROPY-SERVING ORGANIZATIONS (PSOS), REPRESENTING MORE THAN 7,000 FOUNDATIONS FUNDERS, WHO WORK TO MAKE PHILANTHROPY BETTER. THE FORUM ENVISIONS A COURAGEOUS PHILANTHROPIC SECTOR THAT CATALYZES A JUST AND EQUITABLE SOCIETY WHERE ALL CAN PARTICIPATE AND PROSPER.

Income
$2.6 million
Spending
$4.6 million
Spent on programs
84%
Reserves
-1.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 50%
Employees
12
Volunteers
20
Highest pay
$237,877, vp of knowledge services

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

Weak: 30 out of 100. Higher than 2% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 40% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 74% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 24% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    84% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 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

    16 of 16 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 (2)
  1. $1.3 million spent. KNOWLEDGE SERVICES:MANY OF THE FORUM'S REGIONAL AND NATIONAL PSO MEMBERS PARTICIPATE IN THE FORUM'S UNIQUE, STATE-OF-THE-ART SHARED TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM, KNOWN AS THE KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT (KM) COLLABORATIVE, WHICH OFFERS MEMBERS AN INTEGRATED CONSTITUENT RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT (CRM) SOLUTION AND A SOPHISTICATED WEBSITE CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (CMS). FORUM MEMBERS ARE ABLE TO USE THIS PLATFORM FOR A FRACTION OF WHAT IT WOULD HAVE COST THEM TO DEVELOP A SIMILAR PLATFORM ON THEIR OWN. THEY RECEIVE ONGOING SUPPORT FROM THE FORUM TEAM AND ARE PART OF AN ACTIVE USER COMMUNITY OF PEERS.
  2. $2.5 million spent. PROGRAM, COMMUNICATIONS & SERVICES:THE FORUM PROVIDES A WIDE RANGE OF PROGRAMS, COMMUNICATIONS AND OTHER SERVICES TO BUILD THE CAPACITY OF OUR MEMBERS TO ADVANCE, MOBILIZE, CONVENE, INFORM AND SUPPORT PHILANTHROPY. THIS INCLUDES AN ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND OTHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR; A WIDE RANGE OF PEER COMMUNITY NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PSO STAFF WITH MANY DIFFERENT JOB FUNCTIONS AND LEVELS OF EXPERIENCE; DATA AND KNOWLEDGE TO INFORM THE WORK OF REGIONAL AND NATIONAL PHILANTHROPY INFRASTRUCTURE ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING AN ANNUAL COMPENSATION & BENEFITS SURVEY; ONGOING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE; PUBLIC POLICY AND ADVOCACY WORK TO BUILD THE CAPACITY OF OUR MEMBERS TO ENGAGE IN PUBLIC POLICY; ONGOING COMMUNICATIONS THAT BOTH INFORM AND LIFT UP THE WORK OF OUR MEMBERS, THROUGH A REGULAR NEWSLETTER, SOCIAL MEDIA, ACTIVE LISTSERVS AND OTHER MEANS; AND NUMEROUS OTHER CAPACITY-BUILDING EFFORTS.

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 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 2024.

    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 April 2015.

    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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