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Passes our checks

Workers Lab

EIN 82-4788124 · Oakland, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair55 out of 100GovernanceGood80 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

The Workers Labs purpose is to give new ideas about increasing worker power a genuine changce to succeed and flourish. We envison a society where workers are powerful drivers of economic, social, and political transformation. To bring about that vision, we invest flexible dollars in a national network of leaders accross sectors to test new ideas.

Income
$3.2 million
Spending
$3.1 million
Spent on programs
75%
Reserves
0.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 72%
Employees
12
Highest pay
$245,466, 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

Fair: 55 out of 100. Higher than 27% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 26% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 5% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 14% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    75% 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

Good: 80 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    5 of 5 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

    0 of 10

    Did not give 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

    0 of 10

    Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, 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. $859,829 spent. Technology - Joined in 2024, WorkIt Labs was born out of the vision of worker leaders who recognized the need for technology built for and with those on the frontlines of worker organizing. From these early conversations, our mission was born - to design, develop, and deliver technology that puts power in the hands of workers. Today, we reach over 500K workers worldwide through our 25 partnerships with unions and worker organizations.
  2. $682,783 spent. Innovation Fund - The Innovation Fund is our signature program and the primary way we source and fund experiments. It is a national prize competition that we host up to three times a year. We leverage a fellowship model where fellows include entrepreneurs, worker organizers, non-profit leaders, and/or public sector leaders who receive a monthly stipend and support resources. At the end of the fellowship, winners are selected for up to 200,000 in additional funding for their new ideas about work and workers.
  3. $351,085 spent. Design Sprint - In 2023, The Workers Lab ran a design sprint to explore how flexible work can be quality work. All work, whether it is standard employment or gig and contract work, should allow workers flexibility without sacrificing quality. We invested over 1 million to demonstrate how to make this possible. In 2024, this Design Sprint on Quality Flexible Work will begin to sunset as we ideate on both the possibility of scale long-term and a new design sprint.
  4. Program Service Expenses 235,243, Grants and allocations 500, Revenue 0 Learning Hub - Our Learning Hub is a tool that helps make sense of everything were learning across our activities. It is meant to inform future activities and to show audiences what it means to give new ideas that increase power for workers a chance to succeed. The Learning Hub curates and houses our learning, offers resources and mentorship, and showcases the most promising ideas aimed at increasing power for workers.
  5. Program Service Expenses 155,454, Grants and allocations 0, Revenue 0 Participatory Research - This project seeks to center workers and their experiences in the national understanding of work and workers so that worker-leaders and other decision-makers across the country can make more informed decisions about how to better serve workers. We build worker-centered knowledge by engaging frontline workers as researchers, undertaking projects to better understand the realities of work, challenges faced by workers, and ideas for solutions.

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 October 2018.

    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.

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.