Imagine Black Futures
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
IMAGINE BLACK FUTURES HELPS PORTLAND'S BLACK COMMUNITY IMAGINE THE ALTERNATIVES WE DESERVE, BUILDS OUR POLITICAL PARTICIPATION AND SUPPORTS LEADERSHIP TO ACHIEVE THOSE ALTERNATIVES.
- Income
- $1.8 million
- Spending
- $1.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 74%
- Reserves
- 11 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 59%
- Employees
- 9
- Volunteers
- 25
- Highest pay
- $159,307, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 80% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 11.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 20% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 66% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1574% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 254 of 5 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
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 June 30, 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 (4)
- $200,758 spent. FOCUS: CULTURAL WORK CAMPAIGN (COMMUNITY BUILDING, WELLNESS, CONTENT, STORYTELLING)IMAGINE BLACK FUTURES MADE SIGNIFICANT STRIDES IN ADVANCING OUR MISSION THROUGH OUR CULTURAL WORK CAMPAIGN, WHICH EMPHASIZES COMMUNITY BUILDING AND CULTURAL ORGANIZING. IN 2023, WE SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED THE BLACK POSSIBILITIES MOBILE APP, NOW SERVING 580 USERS, AND HOSTED 3 VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS, 24 LIVE STREAMS, AND A SERIES OF VIDEO EVENTS FOCUSED ON WELLNESS AND STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS. THROUGH OUR AFRO-ECOLOGY INITIATIVE, WE UNITED THE COMMUNITY IN VISIONING SESSIONS, STORYTELLING EVENTS, AND NATURE GATHERINGS, FOSTERING DEEPER CONNECTIONS AND SHARED ASPIRATIONS FOR A MORE EQUITABLE FUTURE. ADDITIONALLY, WE CONDUCTED A COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY ON BLACK ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE NEEDS, RECEIVING NEARLY 600 RESPONSES. THESE INSIGHTS ARE PROVING INVALUABLE AS WE SHAPE OUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS AND FUTURE PROGRAMMING.
- $233,750 spent. FOCUS: BLACK RADICAL IMAGINATION CAMPAIGN (VISIONING AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT)IMAGINE BLACK FUTURES MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS WITH OUR BLACK RADICAL IMAGINATION CAMPAIGN, EMPHASIZING COMMUNITY VISIONING AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. WITHIN OUR BLACK LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, WE PILOTED THE BLACK SEEDS SCHOOL CURRICULUM AND SUCCESSFULLY GRADUATED TEN PARTICIPANTS IN COHORT 7, INCLUDING ONE WHO WAS RECENTLY ELECTED TO THE PORTLAND CITY COUNCIL. IN COLLABORATION WITH THE ROSEWOOD INITIATIVE, BLACK COMMUNITY OF PORTLAND, AND THE NATIONAL BLACK WORKER CENTER, WE BEGAN LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR OREGON'S FIRST BLACK WORKER CENTERA TRANSFORMATIVE INITIATIVE DESIGNED TO EMPOWER BLACK OREGONIANS BY IMPROVING WORKING CONDITIONS, BUILDING CIVIC POWER, AND ADVOCATING FOR WORKERS' RIGHTS. TO FURTHER THIS MISSION, WE LAUNCHED A COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES FACED BY BLACK WORKERS IN OREGON, GATHERING ESSENTIAL INSIGHTS TO SHAPE FUTURE PROGRAMMING. WE ALSO HOSTED 16 VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS FOCUSED ON RACIAL EQUITY, FOSTERING SPACES FOR EDUCATION, DIALOGUE, AND COMMUNITY BUILDING. LASTLY, WE INITIATED PLANS FOR OUR UPCOMING COMMUNITY BOOK CLUBS TO DEEPEN COLLECTIVE LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT.
- $151,809 spent. FOCUS: CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IMAGINE BLACK FUTURES PROUDLY ADVANCED ITS MISSION THROUGH OUR CIVIC POWER CAMPAIGN, CHILDCARE CAMPAIGN, PUBLIC SAFETY CAMPAIGN, AND JUST TRANSITIONS CAMPAIGNALL FOCUSED ON DEEPENING CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. THIS YEAR, WE SUCCESSFULLY RECRUITED A STAFF MEMBER TO SERVE ON THE METRO REGIONAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE ON RACIAL EQUITY AND DEPLOYED OUR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT 101 CURRICULUM. WE HOSTED THE PARENT & PROVIDER ACTIVIST SUMMIT AT OUR CENTER FOR BLACK RADICAL IMAGINATION IN OLD TOWN, PORTLAND, AND RECRUITED TWO MEMBERS TO THE METRO TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES COMMITTEE. OUR STAFF PLAYED PIVOTAL ROLES ON KEY ADVISORY BOARDS, INCLUDING THE HISTORIC ALBINA ADVISORY BOARD (HAAB), KAISER PERMANENTE'S BLACK HEALTH COMMUNITY ADVISORY COUNCIL, AND THE OREGON HEALTH AUTHORITY'S STATE HEALTH ASSESSMENT STEERING COMMITTEE. WE FACILITATED 3 VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS FOCUSED ON CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZING AND MAINTAINED PARTICIPANT INVOLVEMENT IN THE MULTNOMAH COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT BUDGET ADVISORY COMMITTEE. ADDITIONALLY, OUR POLICY STAFF ENGAGED EXTENSIVELY IN THE METRO REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN AND IDENTIFIED FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INVOLVEMENT IN PROJECTS SUCH AS REGIONAL FLEXIBLE FUNDS, TV HIGHWAY, AND THE 82ND AVENUE CORRIDOR. THESE ACTIVITIES UNDERSCORE OUR UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO BUILDING CIVIC POWER AND ADVANCING EQUITABLE POLICIES FOR BLACK OREGONIANS.
- $506,992 spent. ALL OTHER PROGRAM SERVICE
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 October 13, 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 November 6, 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 October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 2019.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 November 4, 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.