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Govern for America Inc

EIN 82-5444128 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak49 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

OUR MISSION IS TO BUILD THE NEXT GENERATION OF PUBLIC SERVANTS TO CREATE A MORE RESPONSIVE GOVERNMENT THAT BETTER REFLECTS AND SERVES COMMUNITIES.

Income
$1.7 million
Spending
$1.8 million
Spent on programs
67%
Reserves
0.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 90%
Employees
16
Volunteers
11
Highest pay
$163,186, chief executive officer &

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 49 out of 100. Higher than 16% of charities in its peer group (public benefit, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 28% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 12% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 5% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    67% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 14 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 70% of charities in its peer group (public benefit, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 10 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 June 30, 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 (1)
  1. $1.2 million spent. GFA'S PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS DURING FISCAL YEAR 2025 INCLUDE RECRUITING RECENT COLLEGE GRADUATES FOR ITS FLAGSHIP FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM, DEVELOPING LEADERS IN PUBLIC SERVICE, AND LAUNCHING A NEW STRATEGIC WORKFORCE INITIATIVE TO STRENGTHEN INTERNAL CAPACITY TO ENSURE MISSION-DRIVEN LEADERS CAN STAY, GROW, AND LEAD. RECRUITING PUBLIC SERVICE TALENT:GFA REVIEWED 775 APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2025 COHORT OF ITS FLAGSHIP FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM, APPROXIMATELY AN 89% INCREASE FROM 2024. A POOL OF 59 FINALISTS WAS DEVELOPED THAT RESULTED IN A FINAL COHORT OF 10 FELLOWS. THE 2025 FELLOWS SERVE IN STATE-LEVEL PUBLIC SERVICE ROLES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING COLORADO, MARYLAND, MICHIGAN, AND MISSOURI. FELLOWS WORK IN A VARIETY OF ISSUE AREAS THAT INCLUDE HOUSING, EDUCATION & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES, AND HEALTH.DEVELOPING PUBLIC SERVICE LEADERS:GFA DEVELOPS PUBLIC SECTOR LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL WITH TRAINING ON EFFECTIVE, INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO GOVERNMENT SERVICE TO EQUIP FELLOWS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO ADD VALUE IN GOVERNMENT AND TACKLE THE TOUGHEST PUBLIC CHALLENGES. IN THE PAST YEAR ALONE, GFA FELLOWS MOBILIZED 1,150 PUBLIC SERVANTS, CREATING A POWERFUL NETWORK OF INFLUENCE WORKING TO MAKE THE PUBLIC SECTOR MORE EFFECTIVE. OUR ALUMNI HAVE A 93% RETENTION RATE WITHIN PUBLIC SECTOR AND GOVERNMENT ADJACENT ROLES, DEMONSTRATING OUR SUCCESS IN SUSTAINING TALENT IN PUBLIC SERVICE. WITH 91% OF SUPERVISORS REPORTING A POSITIVE COMMUNITY IMPACT, OUR FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM REMAINS DYNAMIC AND RESPONSIVE.STRATEGIC WORKFORCE INITIATIVE:GOVERN FOR AMERICA LAUNCHED A NEW PILOT PROGRAM TO ADDRESS THIS URGENT CHALLENGE. ROOTED IN INSIGHTS FROM OUR FELLOWSHIP MODEL, THE INITIATIVE WILL HELP AGENCIES BUILD THE INTERNAL CAPACITY TO SUPPORT MISSION-DRIVEN TALENT, ENSURING THOSE WHO STEP INTO PUBLIC SERVICE ARE EQUIPPED TO STAY, GROW, AND LEAD. IN GFA'S SURVEY AND DISCOVERY INTERVIEWS, AGENCY LEADERS IDENTIFIED A NEED FOR STRONGER INTERNAL INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT EFFECTIVE SERVICE DELIVERY AND POINTED TO LIMITED TIME, CAPACITY, OR STRATEGIC TOOLS AS KEY BARRIERS TO BUILDING IT.THE INITIATIVE THEREFORE AIMS TO BUILD INTERNAL SYSTEMS TO RETAIN AND GROW MISSION-DRIVEN TALENT, ESPECIALLY NEW PUBLIC SERVANTS TAILORMADE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE AGENCY; DEPLOY STRATEGIC WORKFORCE TOOLSLIKE RETENTION AND ONBOARDING STRATEGY, TALENT GAP ANALYSIS, AND SUCCESSION PLANNINGTO REDUCE TURNOVER, KNOWLEDGE LOSS AND STRENGTHEN LEADERSHIP PIPELINE; AND PROVE A SCALABLE MODEL FOR MODERN PUBLIC SECTOR TALENT DEVELOPMENT, POSITIONING GFA AS A LONG-TERM PARTNER IN WORKFORCE INNOVATION.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 June 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 June 2019.

    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.