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Equis Institute

EIN 87-1337465 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair60 out of 100GovernanceGood80 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

EQUIS INSTITUTE'S MISSION IS TO CREATE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF LATINX COMMUNITIES, INVEST IN INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO REACH AND ENGAGE THEM, AND CONVENE LATINX LEADERS FOR THE GROWTH AND LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF THE SECTOR.

Income
$12.4 million
Spending
$16.1 million
Spent on programs
79%
Reserves
4.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 99%
Employees
0
Volunteers
4
Highest pay
$140,843, executive director (see sch. o)

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: 60 out of 100. Higher than 28% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 13% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 31% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 18% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    79% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 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 7% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    4 of 6 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (5)
  1. $4.3 million spent. RESEARCHEQUIS INSTITUTE PROVIDES LATINO-SERVING GROUPS WITH ACTIONABLE RESEARCH TO HELP STRENGTHEN THEIR PROGRAMS AND OUTREACH EFFORTS. IN 2024, THE RESEARCH TEAM POLLED 24,666 INDIVIDUALS ACROSS MULTIPLE KEY STATES, WITH TARGETED OVERSAMPLING IN CRITICAL SWING STATES TO ENSURE ACCURACY AND DEPTH OF INSIGHTS. IN TOTAL, 18 POLLS WERE CONDUCTED, INCLUDING 8 KEY STATE POLLS, 1 RECONTACT POLL, AND 9 STATE-SPECIFIC POLLS DESIGNED TO CAPTURE THE NUANCES OF LOCAL RACES AND ISSUES.
  2. $2.9 million spent. YOUTUBE PROJECTTHE YOUTUBE INITIATIVE LEADS THE CHARGE IN CULTURALLY RELEVANT, ENGAGING CONTENT CREATION THAT HELPS LATINOS MAKE SENSE OF THE WORLD, POLITICS, AND CURRENT EVENTS TO INOCULATE LATINO VOTERS AGAINST HARMFUL NARRATIVES AND MISINFORMATION, AND TO BUILD CONFIDENCE AND TRUST IN OUR DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS. LAUNCHED TWO NEW CHANNELS: A VER A VER+, WHICH EXPANDS OUR NETWORK THROUGH POP CULTURE CONTENT, AND PUEBLO EXTRANO, WHICH BUILDS A MILLENNIAL MALE AUDIENCE THROUGH TALK SHOWS EXPLORING CULTURAL, POLICY, AND PERSONAL ISSUES.
  3. $2.3 million spent. CULTURAL MOBILIZATIONTHROUGH THE CULTURAL MOBILIZATION PROJECT, EQUIS PARTNERED WITH DOZENS OF STATE, LOCAL, AND NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS TO ORGANIZE A LARGER CULTURAL MOMENT OF LATINO PRIDE AROUND THE FILM, FLAMIN' HOT. WE FILLED 29 SCREENINGS NATIONWIDE, GENERATING 151 MILLION COMBINED TIKTOK AND INSTAGRAM IMPRESSIONS. THE SUCCESS OF THE GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN NOT ONLY TURNED THE MOVIE INTO A COMMUNITY-WIDE CULTURAL EVENT BUT ALSO LED TO AN OSCAR NOMINATION, CULMINATING IN A HISTORIC BILINGUAL PERFORMANCE DURING THE OSCARS TELECAST. THIS EFFORT CONNECTED OVER 100 PARTNERS FROM HOLLYWOOD, ADVOCACY, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, TURNING A SHARED CULTURAL MOMENT INTO AN ORGANIZING WIN FOR THE LATINO COMMUNITY. THE CONEXIONES PROGRAM EXPANDED IN 2023 TO FOSTER DEEPER CONNECTIONS AMONG LATINO LEADERS WITH THEIR MEXICAN HERITAGE. THE 2023 DELEGATION TO MEXICO CITY, UNITED PROMINENT FIGURES FROM ENTERTAINMENT, BUSINESS, AND PHILANTHROPY AND INSPIRED NEW CREATIVE PROJECTS AND DEEPENED U.S.-MEXICO TIES. 100% OF PARTICIPANTS REPORTED A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE U.S.-MEXICO RELATIONSHIP.
  4. $1.6 million spent. LAPIZEQUIS INSTITUTE LAUNCHED THE LATINO POLITICAL INNOVATION ZONES (LAPIZ) PROGRAM TO DEVELOP A PRACTICAL PLAYBOOK FOR MOVEMENT ORGANIZATIONS SEEKING TO INCREASE LATINO VOTER PARTICIPATION.THE LAPIZ INITIATIVE ENLISTED LOCAL PARTNERS TO TEST THE IMPACT OF EQUIS-ORGANIZED PARTIES-TO-THE-POLLS IN THREE COMMUNITIES. THE PROGRAM SUCCESSFULLY TESTED NEW APPROACHES WHILE ENGAGING AND EDUCATING 6,200 ATTENDEES THROUGH LOCAL FIESTAS, REACHING 192,000 HOUSEHOLDS WITH MAIL, AND GENERATING 9.7 MILLION DIGITAL AND CONNECTED TV VOTER EDUCATION IMPRESSIONS.
  5. $1.6 million spent. OTHER PROGRAMS

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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since March 2022.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.