Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

1803 Fund

EIN 92-2585176 · Portland, OR

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong96 out of 100GovernanceGood83 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

TO ESTABLISH A RESILIENT FINANCIAL ECOSYSTEM THAT SUPPORTS THE LONG-TERM WELL-BEING OF PORTLAND'S BLACK COMMUNITY BY INVESTING IN EDUCATION, PRESERVING CULTURAL HERITAGE AND FOSTERING COMMUNITY VIA LONG-TERM GRANT FUNDING, PARTNERSHIPS AND INVESTMENTS.

Income
$55.6 million
Spending
$21.8 million
Spent on programs
92%
Reserves
17.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 99%
Employees
12
Volunteers
2
Highest pay
$648,897, ceo/secretary

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 96 out of 100. Higher than 92% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 17.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 18% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 61% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 148% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    92% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 83 out of 100. Higher than 15% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    2 of 3 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

    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, 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 (3)
  1. $16.8 million spent. IN 2025, THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TEAM ACCOMPLISHED THE FOLLOWING:1. MADE A 10-YEAR, $75M COMMITMENT TO UNDERWRITE DIRECT SERVICE EXPENDITURES OF SELF ENHANCEMENT INC. AND ALBINA HEAD START2. LAUNCHED THE 1803 FUND'S PLACE-MAKING GRANT PROGRAM TO ACTIVATE, ENRICH AND FORTIFY REAL ESTATE ASSETS IN ALBINA3. CONTINUED TO SUPPORT THE COHORT OF 1803 FUND'S STRATEGIC COMMUNITY GRANT PARTNERS THROUGH MULTIPLE CONVENINGS, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND SHARED LEARNING4. DISBURSED OVER $300K OF SPONSORSHIPS TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY EVENTS
  2. $2.4 million spent. IN 2025, THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE TEAM ACCOMPLISHED THE FOLLOWING:1. COORDINATED OVER $400K IN RESPONSIVE GRANTS TO SUPPORT NATIONAL AND PORTLAND BLACK LEADERSHIP CONVENINGS 2. LAUNCHED THE 1803 FUND'S EXTERNAL AFFAIRS PRACTICE TO ENGAGE WITH AND SUPPORT PUBLIC & MUNICIPAL PARTNERS3. REFINED THE 1803 FUND'S COMMUNICATIONS APPROACH AND HELD MULTIPLE PRESS EVENTS TO COMMUNICATE THE FUND'S REAL ESTATE ENDEAVORS4. LAUNCHED 1803 ENTERPRISE PARTNERSHIP PRACTICE5. GRANTED SPECIAL FUNDS TO ENABLE FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS AND BUSINESS PLANNING FOR A POSSIBLE MOVE OF PENSOLE LEWIS, A DESIGN CENTERED HBCU, TO PORTLAND, OREGON
  3. $930,313 spent. IN 2025, THE 1803 REAL ESTATE TEAM ACCOMPLISHED THE FOLLOWING:1. REFINED THE 1803 FUND'S 'REBUILD ALBINA' STRATEGY TO FOCUS ON DIRECT REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT IN HISTORIC ALBINA2. FORMULATED REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT FRAMEWORK AND FUTURE ACQUISITION PIPELINE3. ENTERED INTO AGREEMENT TO ACQUIRE THREE PROPERTIES IN LOWER ALBINA INCLUDING TWO CORNERSTONE PARCELS COMPRISING OVER 6 ACRES4. PROVIDED $5M MEZZANINE LOAN TO ALBINA VISION TRUST TO ENABLE PURCHASE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING REPOSITIONING OF HISTORIC PARAMOUNT APARTMENTS 5. ENTERED INTO NEGOTIATIONS ON 3 ADDITIONAL PROPERTIES IN LOWER ALBINA6. BEGAN REMEDIATION, ZONING AND MASTER PLANNING PRE-DEVELOPMENT WORK ON 2 CORNERSTONE PROPERTIES

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 December 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 March 2024.

    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.