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Nonprofiteer
← DEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION

Form 990 for tax year 2023

Filed by DEMOCRACY FORWARD FOUNDATION.

Totals

Total revenue
$17,752,341
Total expenses
$13,028,095
Contributions and grants received
$17,686,469
Grants paid
$0
Program service revenue
$0
Investment income
$65,872
Other revenue
$0
Total assets, end of year
$14,572,644
Total liabilities, end of year
$964,975
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$13,607,669
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$11,437,429
Management and general expenses
$1,196,911
Fundraising expenses
$393,755
Program service expenses (Part III)
$11,437,429

Program services were 87.8% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $17,686,469

  • 1g · Noncash contributions included above

    $2,994,608

  • 7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

    securities $3,060,480

  • 7b · Less cost or other basis and sales expenses

    securities $2,994,608

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities $65,872

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total $65,872 · excluded $65,872

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $1,710,951 · program services $1,371,203 · management and general $169,874 · fundraising $169,874

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $6,214,193 · program services $5,632,072 · management and general $394,470 · fundraising $187,651

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $181,139 · program services $160,402 · management and general $13,406 · fundraising $7,331

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $303,955 · program services $272,098 · management and general $21,432 · fundraising $10,425

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $372,317 · program services $329,178 · management and general $26,525 · fundraising $16,614

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $563,719 · program services $481,081 · management and general $82,638

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $1,616,307 · program services $1,358,372 · management and general $257,935

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $104,484 · program services $104,484

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $185,550 · program services $176,614 · management and general $8,936

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $60,794 · program services $59,789 · management and general $1,005

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $289,366 · program services $257,524 · management and general $31,842

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $924,469 · program services $756,593 · management and general $166,016 · fundraising $1,860

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $20,009 · program services $1,201 · management and general $18,808

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $35,687 · program services $32,475 · management and general $3,212

  • 24a · Other expenses: DUES & SUBSCRIPTIONS

    total $372,884 · program services $372,072 · management and general $812

  • 24b · Other expenses: FILING FEES & LICENSES

    total $72,271 · program services $72,271

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $6,452,382 · end of year $10,168,268

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $2,524,763 · end of year $3,752,348

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $8,859 · end of year $101,812

  • 10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

    $50,861

  • 10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

    $5,956

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $19,837 · end of year $44,905

  • 14 · Intangible assets

    beginning of year $46,250 · end of year $31,250

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $785,908 · end of year $474,061

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $158,950 · end of year $469,775

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $795,626 · end of year $495,200

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $8,748,007 · end of year $9,702,357

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $135,416 · end of year $3,905,312

Mission and programs · 2023

Mission

TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS AND INSTITUTIONS THAT MAKE OUR NATION'S DEMOCRACY STRONG BY WORKING THROUGH THE LEGAL SYSTEM AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES TO PRESERVE THE RULE OF LAW AND HOLD GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABLE, AND TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THOSE EFFORTS.

Activities or mission (Part I)

SEE PART III, LINE 1.

  • TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS AND INSTITUTIONS THAT MAKE OUR NATION'S DEMOCRACY STRONG BY WORKING THROUGH THE LEGAL SYSTEM AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES TO PRESERVE THE RULE OF LAW AND HOLD GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABLE, AND TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THOSE EFFORTS.

    Expenses $11,437,429

As filed on the 2023 return.

Listed in Part VII

  • Marc E Elias

    CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1 + 1 related
  • Mindy Myers

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1 + 1 related
  • Tania Faransso

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1 + 1 related
  • Javier Guzman

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1 + 1 related
  • Ron Klain

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1 + 1 related
  • Skye L Perryman

    PRESIDENT AND CEO

    Total calculated
    $492,214
    From this org
    $453,887
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $38,327
    Hours/week
    55 + 0.75 related

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $453,887
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $9,200
    Nontaxable benefits
    $29,127
    Filer's total
    $492,214
  • Joseph Gaeta

    DIR. OF OVERSIGHT & ENGAGEMENT

    Total calculated
    $255,594
    From this org
    $217,477
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $38,117
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $217,477
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $9,000
    Nontaxable benefits
    $29,117
    Filer's total
    $255,594
  • Andrianna Dunbar

    CHIEF OF STAFF

    Total calculated
    $236,105
    From this org
    $207,224
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $28,881
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $207,224
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $6,221
    Nontaxable benefits
    $22,660
    Filer's total
    $236,105
  • Jeffery Dubner

    LEGAL DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $235,279
    From this org
    $219,447
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $15,832
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $219,447
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $8,833
    Nontaxable benefits
    $6,999
    Filer's total
    $235,279
  • Robin F Thurston

    LEGAL DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $229,327
    From this org
    $221,039
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $8,288
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $221,039
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $8,083
    Nontaxable benefits
    $205
    Filer's total
    $229,327
  • Megan J Uzzell

    STRATEGIC INITIATIVES AND EXT AFF DIR

    Total calculated
    $212,309
    From this org
    $176,135
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $36,174
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $176,135
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $7,300
    Nontaxable benefits
    $28,874
    Filer's total
    $212,309
  • Sean A Lev

    LEGAL DIRECTOR (UNTIL 09/23)

    Total calculated
    $183,815
    From this org
    $156,130
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $27,685
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $156,130
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $6,417
    Nontaxable benefits
    $21,268
    Filer's total
    $183,815
  • Brooke Menschel

    SENIOR COUNSEL

    Total calculated
    $206,140
    From this org
    $189,715
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $16,425
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $189,715
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $7,017
    Nontaxable benefits
    $9,408
    Filer's total
    $206,140
  • William Bardwell

    SENIOR COUNSEL

    Total calculated
    $203,148
    From this org
    $195,174
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $7,974
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $195,174
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $7,800
    Nontaxable benefits
    $174
    Filer's total
    $203,148
  • Jessica Morton

    SENIOR COUNSEL

    Total calculated
    $192,826
    From this org
    $176,350
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $16,476
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $176,350
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $7,100
    Nontaxable benefits
    $9,376
    Filer's total
    $192,826
  • Madeline Gitomer

    SENIOR COUNSEL

    Total calculated
    $182,562
    From this org
    $175,290
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $7,272
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $175,290
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $7,133
    Nontaxable benefits
    $139
    Filer's total
    $182,562
  • Aman T George

    SENIOR COUNSEL

    Total calculated
    $174,917
    From this org
    $168,347
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $6,570
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $168,347
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $6,442
    Nontaxable benefits
    $128
    Filer's total
    $174,917

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Answered yes

  • 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee

Answered no

  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
  • 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
  • 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
  • 5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
  • 6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
  • 6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Related organizations on this return

Schedule R Part II: tax-exempt organizations related to the filer by control. It does not record shared board members or money.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2023
Filed
15 May 2025
IRS schema version
2023v6.0
Source object
202501359349314470

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