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Nonprofiteer
← THE PROJECT ON GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT INC

Form 990 for tax year 2024

Filed by THE PROJECT ON GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT INC.

Totals

Total revenue
$8,460,107
Total expenses
$7,828,619
Contributions and grants received
$8,186,532
Grants paid
$255,377
Program service revenue
$0
Investment income
$257,581
Other revenue
$15,994
Total assets, end of year
$13,244,712
Total liabilities, end of year
$386,644
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$12,858,068
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$6,203,854
Management and general expenses
$774,796
Fundraising expenses
$849,969
Program service expenses (Part III)
$6,203,854

Program services were 79.2% 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.

  • 1a · Federated campaigns

    $8,398

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $8,178,134

  • 1g · Noncash contributions included above

    $250,563

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $257,581 · excluded $257,581

  • 11a · Other revenue: OTHER INCOME

    total $15,994 · related or exempt $15,994

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    $15,994

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments

    total $255,377 · program services $255,377

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $441,324 · program services $218,294 · management and general $175,819 · fundraising $47,211

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $4,608,740 · program services $3,892,642 · management and general $270,500 · fundraising $445,598

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $283,249 · program services $237,493 · management and general $18,003 · fundraising $27,753

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $428,615 · program services $357,418 · management and general $28,854 · fundraising $42,343

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $384,640 · program services $314,454 · management and general $32,929 · fundraising $37,257

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $29,792 · program services $20,829 · management and general $8,963

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $21,728 · management and general $21,728

  • 11f · Fees: investment management

    total $41,000 · management and general $41,000

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $339,417 · program services $254,346 · management and general $82,719 · fundraising $2,352

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $148,632 · program services $87,645 · management and general $29,659 · fundraising $31,328

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $250,700 · program services $215,519 · management and general $11,828 · fundraising $23,353

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $49,634 · program services $40,000 · management and general $4,898 · fundraising $4,736

  • 17 · Travel

    total $44,810 · program services $37,410 · management and general $1,386 · fundraising $6,014

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $105,274 · program services $93,321 · management and general $8,793 · fundraising $3,160

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $63,250 · program services $51,742 · management and general $5,372 · fundraising $6,136

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $40,931 · program services $22,271 · management and general $15,943 · fundraising $2,717

  • 24a · Other expenses: OUTREACH

    total $214,164 · program services $44,153 · fundraising $170,011

  • 24b · Other expenses: RESEARCH MATERIALS

    total $60,978 · program services $60,940 · management and general $38

  • 24c · Other expenses: RECRUITING

    total $16,364 · management and general $16,364

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $351,187 · end of year $393,021

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $3,165,848 · end of year $1,255,356

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $972,241 · end of year $3,447,001

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $20,255 · end of year $0

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $173,665 · end of year $186,260

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

    $189,750

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

    $73,792

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $179,208 · end of year $115,958

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $6,825,538 · end of year $7,844,401

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $2,715 · end of year $2,715

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $81,002 · end of year $76,333

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $328,700 · end of year $310,311

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $8,475,037 · end of year $8,228,973

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $2,805,918 · end of year $4,629,095

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

THE PROJECT ON GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT (POGO) IS A NONPARTISAN INDEPENDENT WATCHDOG THAT INVESTIGATES AND EXPOSES WASTE, CORRUPTION, ABUSE OF POWER, AND WHEN THE GOVERNMENT FAILS TO SERVE THE PUBLIC OR SILENCES THOSE WHO REPORT WRONGDOING. WE CHAMPION REFORMS TO ACHIEVE A MORE EFFECTIVE, ETHICAL, AND ACCOUNTABLE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT SAFEGUARDS CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES.

  • GENERAL PROGRAM AND POLICY: POGO'S GENERAL PROGRAM AND POLICY WORK IS DIRECTED TOWARD PROTECTING AND STRENGTHENING ANTI-CORRUPTION AND GOOD GOVERNMENT MECHANISMS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. A GOVERNMENT THAT IS RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE IT SERVES HELPS STRENGTHEN OUR DEMOCRACY OVER THE LONG TERM. OUR WORK INCLUDES ENSURING THAT OUR GOVERNMENT'S INSTITUTIONAL CHECKS AND BALANCES FUNCTION PROPERLY, AND THAT GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICES REMAIN INDEPENDENT.

    Expenses $2,397,746

  • POGO'S INVESTIGATIONS AND RESEARCH EXPOSE WASTE, FRAUD, INJUSTICE, AND ABUSE OF POWER IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. OUR JOURNALISTS AND RESEARCHERS WORK INDEPENDENTLY FROM OUR POLICY AND ADVOCACY TEAMS.

    Expenses $538,879

  • PENTAGON ACCOUNTABILITY: THE PENTAGON ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT WORKS WITH DISTRICT-LEVEL CONSTITUENTS TO SUPPORT RESULTS-DRIVE ACCOUNTABILITY OF PENTAGON SPENDING

    Expenses $473,560

  • OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES.

    Expenses $2,793,669 · Grants $255,377 · Revenue $15,994

As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • Virginia Sloan

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Armando Gomez

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Hina Shamsi

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Jeanine Abrams McLean

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Lia Epperson

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Lisa Baumgartner Bonds

    CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Norm Ornstein

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Virginia Case Solomon

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Wallace Jefferson

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Andrew Cockburn

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Nithi Vivatrat

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Debra Katz

    VICE CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Ryan Alexander

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1 + 1 related
  • Keith Rutter

    SECRETARY/EXEC OPERATING OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $189,884
    From this org
    $163,475
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $26,409
    Hours/week
    40 + 1 related

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $163,475
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $11,450
    Nontaxable benefits
    $14,959
    Filer's total
    $189,884
  • Danielle Brian

    PRESIDENT/EXEC. DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $251,440
    From this org
    $221,482
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $29,958
    Hours/week
    40 + 1 related

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $221,482
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $15,507
    Nontaxable benefits
    $14,451
    Filer's total
    $251,440
  • Miah Ulysse

    VICE PRESIDENT OF PROGRAMS

    Total calculated
    $168,821
    From this org
    $152,222
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $16,599
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $152,222
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $10,659
    Nontaxable benefits
    $5,940
    Filer's total
    $168,821
  • Tim Farnsworth

    VP OF MARKETING

    Total calculated
    $165,255
    From this org
    $138,885
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $26,370
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $138,885
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $10,552
    Nontaxable benefits
    $15,818
    Filer's total
    $165,255
  • Brandon Brockmyer

    DIRECTOR OF INVESTIGATIONS AND RESEARCH

    Total calculated
    $159,065
    From this org
    $147,266
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $11,799
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $147,266
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $10,313
    Nontaxable benefits
    $1,486
    Filer's total
    $159,065
  • Chris Pabon

    DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

    Total calculated
    $145,895
    From this org
    $124,740
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $21,155
    Hours/week
    40
  • Scott Amey

    GENERAL COUNSEL

    Total calculated
    $182,222
    From this org
    $160,107
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $22,115
    Hours/week
    40 + 1 related

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $160,107
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $11,211
    Nontaxable benefits
    $10,904
    Filer's total
    $182,222

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 · Compensation committee
  • 3 · Independent compensation consultant
  • 3 · Form 990 of other organizations
  • 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

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.

  • POGO ACTION

    501(C)(4) · SOCIAL WELFARE · DC

    Directly controlled by PROJECT ON GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT INC

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2024
Filed
9 May 2025
IRS schema version
2024v5.1
Source object
202541299349304004

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