Totals
- Total revenue
- $5,230,199
- Total expenses
- $5,440,645
- Contributions and grants received
- $3,159,861
- Grants paid
- $147,906
- Program service revenue
- $2,026,604
- Investment income
- $43,534
- Other revenue
- $200
- Total assets, end of year
- $6,096,721
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $1,552,947
- Net assets or fund balances, end of year
- $4,543,774
- Program services expenses (Part IX)
- $4,071,707
- Management and general expenses
- $834,756
- Fundraising expenses
- $534,182
- Program service expenses (Part III)
- $4,071,707
Program services were 74.8% 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.
-
1e · Government grants (contributions)
$1,310,366
-
1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants
$1,849,495
-
2a · Program service revenue: RESEARCH CONTRACTS
total $2,026,604 · related or exempt $2,026,604
-
3 · Investment income
total $43,534 · excluded $43,534
-
11a · Other revenue: MISCELLANEOUS
total $200 · excluded $200
-
11e · Other revenue, total
$200
Functional expenses
Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.
-
1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments
total $147,906 · program services $147,906
-
5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
total $501,816 · program services $68,669 · management and general $295,581 · fundraising $137,566
-
7 · Other salaries and wages
total $2,889,199 · program services $2,336,779 · management and general $309,396 · fundraising $243,024
-
8 · Pension plan contributions
total $92,342 · program services $86,615 · management and general $1,335 · fundraising $4,392
-
9 · Other employee benefits
total $288,816 · program services $211,477 · management and general $46,343 · fundraising $30,996
-
10 · Payroll taxes
total $249,567 · program services $178,866 · management and general $43,180 · fundraising $27,521
-
11c · Fees: accounting
total $54,600 · management and general $54,600
-
11g · Fees: other
total $416,027 · program services $337,301 · management and general $26,827 · fundraising $51,899
-
12 · Advertising and promotion
total $334 · program services $250 · management and general $84
-
13 · Office expenses
total $46,908 · program services $33,640 · management and general $8,092 · fundraising $5,176
-
14 · Information technology
total $114,964 · program services $82,395 · management and general $19,891 · fundraising $12,678
-
16 · Occupancy
total $88,940 · program services $63,744 · management and general $15,388 · fundraising $9,808
-
17 · Travel
total $99,222 · program services $91,894 · management and general $3,635 · fundraising $3,693
-
19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings
total $25,051 · program services $17,859 · management and general $3,905 · fundraising $3,287
-
22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization
total $7,998 · program services $5,732 · management and general $1,384 · fundraising $882
-
23 · Insurance
total $17,078 · program services $12,240 · management and general $2,955 · fundraising $1,883
-
24a · Other expenses: RESEARCH PARTNERS
total $300,317 · program services $300,317
-
24b · Other expenses: RESEARCH EXPENSES
total $87,077 · program services $87,077
-
24c · Other expenses: PROF. DEVELOPMENT
total $12,483 · program services $8,946 · management and general $2,160 · fundraising $1,377
Balance sheet
Part X, book values.
-
1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing
beginning of year $3,412,285 · end of year $2,602,252
-
2 · Savings and temporary cash investments
beginning of year $262,212 · end of year $2,305,733
-
3 · Pledges and grants receivable
beginning of year $948,152 · end of year $422,972
-
4 · Accounts receivable
beginning of year $957,887 · end of year $591,352
-
9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges
beginning of year $46,917 · end of year $84,148
-
10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis
$70,404
-
10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation
$67,743
-
10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net
beginning of year $10,659 · end of year $2,661
-
15 · Other assets
beginning of year $169,093 · end of year $87,603
-
17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses
beginning of year $289,943 · end of year $444,707
-
19 · Deferred revenue
beginning of year $594,067 · end of year $1,022,085
-
25 · Other liabilities
beginning of year $168,975 · end of year $86,155
-
27 · Net assets without donor restrictions
beginning of year $3,270,603 · end of year $3,234,426
-
28 · Net assets with donor restrictions
beginning of year $1,483,617 · end of year $1,309,348
Mission and programs · 2024
Mission
THE MISSION OF RESEARCH FOR ACTION, INC. (RFA) IS TO ENGAGE IN AND USE RESEARCH AS THE BASIS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND OUTCOMES FOR TRADITIONALLY UNDERSERVED STUDENTS.
Activities or mission (Part I)
TO CONDUCT RESEARCH/EVALUATIONS TO IMPROVE OPPORTUNITIES & OUTCOMES FOR UNDERSERVED STUDENTS
-
RFA ENVISIONS A JUST EDUCATION SYSTEM, WHERE ALL STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY LEARNERS FROM UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO THRIVE FROM PRE-K THROUGH POSTSECONDARY AND INTO THE WORKFORCE. RECOGNIZING RESEARCH AS A POWERFUL MECHANISM FOR ADVANCING EDUCATION SYSTEMS CHANGE, WE PARTNER WITH CHANGE AGENTS ON ACTIONABLE RESEARCH AND EVALUATION PROJECTS THAT INFORM THE DEVELOPMENT AND SCALE OF HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND POLICIES. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O).IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, RFA'S APPROXIMATELY 30 RESEARCHERS PARTNERED WITH MORE THAN 20 UNIQUE PARTNERS AND CLIENTS ACROSS THE UNITED STATESRANGING FROM DIRECT-SERVICE NONPROFITS TO PHILANTHROPIC FOUNDATIONS TO PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND STATE SYSTEMS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, TO STATE AND LOCAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENTS, AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. THROUGH THESE PARTNERSHIPS, RFA DESIGNED AND IMPLEMENTED OVER TWO DOZEN INNOVATIVE RESEARCH PROJECTS YIELDING APPROXIMATELY 50 ACTIONABLE REPORTS DISTILLING EMPIRICAL INSIGHTS AND POLICY GUIDANCE. FURTHER, WE MAKE RESEARCH ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH ACCOMPANYING SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS, BLOGS, MEDIA CITATIONS, LEGISLATIVE TESTIMONY AND OTHER THOUGHT LEADERSHIP, DEMONSTRATING RFA'S IMPACT ON ENSURING ALL STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES CAN ACCESS HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES. AN ADDITIONAL MEASURE OF OUR EFFECTIVENESS IS THAT RFA IS FREQUENTLY ASKED TO CONDUCT REPEAT WORK FOR OUR CLIENTS AND PARTNERS, DEMONSTRATING THE VALUE AND UTILITY OF OUR RESEARCH ON PROGRAMMATIC AND POLICY DECISION-MAKING.
Expenses $4,071,707 · Grants $147,906 · Revenue $2,026,604
As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.
Listed in Part VII
-
Martha Kate CallahanMARTHA KATE CALLAHAN
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $276,081
- From this org
- $264,864
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $11,217
- Hours/week
- 40
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $264,864
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $0
- Deferred
- $10,628
- Nontaxable benefits
- $589
- Filer's total
- $276,081
-
Jameel RushJAMEEL RUSH
BOARD CHAIR
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 0.5
-
Michael DavisMICHAEL DAVIS
SECRETARY/TREASURER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 0.5
-
Meghan BrennemanMEGHAN BRENNEMAN
BOARD MEMBER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 0.5
-
Danielle Cooper-WilliamsDANIELLE COOPER-WILLIAMS
BOARD MEMBER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 0.5
-
Timothy EngTIMOTHY ENG
BOARD MEMBER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 0.5
-
Jesse GottschalkJESSE GOTTSCHALK
BOARD MEMBER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 0.5
-
Benjamin HeroldBENJAMIN HEROLD
BOARD MEMBER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 0.5
-
Michelle MartinMICHELLE MARTIN
BOARD MEMBER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 0.5
-
Janelle McDonaldJANELLE MCDONALD
BOARD MEMBER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 0.5
-
Preston SatchellPRESTON SATCHELL
BOARD MEMBER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 0.5
-
Alana SatterthwaiteALANA SATTERTHWAITE
BOARD MEMBER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 0.5
-
Isha WilliamsISHA WILLIAMS
BOARD MEMBER
- Total calculated
- $0
- Hours/week
- 0.5
-
Meenakshi WolvertonMEENAKSHI WOLVERTON
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER THROUGH JULY 2025
- Total calculated
- $115,933
- From this org
- $107,687
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $8,246
- Hours/week
- 40
-
Alison MurawskiALISON MURAWSKI
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
- Total calculated
- $184,073
- From this org
- $169,943
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $14,130
- Hours/week
- 40
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $169,943
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $0
- Deferred
- $7,018
- Nontaxable benefits
- $7,112
- Filer's total
- $184,073
-
Alyn TurnerALYN TURNER
DIR OF QUANTITATIVE RESEAR
- Total calculated
- $182,443
- From this org
- $168,926
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $13,517
- Hours/week
- 40
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $160,926
- Bonus
- $8,000
- Other
- $0
- Deferred
- $3,375
- Nontaxable benefits
- $10,142
- Filer's total
- $182,443
-
Saxon NelsonSAXON NELSON
DIR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMEN
- Total calculated
- $155,096
- From this org
- $137,115
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $17,981
- Hours/week
- 40
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $137,115
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $0
- Deferred
- $1,423
- Nontaxable benefits
- $16,558
- Filer's total
- $155,096
-
Kimberly GlassmanKIMBERLY GLASSMAN
SENIOR RESEARCH DIRECTOR
- Total calculated
- $143,178
- From this org
- $134,589
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $8,589
- Hours/week
- 40
-
David LappDAVID LAPP
DIR OF POLICY RESEARCH
- Total calculated
- $157,232
- From this org
- $118,542
- From related orgs
- $0
- Other
- $38,690
- Hours/week
- 40
Schedule J breakdown matched by us
- Base
- $118,542
- Bonus
- $0
- Other
- $0
- Deferred
- $4,970
- Nontaxable benefits
- $33,720
- Filer's total
- $157,232
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 · Compensation survey or study
- 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee
- 7 · Other non-fixed payments
- 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception
- 9 · Followed the rebuttable-presumption procedure
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
The filer's explanations (Part III)
- PART I, LINE 7
- BONUSES FOR STAFF OF RFA ARE DETERMINED BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND ARE GIVEN TO EMPLOYEES WHO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND THEIR POSITION DESCRIPTION TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE ORGANIZATION IN MEANINGFUL WAYS. BONUSES FOR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ARE AWARDED BY THE BOARD FOLLOWING AN ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW PER THE STIPULATIONS OUTLINED IN THE EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT.
- PART I, LINE 8
- MARTHA KATE CALLAHAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HAS AN EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT WITH THE ORGANIZATION STARTING JUNE 15, 2023. THE CONTRACT AUTOMATICALLY EXTENDS FOR 1 YEAR PERIODS UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, OR THE EMPLOYEE.
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
-
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
$147,906
CO-PI OF RESEARCH PROJECT
Provenance
- Return type
- form_990
- Tax year
- 2024
- Filed
- 14 May 2026
- IRS schema version
- 2024v5.5
- Source object
- 202601359349311850
Check it against the return as filed: the GivingTuesday Data Lake hosts a public copy of the original XML.
The source document this was parsed from is served over the API, which is where bulk and document access live.