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← INSTITUTE FOR STATE EFFECTIVENESS

Form 990 for tax year 2025

Filed by INSTITUTE FOR STATE EFFECTIVENESS.

Totals

Total revenue
$1,726,664
Total expenses
$1,886,865
Contributions and grants received
$1,049,700
Grants paid
$0
Program service revenue
$625,745
Investment income
$51,954
Other revenue
-$735
Total assets, end of year
$2,276,495
Total liabilities, end of year
$290,622
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$1,985,873
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$1,518,867
Management and general expenses
$275,475
Fundraising expenses
$92,523
Program service expenses (Part III)
$1,518,867

Program services were 80.5% 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)

    $302,450

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $747,250

  • 1g · Noncash contributions included above

    $201,750

  • 2a · Program service revenue: CONTRACT INCOME

    total $625,745 · related or exempt $625,745

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $51,954 · excluded $51,954

  • 7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

    securities $201,750

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

    securities $201,750

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities $0

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total $0

  • 11a · Other revenue: LOSS ON FOREIGN CURREN

    total -$735 · excluded -$735

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    -$735

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $252,144 · program services $216,654 · management and general $22,934 · fundraising $12,556

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $438,640 · program services $376,900 · management and general $39,808 · fundraising $21,932

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $19,206 · program services $16,503 · management and general $1,878 · fundraising $825

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $3,817 · program services $3,280 · management and general $373 · fundraising $164

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $57,786 · program services $49,653 · management and general $5,650 · fundraising $2,483

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $16,051 · management and general $16,051

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $107,730 · management and general $107,730

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $706,227 · program services $663,995 · management and general $15,996 · fundraising $26,236

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $18,699 · program services $3,530 · management and general $15,151 · fundraising $18

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $33,411 · program services $20,334 · management and general $12,313 · fundraising $764

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $43,807 · program services $23,826 · management and general $19,981

  • 17 · Travel

    total $141,422 · program services $127,701 · management and general $4,597 · fundraising $9,124

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $31,076 · program services $13,083 · fundraising $17,993

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $2,206 · program services $1,895 · management and general $201 · fundraising $110

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $6,844 · management and general $6,844

  • 24a · Other expenses: DUES & SUBSCRIPTIONS

    total $4,170 · program services $1,513 · management and general $2,339 · fundraising $318

  • 24b · Other expenses: TRAINING AND DEVELOPMEN

    total $3,453 · management and general $3,453

  • 24c · Other expenses: TAXES, PERMITS, LICENSE

    total $176 · management and general $176

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $296,922 · end of year $422,623

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $1,680,233 · end of year $1,578,161

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $150,000 · end of year $25,068

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $81,064 · end of year $19,279

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $7,017 · end of year $7,070

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

    $82,134

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

    $78,907

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $3,754 · end of year $3,227

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $172,306 · end of year $221,067

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $79,436 · end of year $76,269

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $165,786 · end of year $214,353

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $1,264,859 · end of year $1,500,277

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $881,215 · end of year $485,596

Mission and programs · 2025

Mission

THE INSTITUTE FOR STATE EFFECTIVENESS SEEKS TO CLOSE THE GOVERNANCE GAP AND ADVANCE INCLUSIVE GROWTH SO THAT STATES AND MARKETS DELIVER TO CITIZENS. ISE ADVANCES PRACTICAL APPROACHES TO STRENGTHEN CAPACITY FOR TRANSFORMATION, THROUGH BUILDING CORE SYSTEMS AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR RESULTS ACROSS LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT.

Activities or mission (Part I)

TO DEVELOP AND SUPPORT INTEGRATED CITIZEN CENTERED APPROACHES TO STATE AND MARKET BUILDING AND PROVIDES INDEPENDENT, AUTHORITATIVE AND PRACTICAL POLICY ADVICE TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND NATIONAL LEADERS WHO ARE TASKED WITH CREATING EFFECTIVE STATES IN A GLOBALIZED WORLD.

  • COUNTRY ANALYSIS AND ENGAGEMENT - ISE WORKS THROUGH ITS COUNTRY STOCKTAKING PROGRAM TO UNDERSTAND COUNTRY CONTEXT. IN PARTICULAR COUNTRIES, ISE WORKS WITH COUNTRY PARTNERS TO UNDERSTAND COUNTRY CONTEXT AND TO DESIGN AND SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICIES AND PROGRAMS ON REGIONAL AND LOCAL LEVELS TO FIT THAT CONTEXT. ISE'S APPROACH RELIES ON UNDERSTANDING SYSTEMS ACROSS GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS, PROMOTING GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY THROUGH FOSTERING INCLUSIVE MARKETS, AND ENHANCING CITIZEN INCLUSION AND EMPOWERMENT BY EXPANDING THE SPACE FOR CIVIL SOCIETY. ISE TEAMS ALSO PROVIDE ADVISORY SUPPORT IN KEY INSTRUMENTS INCLUDING COUNTRY-WIDE PROGRAMS PARTICULARLY IN SUPPORT OF INCLUSIVE, LARGE-SCALE COMMUNITY-DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS; AND IN THEMATIC AREAS, INCLUDING EDUCATION AND TRAINING; PUBLIC FINANCE; AND SOCIAL POLICY AND PARTICIPATORY DEVELOPMENT. THIS WORK SUPPORTS LEADERS AND MANAGERS WITH THE KNOW-HOW TO ADDRESS THE GOVERNANCE GAP AND BUILD GOVERNANCE SYSTEMS THAT ARE RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF CITIZENS.

    Expenses $1,189,004 · Revenue $625,745

  • INSIGHT AND ANALYSIS - ISE'S ANALYSIS IS INFORMED BY YEARS OF STUDYING AND WORKING WITH CIVIC ACTORS, PUBLIC SECTOR AND FIRMS ON GOVERNANCE AND MARKET BUILDING ACROSS A WIDE RANGE OF CONTEXTS. ISE CONDUCTS RESEARCH AND PROVIDES INPUT ON POLICY THROUGH SEVERAL PROGRAMS AND RESEARCH AREAS INCLUDING:- "STATE OF THE STATE" DIALOGUE AND RESEARCH TO IDENTIFY GAINS, LESSONS LEARNED AND EMERGING TRENDS RELATING TO THE SOCIAL COMPACT AND PUBLIC TRUST IN INSTITUTIONS.- DEMOCRACY & GOVERNMENT: STATE, MARKET, CITIZENSHIP - THIS WORK FOCUSES ONSTRENGTHENING DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE, RULE OF LAW AND INCLUSIVE MARKET BUILDING. ISE WORKS TO REFINE CONCEPTS AND FRAMEWORKS FOR GOVERNANCE, PROMOTE ECONOMIC AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, AND STRENGTHEN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS. ISE ALSO DEVELOPS TOOLS AND FRAMEWORKS FOR BUILDING INTEGRATED MARKETS AND IDENTIFYING ASSETS TO SUPPORT INCLUSIVE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT; AND - SUCCESSFUL TRANSITIONS TO MAP PATHWAYS FROM POVERTY TO PROSPERITY AND FROM AUTOCRACY TO DEMOCRACY IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST CENTURY TO EXTRACT RELEVANT LESSONS FOR TODAY'S CHALLENGES. THIS ALLOWS FOR COMPARISON ACROSS TIME AND CONTEXT.-GLOBAL ORDER & INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS - ISE IS COMMITTED TO GENERATING NEW IDEAS AND PERSPECTIVES TO STRENGTHEN THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM AND BETTER SERVE CITIZENS WORLDWIDE. THROUGH WORKSHOPS, ROUNDTABLES AND TARGETED RESEARCH, INCLUDING ISE'S "STATE OF THE STATE" PROCESS, THE INITIATIVE AIMS TO CONTRIBUTE IDEAS ON HOW TO REGENERATE AND REFORM INSTITUTIONS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY. SPECIFIC FOCUS TOPICS INCLUDE INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS; GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAINS AND LOCALIZED PARTICIPATION IN THE GLOBAL ORDER;-RESPONDING TO OPEN MOMENTS - ISE HAS BUILT TOOLS, TECHNIQUES AND ANALYTICAL APPROACHES TO IDENTIFY "OPEN MOMENTS" - CRITICAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRANSFORMATION AND REFORM IN COUNTRIES. ISE SUPPORTS COUNTRIES TO NAVIGATE THESE OPEN MOMENTS BY LEARNING FROM PAST EXPERIENCES AND IMPROVING ON CONVENTIONAL INTERNATIONAL APPROACHES. AREAS OF FOCUS INCLUDE RECONSTRUCTION AND RECOVERY, SUPPORT TO NEW GOVERNMENTS AND REFORM SEQUENCING;-ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS - ISE IS UNDERTAKING A SYSTEMIC ANALYSIS ON SUPPLY CHAIN SHIFTS AND HOW THEY MIGHT ADVANCE POSITIVE ECONOMIC, SECURITY AND DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES. THIS WORK FORMS PART OF ISE'S PRACTICE SUPPORTING COUNTRY STRATEGIES FOR GROWTH AND INNOVATION. THIS PRACTICE PARTNERS WITH COUNTRIES TO MAP POTENTIAL SOURCES OF GROWTH AND PRIORITIES FOR INNOVATION AND ALIGN INVESTMENTS, INCLUDING SKILLS, INFRASTRUCTURE AND INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY FOR THESE PRIORITIES;-FUTURE OF DEVELOPMENT: DEVELOPMENT 3.0 - ISE'S "FUTURE OF DEVELOPMENT" INITIATIVE PROVIDES CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH AND OPTIONS FOR HOW COUNTRIES AND THEIR INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS CAN MODERNIZE THEIR APPROACHES TO DEVELOPMENT AND GOVERNANCE. THIS EFFORT AIMS TO UPDATE THE TOOLKIT USED BY LEADING DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTIONS, ENSURING THEY REMAIN RELEVANT IN A RAPIDLY CHANGING WORLD;-AI, TECHNOLOGY & CITIZEN-CENTERED GOVERNANCE - ADDRESSES CRITICAL QUESTIONS AT THE NEXUS OF AI ADVANCEMENTS, GOVERNANCE AND DEVELOPMENT. IT INVESTIGATES THE IMPACT OF AI ON CORE GOVERNANCE FUNCTIONS; ETHICALLY INTEGRATES AI TO IMPROVE EXISTING ANALYTICAL TOOLS AND TO DEVELOP NEW ONES WHERE APPROPRIATE; AND DISSEMINATES FINDINGS TO HELP KEY STAKEHOLDERS UNDERSTAND BOTH THE RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES OF AI FOR GOVERNANCE, ENSURING ITS POTENTIAL IS FULLY LEVERAGED TO STRENGTHEN THE STATE-CITIZEN COMPACT;-ACCOUNTABILITY & ANTICORRUPTION - ISE'S NATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY DIAGNOSTICS TOOL ASSESSES A COUNTRY'S FISCAL, BUDGETARY, AND ANTI-CORRUPTION SYSTEMS. THIS DIAGNOSTIC TOOL HELPS GOVERNMENTS ADDRESS FIDUCIARY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES; AND-COMMUNITY-DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT & THE SOCIAL COMPACT - ISE WORKS WITH GOVERNMENTS AND THEIR INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS TO DESIGN, OPERATIONALIZE AND SCALE CDD PROGRAMS, SUPPORTING NEW SOCIAL COMPACTS FOR ACCOUNTABLE GOVERNMENTS, FAIR ECONOMIES AND EMPOWERED COMMUNITIES AND CITIZENS. ISE DESIGNS SYSTEMS TO CONNECT COMMUNITIES TO NATIONAL-LEVEL DECISION-MAKERS FOR SERVICE DELIVERY AND DEVELOPMENT PLANNING.

    Expenses $267,679

  • LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS - ISE'S ENGAGE, EDUCATE, AND TRAIN PROGRAMS ADVANCE APPROACHES TO EQUIP NEW GENERATION LEADERS AND MANAGERS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND TOOLS TO CREATE INCLUSIVE POLICIES AND ACCOUNTABLE AND EFFECTIVE INSTITUTIONS. THE PROGRAM CONSISTS OF A VARIETY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING INITIATIVES, INCLUDING: I) TAILORED LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS AND RETREATS FOR SENIOR LEADERS AND MANAGERS ACROSS PRIVATE, PUBLIC, AND CIVIL SOCIETY SECTORS IN COUNTRIES AND REGIONS NAVIGATING PROCESSES OF TRANSFORMATION AND REFORM; II) MANAGING GOVERNANCE REFORM AND TRANSFORMATION COURSES TO EQUIP PROFESSIONALS WITH TOOLS AND SKILLS TO ACCELERATE INSTITUTIONAL REFORMS AND BETTER SERVE CITIZENS; III) ISE'S NEXTGEN FELLOWS PROGRAM TO ENHANCE PRACTICAL SKILLS AND SUBSTANTIVE EXPERTISE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF GLOBAL LEADERS, WHILE ESTABLISHING CONNECTIONS FOR THEM ACROSS FOCUS AREAS AND REGIONS; AND IV) SPECIALIZED TRAININGS THAT ENHANCE THE PRACTICAL SKILLS AND SUBSTANTIVE KNOWLEDGE OF LEADERS AND MANAGERS ON SECTOR SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNANCE.

    Expenses $41,704

  • NETWORKS PARTNERSHIP AND DISSEMINATION - ISE ORGANIZES AND PARTICIPATES IN EVENTS ON GOVERNANCE AND DEVELOPMENT IN ORDER TO CREATE NETWORKS AND PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS FIELDS RELEVANT TO ISE'S WORK AND CREATES PRODUCTS TO DISSEMINATE IDEAS AND DEVELOP THINKING ON GOVERNANCE ISSUES. AUDIENCES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, GOVERNMENT, BUSINESS, AND CIVIL SOCIETY, AS WELL AS THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

    Expenses $20,480

As filed on the 2025 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • Clare Lockhart

    DIRECTOR/CEO/PRESIDENT

    Total calculated
    $276,444
    From this org
    $269,100
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $7,344
    Hours/week
    50

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $244,800
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $24,300
    Deferred
    $7,344
    Nontaxable benefits
    $0
    Filer's total
    $276,444
  • Philip Munger

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2.5
  • Henry Dreifus

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Mary Ellen Manfull

    DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION

    Total calculated
    $131,932
    From this org
    $128,089
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $3,843
    Hours/week
    40
  • Patricia Ramsey

    LEAD, DATA AND DIGITAL

    Total calculated
    $156,775
    From this org
    $142,500
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $14,275
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $142,500
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $14,275
    Nontaxable benefits
    $0
    Filer's total
    $156,775

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.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2025
Filed
18 September 2026
IRS schema version
2025v4.2
Source object
202602619349301860

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