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Polaris Project
Polaris Project reported $11.1 million in revenue and $13.2 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $70.61 went to program services, $18.78 to management and general costs and $10.61 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 99.7% of the total. Government grants made up 48.5%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $257,135 (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & CEO). 18 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue fell 24% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $13MFor context, the median across 469 covered international, foreign affairs & national security charities: $89.04 programs, $8.28 management, $2.68 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $11MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 70.6% | 86.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 18.8% | 8.0% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 10.6% | 2.6% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.13 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 99.7% | 96.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 48.5% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $257,135 | $341,362 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.94% | 1.06% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 18 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | -0.1 | 7.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 11 of 11 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseNational human trafficking hotline - polaris continued operating the U.S. National human trafficking hotline (nhth), with funding from the U.S. Department of health and human services, office on trafficking in persons (otip) and private donations. The nhth provides victims and survivors of human trafficking access to critical support and services to get help and stay safe, 24-7, in more than 200 languages across five modes of communication - phone, chat, text, webform, and email
Financial intelligence unit - polaris' financial intelligence unit leverages the reach, expertise, and motivation of the global financial sector to identify human trafficking operations through their financial footprints. Polaris works to identify suspicious financial activity, conduct trainings for financial and anti-money laundering professionals, and support criminal cases against traffickers
Workers' rights/labor trafficking - polaris advocates for vigorous enforcement of basic labor protections afforded to workers in the united states, which would go a long way towards reducing labor trafficking, as would efforts to help workers understand their rights and the protections available to them. Polaris also advocates for increased employer accountability or "skin in the game", which are vital to reducing labor trafficking
Highest reported compensation
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & CEO Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $238,552 | $0 | $18,583 | $257,135 |
| CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $196,701 | $0 | $17,004 | $213,705 |
| CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $193,346 | $0 | $14,159 | $207,505 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $193,424 | $0 | $5,421 | $198,845 |
| DIRECTOR, LIDS Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $144,656 | $0 | $38,467 | $183,123 |
| DIRECTOR, FOUNDATION RELATIONS Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $137,024 | $0 | $26,439 | $163,463 |
| CHIEF STRATEGY & IMPACT OFFICER Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $154,455 | $0 | $6,935 | $161,390 |
| DIRECTOR, NATIONAL HOTLINE Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $138,908 | $0 | $16,246 | $155,154 |
18 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Polaris Project (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.0M (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2024 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b11 · 11 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5133
- Volunteers Part I, line 611
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| GREATER GOOD STRATEGIES Fundraising consultant | $192,000 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 1 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
40 private foundations reported grants to Polaris Project totaling $1.3M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Polaris Project's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Polaris Project, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Polaris Project spent in 2024, $70.61 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All international, foreign affairs & national security charities · Largest charities in District of Columbia
Questions people ask
How much of Polaris Project's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Polaris Project reported that 70.6% of its $13.2 million in expenses went to program services, 18.8% to management and general and 10.6% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Polaris Project pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Polaris Project reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $257,135, for the role of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Polaris Project get its money?
Of $11.1 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 99.7% came from contributions and grants (including 48.5% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Polaris Project a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 03-0391561 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202543189349308279 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202423209349323722 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202333189349318088 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202223199349306212 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202133199349317828 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202043219349317329 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 03-0391561: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.