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The Center for Effective Philanthropy
The Center for Effective Philanthropy reported $18.1 million in revenue and $15.9 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $85.86 went to program services, $12.83 to management and general costs and $1.31 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 48.8% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $701,020 (PRESIDENT). 45 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 60% between 2019 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $16MFor context, the median across 1,001 covered philanthropy, voluntarism & grantmaking charities: $91.65 programs, $6.50 management, $1.85 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $18MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 85.9% | 90.2% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 12.8% | 6.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 1.3% | 1.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.02 | $0.02 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 48.8% | 79.9% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 47.1% | 0.0% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $701,020 | $325,675 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 4.42% | 1.56% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 45 | 3 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 16.5 | 56.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 11 of 12 | 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
2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseCep provides data, feedback, programs, and insights to help individual and institutional donors improve their effectiveness. We do this work because we believe effective donors, working collaboratively and thoughtfully, can profoundly contribute to creating a better and more just world
Highest reported compensation
2025 · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT Director/trustee, officer, 45.00 hrs/week | $636,356 | $0 | $64,664 | $701,020 |
| VP, ASSESSMENT & ADVISORY SERVICES Officer, 45.00 hrs/week | $302,138 | $0 | $18,442 | $320,580 |
| VP, RESEARCH Officer, 45.00 hrs/week | $279,237 | $0 | $36,114 | $315,351 |
| VP, YOUTHTRUTH Officer, 45.00 hrs/week | $285,291 | $0 | $16,680 | $301,971 |
| VP, FINANCE & OPS,TECHNOLOGY/TREASURER Officer, 45.00 hrs/week | $241,498 | $0 | $36,321 | $277,819 |
| DIRECTOR, CEP LEARNING INSTITUTE Highest compensated employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $210,803 | $0 | $28,918 | $239,721 |
| VP, PROGRAMMING & EXTERNAL RELATIONS Officer, 41.70 hrs/week | $206,111 | $0 | $31,834 | $237,945 |
| DIRECTOR, ASSESSMENT & ADVISORY SERVICES Highest compensated employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $199,752 | $0 | $33,699 | $233,451 |
45 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Center for Effective Philanthropy (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.5M (Part IX, line 5).
7 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2025 · 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–1b12 · 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 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 570
- Volunteers Part I, line 612
Largest outside contractors
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| BOSTON IT SERVICES INC It services | $292,826 |
| IMS TECHNOLOGY SERVICES LLC Video conferencing services | $246,742 |
| INSOURCE SERVICES INC It services | $223,557 |
| NATALIA KIRYTTOPOULOU Learning and evaluation consultant | $176,345 |
| GREEN RIVER DATA ANALYSIS Technology consultant | $130,717 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 5 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
49 private foundations reported grants to The Center for Effective Philanthropy totaling $4.9M 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 The Center for Effective Philanthropy's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for The Center for Effective Philanthropy, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 The Center for Effective Philanthropy spent in 2025, $85.86 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All philanthropy, voluntarism & grantmaking charities · Largest charities in Massachusetts
Questions people ask
How much of The Center for Effective Philanthropy's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, The Center for Effective Philanthropy reported that 85.9% of its $15.9 million in expenses went to program services, 12.8% to management and general and 1.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Center for Effective Philanthropy pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Center for Effective Philanthropy reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $701,020, for the role of PRESIDENT (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Center for Effective Philanthropy get its money?
Of $18.1 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 48.8% came from contributions and grants and 47.1% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Center for Effective Philanthropy a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 04-3523528 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, 2025. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2025: Form 990 for calendar year 2025, object 202602039349300145 · read the filing · XML
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202512349349301111 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202442149349301129 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202322149349301717 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202242029349300839 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202121899349300047 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202001629349300045 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 04-3523528: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.