The Humane League
The Humane League reported $22.1 million in revenue and $21.7 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $67.42 went to program services, $20.18 to management and general costs and $12.40 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 94.2% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $218,032 (INTERIM EXECUTIVE VP). 7 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 110% between 2019 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $22MFor context, the median across 245 covered animal-related charities: $83.96 programs, $9.42 management, $6.62 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 $22MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 67.4% | 82.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 20.2% | 9.2% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 12.4% | 6.5% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.13 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 94.2% | 67.3% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 19.3% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $218,032 | $314,886 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.01% | 1.63% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 7 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 14.1 | 26.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 6 of 7 | 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 expenseIn 2025, the Humane League continued its commitment to fixing our broken food system, freeing farmed animals from cages, and ending the cruelest practices on factory farms.securing corporate commitments and driving industry-wide change thl's strategic campaigns and corporate engagement resulted in significant victories for animals this year. We secured brand new corporate commitments to end the use of cages in their supply chains that will spare 1.6 million hens around the world from the cruelty of extreme confinement. And thanks to decades of continuous effort, 46.4% of egg-laying hens in…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| INTERIM EXECUTIVE VP Highest compensated employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $195,068 | $0 | $22,964 | $218,032 |
| SVP, MARKETING & COMMS Highest compensated employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $176,380 | $0 | $20,310 | $196,690 |
| SVP, PEOPLE AND OPS (TO 10/31) Highest compensated employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $175,043 | $0 | $21,176 | $196,219 |
| SVP, PROGRAMS AND PUBLIC POL. Highest compensated employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $167,700 | $0 | $27,610 | $195,310 |
| SVP, DEVELOPMENT Highest compensated employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $156,067 | $0 | $17,880 | $173,947 |
| CEO (AS OF 5/25) Officer, 45.00 hrs/week | $142,724 | $0 | $20,837 | $163,561 |
| INTERIM PRESIDENT (TO 5/25) Director/trustee, officer, 5.00 hrs/week | $100,868 | $0 | $267 | $101,135 |
7 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Humane League (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $265K (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–1b7 · 6 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 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5112
- Volunteers Part I, line 6232
Largest outside contractors
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| DMS DIRECT MAIL SYSTEMS Marketing, fundraising, direct mail | $520,074 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 1 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
41 private foundations reported grants to The Humane League 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 The Humane League'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 Humane League, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 The Humane League spent in 2025, $67.42 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
Embed on your site
Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Animal Rescue League of BostonDedham, MA · revenue $22M · programs 80.7% · 2024
- Alley Cat AlliesBethesda, MD · revenue $22M · programs 89.8% · FY2025
- Santa Barbara Zoological FoundationSanta Barbara, CA · revenue $22M · programs 82.1% · 2024
- Washington Humane SocietyWashington, DC · revenue $23M · programs 72.8% · FY2025
- Austin Pets AliveAustin, TX · revenue $22M · programs 77.7% · 2024
All animal-related charities · Largest charities in Maryland
Questions people ask
How much of The Humane League's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, The Humane League reported that 67.4% of its $21.7 million in expenses went to program services, 20.2% to management and general and 12.4% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Humane League pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Humane League reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $218,032, for the role of INTERIM EXECUTIVE VP (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Humane League get its money?
Of $22.1 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 94.2% came from contributions and grants and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Humane League a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 04-3817491 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 202621279349301542 · read the filing · XML
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024 (amended), object 202512489349301801 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202431669349300113 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202312359349300241 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202212139349300201 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202131379349305363 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202033209349301663 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 04-3817491: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.