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Sagamore
Sagamore reported $23.8 million in revenue and $24.6 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $92.43 went to program services, $6.46 to management and general costs and $1.11 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 90.7% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $296,712 (CEO). 13 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 70% between 2019 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $25MFor context, the median across 185 covered public & societal benefit charities: $88.81 programs, $11.18 management, $0.01 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 $24MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 92.4% | 84.9% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 6.5% | 10.7% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 1.1% | 0.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.01 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 90.7% | 83.8% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 2.5% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $296,712 | $357,133 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.21% | 1.52% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 13 | 12 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 8.9 | 10.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 10 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
2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseEducation the global teach exchange (formerly the j-1 visa program) issues visas and monitors highly qualified international teachers who come to the U.S. To teach and share their culture and perspectives. The exchange visitor program promotes mutual understanding between people of different nations by cultural and educational exchange, allowing foreign teachers to teach in accredited U.S. K12 schools and return home to share their experience. Sagamore also operates the scholarships for education choice program, an indiana scholarship-granting organization (sgo). It awards scholarships so…
Community development the organization's community development and citizenship efforts engage citizens, scholars, and public leaders to build stronger communities. Many of the initiatives emphasize capacity-building for community-based organizations and fostering resilient civil society
Policy reform the organization houses multiple policy reform programs that focus on state innovations in promoting healthy families, economic sustainability, budget responsibility, and education choice
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEO Director/trustee, officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $268,131 | $0 | $28,581 | $296,712 |
| PRESIDENT Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $199,033 | $0 | $15,950 | $214,983 |
| SENIOR FELLOW Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $189,039 | $0 | $13,830 | $202,869 |
| COO - PURPOSEFUL DESIGN Officer, key employee, highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $170,677 | $0 | $0 | $170,677 |
| SENIOR FELLOW FOR MENTAL HEALTH & COMMUNITY WELLBEING Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $156,988 | $0 | $10,689 | $167,677 |
| CEO - PURPOSEFUL DESIGN Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $152,977 | $0 | $0 | $152,977 |
| VP - SALES-PURPOSEFUL DESIGN Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $141,913 | $0 | $0 | $141,913 |
| SALES DIRECTOR - PURPOSEFUL DESIGN Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $128,818 | $0 | $0 | $128,818 |
13 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Sagamore (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $801K (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–1b11 · 10 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 560
- Volunteers Part I, line 620
Largest outside contractors
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| SOUTHERN COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE Communities initiative | $888,000 |
| SECRETARIES INNOVATION GROUP Initiatives to assist leadership in various state governments | $584,250 |
| STAL-WERT LLC Leadership initiatives | $521,000 |
| INNOPOWER LLC Minority business initiatives | $339,375 |
| DECLARE WORSHIP COMMUNITY Community initiatives | $146,682 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 9 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
16 private foundations reported grants to Sagamore totaling $2.8M 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 Sagamore's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Sagamore, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Sagamore spent in 2025, $92.43 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All public & societal benefit charities · Largest charities in Indiana
Questions people ask
How much of Sagamore's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, Sagamore reported that 92.4% of its $24.6 million in expenses went to program services, 6.5% to management and general and 1.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Sagamore pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Sagamore reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $296,712, for the role of CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Sagamore get its money?
Of $23.8 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 90.7% came from contributions and grants and 2.5% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Sagamore a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 20-1161578 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 202612599349300146 · read the filing
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202513099349302586 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202432689349301213 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202332559349300513 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202222519349300907 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202133059349301603 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202033219349306753 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 20-1161578: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.