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The Clear Fund
Also known as GiveWell
The Clear Fund reported $269.5 million in revenue and $183.7 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $96.56 went to program services, $3.06 to management and general costs and $0.38 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 96.1% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $463,395 (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER). 45 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 428% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $184MFor 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 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $270MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 96.6% | 90.2% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 3.1% | 6.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.4% | 1.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.00 | $0.02 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 96.1% | 79.9% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $463,395 | $325,675 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.25% | 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 | 17.4 | 56.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 5 of 6 | 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 expenseOur giving funds enable donors to contribute to the most impactful and cost-effective programs our researchers identify. In 2024, thanks to the generosity of more than 30,000 donors, givewell recommended and/or funded grants of more than $365 million to these exceptional opportunities to do good, which we estimate will reach around 34 million people and save around 74,000 lives
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $424,805 | $0 | $38,590 | $463,395 |
| DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $333,147 | $0 | $11,897 | $345,044 |
| SENIOR PROGRAM OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $291,908 | $0 | $31,909 | $323,817 |
| DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $288,882 | $0 | $6,023 | $294,905 |
| PRINCIPAL RESEARCHER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $262,052 | $0 | $31,850 | $293,902 |
| TREASURER / PROGRAM OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $239,280 | $0 | $32,478 | $271,758 |
| DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS (TO JUNE) Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $248,875 | $0 | $10,493 | $259,368 |
| CHIEF OF STAFF / SECRETARY Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $204,172 | $0 | $35,051 | $239,223 |
45 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Clear Fund (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.1M (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–1b6 · 5 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 596
- Volunteers Part I, line 66
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| OXFORD ROAD Advertising | $1,182,068 |
| IGNITION It services | $193,899 |
| CAREER GROUP COMPANIES Gift operations services | $167,121 |
| RETHINK PRIORITIES Research services | $160,000 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 5 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
26 private foundations reported grants to The Clear Fund totaling $4.2M 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 Clear Fund'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 Clear Fund, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 The Clear Fund spent in 2024, $96.56 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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- Stifel CharitableSt Louis, MO · revenue $261M · programs 91.4% · 2025
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- United States Energy FoundationSan Francisco, CA · revenue $261M · programs 94.9% · 2024
- Jewish Federation of Metropolitan ChicagoChicago, IL · revenue $285M · programs 97.9% · FY2025
- Columbia Lutheran CharitiesAstoria, OR · revenue $257M · programs 71.3% · 2024
All philanthropy, voluntarism & grantmaking charities · Largest charities in California
Questions people ask
How much of The Clear Fund's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, The Clear Fund reported that 96.6% of its $183.7 million in expenses went to program services, 3.1% to management and general and 0.4% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Clear Fund pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Clear Fund reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $463,395, for the role of CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Clear Fund get its money?
Of $269.5 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 96.1% came from contributions and grants and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Clear Fund a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 20-8625442 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 202523189349307757 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202413209349305336 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202343189349317489 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202223089349303427 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202133169349301638 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202033219349305848 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 20-8625442: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.