Young America's Foundation
Young America's Foundation reported $41.6 million in revenue and $36.5 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $82.30 went to program services, $13.43 to management and general costs and $4.27 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 92.0% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $866,579 (YAF President & Board Pres.). 9 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 26% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $37MFor context, the median across 2,433 covered unclassified charities: $88.27 programs, $11.68 management, $0.05 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 $42MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 82.3% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 13.4% | 11.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 4.3% | 0.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.04 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 92.0% | 29.9% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 3.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 1.2% | 58.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $866,579 | $301,601 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.37% | 1.38% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 9 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 34.8 | 6.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 6 of 8 | 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 expenseStudent Programs: Young America's Foundation inspires young people - primarily in college, high school, and middle school - with conservative ideas through breakthrough conferences and seminars, campus lectures and activism initiatives, internships, free speech defense, the National Journalism Center, the Center for Entrepreneurship & Free Enterprise, and Young Americans for Freedom. Collectively, these programs inspire thousands of young people in person and millions more online through the organization's growing digital presence, including on YouTube, Instagram, and other platforms
Educational Resources:As a trusted source of conservative ideas for decades, Young America's Foundation educates millions of young people and allies nationwide through print and digital content, including its website, books, brochures, posters, mailings, newsletters, Libertas magazine, and annual Reagan Ranch calendar. These resources ensure that broad audiences of young Americans and supporters of Young America's Foundation are informed about the important public policy issues facing America
Reagan Ranch and Reagan Ranch Center:Young America's Foundation preserves and protects the Reagan Ranch and operates the Reagan Ranch Center in Santa Barbara, California, as premier Presidential sites to educate young people about the life, ideas, and legacy of President Ronald Reagan. The Reagan Ranch, known as the "Western White House, and the Reagan Ranch Center, known as the "Schoolhouse for Reaganism," are the largest and most impactful conservative sites on the West Coast. Each year, thousands of visitors - including students of all ages - walk in President Reagan's footsteps at the…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YAF President & Board Pres. Director/trustee, officer, 60.00 hrs/week | $866,579 | $0 | $0 | $866,579 |
| VP & Director Reagan Ranch Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $554,281 | $0 | $0 | $554,281 |
| Director of Communications Key employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $466,943 | $0 | $0 | $466,943 |
| Director of Development Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $402,060 | $0 | $0 | $402,060 |
| VP & General Counsel Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $362,987 | $0 | $0 | $362,987 |
| VP & Dir., Young Americans for Freedom Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $313,502 | $0 | $0 | $313,502 |
| VP & COO Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $265,498 | $0 | $0 | $265,498 |
| Chief Financial Officer Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $254,172 | $0 | $0 | $254,172 |
9 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Young America's Foundation (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $3.7M (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–1b8 · 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 14No
- 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 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 577
- Volunteers Part I, line 620,500
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| FIXR Media LLC Video & Streaming Services | $844,353 |
| Creative Direct Response Inc Market Consulting | $445,290 |
| Yeonomi Park Lecture Honorarium | $170,000 |
| Donor Voice LLC Direct Mail Services | $149,390 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 5 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
184 private foundations reported grants to Young America's Foundation totaling $4.7M 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 Young America's Foundation's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Young America's Foundation, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Young America's Foundation spent in 2024, $82.30 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Questions people ask
How much of Young America's Foundation's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Young America's Foundation reported that 82.3% of its $36.5 million in expenses went to program services, 13.4% to management and general and 4.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Young America's Foundation pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Young America's Foundation reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $866,579, for the role of YAF President & Board Pres. (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Young America's Foundation get its money?
Of $41.6 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 92.0% came from contributions and grants and 1.2% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Young America's Foundation a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 23-7042029 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))), 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 202513149349304226 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202403179349300645 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202323049349301657 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202222719349301952 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202112789349300226 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202001939349300310 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 23-7042029: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.