National Governors Association Center for Best Practices
National Governors Association Center for Best Practices reported $15.7 million in revenue and $16.7 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $90.92 went to program services, $8.93 to management and general costs and $0.15 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 83.8% of the total. Government grants made up 29.5%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $480,131 (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). Revenue fell 35% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $17MFor 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
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $16MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 90.9% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 8.9% | 11.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.00 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 83.8% | 29.9% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 29.5% | 3.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 1.3% | 58.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $480,131 | $301,601 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.87% | 1.38% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 0 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 24.5 | 6.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 1 of 1 | 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
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseDuring fiscal year 2024-2025, the nga center advanced its mission of providing innovative, bipartisan solutions to critical policy challenges through targeted technical assistance, policy academies, learning collaboratives, research publications, and national convenings.the nga center led transformative education policy work under the chairmanship of colorado governor jared polis' let's get ready initiative. This work involved hosting a series of national convenings and gathering research and best practices from across north america to better align education systems with the skills needed for…
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer, 15.00 hrs/week | $0 | $464,975 | $15,156 | $480,131 |
| PROGRAM DIRECTOR Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $0 | $325,177 | $51,646 | $376,823 |
| SECRETARY/COO Officer, 15.00 hrs/week | $0 | $336,740 | $20,278 | $357,018 |
| DEPUTY DIRECTOR Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $0 | $263,690 | $47,086 | $310,776 |
| TREASURER/CFO Officer, 15.00 hrs/week | $0 | $267,885 | $38,768 | $306,653 |
| PROGRAM DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $0 | $161,993 | $33,666 | $195,659 |
| PROGRAM DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $0 | $154,358 | $17,302 | $171,660 |
| PROGRAM DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $0 | $151,308 | $17,616 | $168,924 |
0 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (Part VII, line 2).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · 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–1b1 · 1 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 15aNo
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aNo
- 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 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 50
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| ASCEND DIGITAL STRATEGIES LLC Consulting | $493,600 |
| THIRD SECTOR CAPITAL PARTNERS Consulting | $308,184 |
| WATERSHED ADVISORS LLC Consulting | $225,000 |
| HERO PRODUCTIONS LLC Consulting | $204,333 |
| RISS STRATEGIC Consulting | $113,218 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 7 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
10 private foundations reported grants to National Governors Association Center for Best Practices totaling $3.0M 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 National Governors Association Center for Best Practices's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 National Governors Association Center for Best Practices spent in FY2025, $90.92 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
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All unclassified charities · Largest charities in District of Columbia
Questions people ask
How much of National Governors Association Center for Best Practices's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, National Governors Association Center for Best Practices reported that 90.9% of its $16.7 million in expenses went to program services, 8.9% to management and general and 0.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does National Governors Association Center for Best Practices pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation National Governors Association Center for Best Practices reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $480,131, for the role of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does National Governors Association Center for Best Practices get its money?
Of $15.7 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 83.8% came from contributions and grants (including 29.5% from government grants) and 1.3% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is National Governors Association Center for Best Practices a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 23-7391796 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
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, object 202621289349302742 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202541349349311349 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202401369349310835 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022 (amended), object 202440599349300034 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202221369349317327 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202131599349300738 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 23-7391796: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.