Home › Community improvement & capacity building
Cortex
Cortex reported $12.3 million in revenue and $12.8 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $88.03 went to program services, $10.18 to management and general costs and $1.79 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 62.0% of the total. Government grants made up 59.0%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $559,646 (PRESIDENT & CEO). 7 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 215% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $13MFor context, the median across 479 covered community improvement & capacity building charities: $90.45 programs, $9.31 management, $0.24 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 $12MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 88.0% | 89.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 10.2% | 9.2% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 1.8% | 0.2% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.03 | $0.00 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 62.0% | 80.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 59.0% | 14.9% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 34.1% | 11.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $559,646 | $291,103 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 4.36% | 1.49% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 61.1 | 9.2 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 26 of 26 | 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 expenseIn addition to cortex's acquisition/development of real estate and the promotion of development activities of the cortex innovation district, cortex serves as the manager of st. Louis land company, l.l.c. (sllc) a missouri limited liability company, that serves as a land holding entity in the revitalization of an approximate 200 acre tract of land in midtown st. Louis that will serve as a center of research, technology and entrepreneurial exchange. Cortex is the manager of sllc and incurred expenses in developing and maintaining the properties
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT & CEO Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $509,174 | $0 | $50,472 | $559,646 |
| ASSISTANT TREASURER Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $316,023 | $0 | $42,749 | $358,772 |
| SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $230,584 | $0 | $34,652 | $265,236 |
| SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $201,670 | $0 | $30,518 | $232,188 |
| VICE PRESIDENT Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $183,617 | $0 | $30,268 | $213,885 |
| VICE PRESIDENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $137,897 | $0 | $28,616 | $166,513 |
| VICE PRESIDENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $133,308 | $0 | $27,232 | $160,540 |
7 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Cortex (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $825K (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–1b26 · 26 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 2Yes
- 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 26Yes
- 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 527
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| RJP ELECTRIC Construction | $706,500 |
| TARLTON CORPORATION Construction | $432,224 |
| 3AM SECURE SERVICES LLC Security | $371,085 |
| HUSCH BLACKWELL Attorney fees | $191,083 |
| GREATER ST LOUIS INC Consultant | $150,000 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 8 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
4 private foundations reported grants to Cortex totaling $232K 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 Cortex's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Cortex, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Cortex spent in 2024, $88.03 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
Embed on your site
Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Oma Educational & Industrial Development InstituteColumbus, OH · revenue $12M · programs 100.0% · 2024
- Amplify GrGrand Rapids, MI · revenue $12M · programs 68.1% · 2024
- Brighton Park Neighborhood CouncilChicago, IL · revenue $12M · programs 87.9% · 2024
- New Jersey Manufacturing Extension ProgramCedar Knolls, NJ · revenue $12M · programs 78.9% · 2025
- Bcmw Community ServicesCentralia, IL · revenue $12M · programs 91.5% · FY2025
All community improvement & capacity building charities · Largest charities in Missouri
Questions people ask
How much of Cortex's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Cortex reported that 88.0% of its $12.8 million in expenses went to program services, 10.2% to management and general and 1.8% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Cortex pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Cortex reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $559,646, for the role of PRESIDENT & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Cortex get its money?
Of $12.3 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 62.0% came from contributions and grants (including 59.0% from government grants) and 34.1% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Cortex a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 30-0082817 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 202513149349303786 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202442049349300649 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202301639349301300 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202232869349301708 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202112939349301751 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202041969349300944 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 30-0082817: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.