National Opinion Research Center
Also known as Norc
National Opinion Research Center reported $397.2 million in revenue and $387.2 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $67.13 went to program services, $32.87 to management and general costs and $0.00 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 75.3% of the total. Government grants made up 75.2%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $3,295,016 (TRUSTEE). 706 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 67% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $387MFor context, the median across 54 covered social science charities: $84.80 programs, $13.80 management, $1.40 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 $397MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 67.1% | 81.3% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 32.9% | 13.2% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.0% | 1.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.00 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 75.3% | 81.3% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 75.2% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 24.0% | 4.4% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $3,295,016 | $467,896 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.85% | 2.13% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 706 | 19 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 3.4 | 16.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 7 of 14 | 96.5% |
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 expenseSee schedule onorc at the university of chicago is an independent research institution that delivers reliable data and rigorous analysis to guide critical programmatic, business, and policy decisions. Since 1941, norc has conducted groundbreaking studies, created and applied innovative methods and tools, and advanced principles of scientific integrity and collaboration. Today, government, corporate, and nonprofit clients around the world partner with norc to transform increasingly complex information into useful knowledge. Our comprehensive and integrated services span the research cycle and…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TRUSTEE Director/trustee, 1.00 hrs/week | $0 | $3,233,711 | $61,305 | $3,295,016 |
| PRESIDENT Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $1,290,091 | $0 | $67,154 | $1,357,245 |
| TRUSTEE Director/trustee, 1.00 hrs/week | $0 | $1,096,987 | $53,944 | $1,150,931 |
| TRUSTEE Director/trustee, 1.00 hrs/week | $0 | $811,668 | $116,703 | $928,371 |
| CSO/EVP/SECRETARY Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $709,783 | $0 | $59,337 | $769,120 |
| CFO/EVP/TREASURER (THRU 06/2025) Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $711,235 | $0 | $47,999 | $759,234 |
| CIO/EVP Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $651,074 | $0 | $68,956 | $720,030 |
| CHAIR & TRUSTEE Director/trustee, officer, 1.00 hrs/week | $0 | $644,644 | $58,857 | $703,501 |
706 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from National Opinion Research Center (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $6.4M (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–1b14 · 7 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 4Yes
- 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 53,758
- Volunteers Part I, line 67
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| PRESS AMERICA INC Printing and mailout | $16,492,740 |
| VIRTUAL INCENTIVES LLC Respondent incentive vendor | $4,010,458 |
| CARAHSOFT TECHNOLOGY CORP Information technology | $3,008,854 |
| TANGO CARD INC Respondent incentive vendor | $2,455,351 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 132 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
8 private foundations reported grants to National Opinion Research Center totaling $1.9M 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 Opinion Research Center'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 Opinion Research Center, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 National Opinion Research Center spent in 2024, $67.13 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- American Psychological AssociationWashington, DC · revenue $146M · programs 76.0% · 2024
- American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral SciencesArlington, VA · revenue $437M · programs 81.3% · 2024
- The Urban InstituteWashington, DC · revenue $130M · programs 79.3% · 2024
- The Aspen InstituteWashington, DC · revenue $444M · programs 79.2% · 2024
- Ithaka HarborsNew York, NY · revenue $126M · programs 91.4% · 2024
All social science charities · Largest charities in Illinois
Questions people ask
How much of National Opinion Research Center's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, National Opinion Research Center reported that 67.1% of its $387.2 million in expenses went to program services, 32.9% to management and general and 0.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does National Opinion Research Center pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation National Opinion Research Center reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $3,295,016, for the role of TRUSTEE (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does National Opinion Research Center get its money?
Of $397.2 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 75.3% came from contributions and grants (including 75.2% from government grants) and 24.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is National Opinion Research Center a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 36-2167808 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 202502949349300500 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202423049349300807 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202303179349305195 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202203159349306315 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202113089349304471 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202043179349305679 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 36-2167808: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.