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Filene Research Institute
Filene Research Institute reported $10.9 million in revenue and $10.2 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $75.43 went to program services, $10.42 to management and general costs and $14.15 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 88.1% of the total. Revenue rose 8% 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 $10MFor context, the median across 185 covered public & societal benefit charities: $88.81 programs, $11.18 management, $0.01 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 $11MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 75.4% | 84.9% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 10.4% | 10.7% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 14.2% | 0.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.15 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 88.1% | 83.8% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 9.2% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | Not reported | $357,133 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | Not reported | 1.52% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 0 | 12 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 16.8 | 10.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 9 of 9 | 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 expenseResearch and incubation - Filene Research Institute identifies high-priority questions to advance consumer well-being and the cooperative finance movement. The institute regularly publishes research findings through reports, podcasts, toolkits, infographics, and slide decks. Over the past year, filene released 35 research and innovation reports and 39 additional outputs. These insights are widely shared through trade press, social media, general media, and credit union trade publications. Filene also presents its research across north america and contributes expertise on key consumer finance…
Outreach and education - filene provides members and strategic partners with meaningful opportunities to engage with our body of work through events and communities. This year, over 1,942 credit union-affiliated individuals participated in one of our 9 market-facing events, while more than 4,378 registered for one of our 31 webinars. Through the cooperative trust, we supported 708 emerging leaders and welcomed 178 crashers who engaged in in-person events or our immersive crash course learning community. Our i3 innovation program expanded industry leadership capacity with 51 participants…
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–1b9 · 9 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 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 50
- Volunteers Part I, line 611
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| CUNA MUTUAL GROUPTRUSTAGE Management and administrative services | $2,984,462 |
| HERMONEY MEDIA INC Financial wellness content services | $151,200 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 4 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
2 private foundations reported grants to Filene Research Institute totaling $250K 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 Filene Research Institute's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Filene Research Institute, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Filene Research Institute spent in FY2025, $75.43 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- American Legislative Exchange CouncilArlington, VA · revenue $11M · programs 77.4% · 2024
- Constructive Dialogue InstituteNew York, NY · revenue $11M · programs 88.0% · 2025
- Griffiss Utility Services CorporationRome, NY · revenue $11M · programs 89.3% · 2024
- Healthy LearnersAmesbury, MA · revenue $11M · programs 91.1% · FY2025
- Institute for War & Peace Reporting-UsWashington, DC · revenue $11M · programs 80.1% · 2024
All public & societal benefit charities · Largest charities in Wisconsin
Questions people ask
How much of Filene Research Institute's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Filene Research Institute reported that 75.4% of its $10.2 million in expenses went to program services, 10.4% to management and general and 14.2% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
Where does Filene Research Institute get its money?
Of $10.9 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 88.1% came from contributions and grants and 9.2% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Filene Research Institute a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 39-1645910 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 202513019349302336 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202443039349301694 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202313569349300616 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202213059349302751 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202132869349301538 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202033009349301858 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 39-1645910: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.