Giving the Basics
Giving the Basics reported $14.2 million in revenue and $10.9 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $91.75 went to program services, $3.43 to management and general costs and $4.82 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 99.0% of the total. Government grants made up 18.0%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $183,535 (DIRECTOR OF GROWTH). 4 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 314% between 2019 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $11MFor 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 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $14M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$81.02 $12M
- Government grants$17.99 $2.6M
- Program service revenue$0.33 $47,301
- Investment income$0.66 $93,236
Other revenue was negative: −$4,191. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 91.8% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 3.4% | 11.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 4.8% | 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 | 99.0% | 29.9% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 18.0% | 3.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.3% | 58.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $183,535 | $301,601 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.68% | 1.38% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 9.1 | 6.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 11 of 12 | 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
2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseGiving the basics distributes, free of charge, personal care hygiene products to 251 food pantries, senior centers, and homeless shelters, 519 schools and 23 police divisions in the greater kansas city metro area. Giving the basics also distributes hygiene products to 584 rural schools across the state of kansas and has 27 registered national organization partners who serve an additional 1,129 locations. Products distributed include cleaning supplies, brushes/combs, shampoo, lotion, deodorant, feminine hygiene products, laundry soap, tissues, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, toilet paper and…
Highest reported compensation
2025 · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIRECTOR OF GROWTH Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $166,523 | $0 | $17,012 | $183,535 |
| CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $133,311 | $0 | $8,688 | $141,999 |
| DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $117,906 | $0 | $22,168 | $140,074 |
| CFO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $124,127 | $0 | $11,335 | $135,462 |
| PRESIDENT & CEO Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $30,000 | $0 | $3,762 | $33,762 |
4 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Giving the Basics (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $311K (Part IX, line 5).
7 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2025 · 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–1b12 · 11 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 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 517
- Volunteers Part I, line 64,308
Private foundation grants it received
19 private foundations reported grants to Giving the Basics totaling $237K 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 Giving the Basics's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Giving the Basics, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Giving the Basics spent in 2025, $91.75 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Questions people ask
How much of Giving the Basics's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, Giving the Basics reported that 91.8% of its $10.9 million in expenses went to program services, 3.4% to management and general and 4.8% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Giving the Basics pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Giving the Basics reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $183,535, for the role of DIRECTOR OF GROWTH (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Giving the Basics get its money?
Of $14.2 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 99.0% came from contributions and grants (including 18.0% from government grants) and 0.3% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Giving the Basics a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 45-3069975 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, 2025. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2025: Form 990 for calendar year 2025, object 202631839349300023 · read the filing · XML
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202541199349302064 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202421299349302647 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202323559349300322 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202241119349300329 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202121129349300732 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202021749349300907 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 45-3069975: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.