The Conversation US
Also known as The Conversation
The Conversation US reported $11.2 million in revenue and $11.5 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $92.28 went to program services, $3.85 to management and general costs and $3.87 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 71.3% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $314,597 (CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER). 5 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 126% 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 $12MFor context, the median across 5,499 covered education charities: $85.56 programs, $13.59 management, $0.85 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) | 92.3% | 84.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 3.8% | 13.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 3.9% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.06 | $0.04 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 71.3% | 19.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 28.0% | 69.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $314,597 | $331,578 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.73% | 1.28% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 5 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 2.1 | 13.3 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 15 of 15 | 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 expenseTo create an independent source of news and views, sourced from the academic and research community and delivered directly to the public
The organization acted as a fiscal sponsor of a global religion journalism collaboration and a philanthropy journalism collaboration. These projects will educate the general public and improve the understanding of religion and philanthropy by the projects broadly distributed and well researched journalistic articles
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $314,597 | $0 | $0 | $314,597 |
| PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $246,443 | $0 | $0 | $246,443 |
| DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT AND DONOR RELATIONS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $150,609 | $0 | $0 | $150,609 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $150,568 | $0 | $0 | $150,568 |
| DIRECTOR OF LOCAL NEWS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $121,641 | $0 | $0 | $121,641 |
5 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Conversation US (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–1b15 · 15 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 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 533
Private foundation grants it received
10 private foundations reported grants to The Conversation US totaling $3.1M 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 The Conversation US's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for The Conversation US, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 The Conversation US spent in FY2025, $92.28 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Preschool PromiseDayton, OH · revenue $11M · programs 89.9% · 2025
- New Opportunities Charter SchoolInglewood, CA · revenue $11M · programs 82.3% · FY2025
- University Preparation School at Csu Channel IslandsCamarillo, CA · revenue $11M · programs 84.7% · FY2025
- Memphis Rise AcademyMemphis, TN · revenue $11M · programs 76.4% · FY2025
- Queen City Academy Charter SchoolPlainfield, NJ · revenue $11M · programs 69.8% · FY2025
All education charities · Largest charities in Massachusetts
Questions people ask
How much of The Conversation US's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, The Conversation US reported that 92.3% of its $11.5 million in expenses went to program services, 3.8% to management and general and 3.9% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Conversation US pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Conversation US reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $314,597, for the role of CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Conversation US get its money?
Of $11.2 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 71.3% came from contributions and grants and 28.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Conversation US a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 46-0906774 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 202620979349302002 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202510499349301621 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202401349349302830 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202320809349300512 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202220909349300317 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202120449349300502 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 46-0906774: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.