Center for Rural Affairs
Center for Rural Affairs reported $18.6 million in revenue and $11.8 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $98.96 went to program services, $0.20 to management and general costs and $0.84 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 92.2% of the total. Government grants made up 12.1%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $196,752 (NSAC POLICY DIRECTOR). 6 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 108% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $12MFor 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
The fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $19MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 99.0% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 0.2% | 11.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.8% | 0.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.01 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 92.2% | 29.9% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 12.1% | 3.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 3.4% | 58.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $196,752 | $301,601 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.66% | 1.38% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 24.5 | 6.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 16 of 16 | 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 expenseNational sustainable agriculture coalition - an alliance of grassroots organizations that advocates for federal policy reform to advance the sustainability of agriculture, food systems, natural resources, and rural communities
Farm and community - supports sustainable development in rural nebraska by providing technical assistance and training to support value added agriculture, wind energy development, organic farming, new farmers and ranchers, and entrepreneurship
Rural public policy program - advocates for state and federal policies that support family size farms, value added agriculture, microenterprise development, rural community development, beginning farmers, and soil and water conservation
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSAC POLICY DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $154,471 | $0 | $42,281 | $196,752 |
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $168,241 | $0 | $22,530 | $190,771 |
| NSAC DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $153,157 | $0 | $21,616 | $174,773 |
| NSAC DEPUTY POLICY DIRECOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $132,471 | $0 | $41,254 | $173,725 |
| CFO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $130,416 | $0 | $41,215 | $171,631 |
| GRASS ROOTS CO-DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $107,424 | $0 | $28,969 | $136,393 |
| CHIEF OF STAFF Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $88,973 | $0 | $29,436 | $118,409 |
6 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Center for Rural Affairs (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $502K (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
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–1b16 · 16 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 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5101
- Volunteers Part I, line 616
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| NEBRASKA ENTERPRISE FUND Cc bia pass through | $469,575 |
| VOTE FOR SCHOOLS General support | $200,000 |
| CRAFTSMAN TECHNOLOGY GROUP LLC Contract software consulting | $171,503 |
| COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES Cc bia pass through | $162,786 |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES Cc bia pass through | $140,352 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 5 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
10 private foundations reported grants to Center for Rural Affairs totaling $4.0M 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 Center for Rural Affairs's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Center for Rural Affairs, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Center for Rural Affairs spent in FY2025, $98.96 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Western Connecticut Home CAREDanbury, CT · revenue $19M · programs 89.8% · FY2025
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- The ARC Warren County ChapterWashington, NJ · revenue $19M · programs 88.9% · 2024
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Questions people ask
How much of Center for Rural Affairs's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, Center for Rural Affairs reported that 99.0% of its $11.8 million in expenses went to program services, 0.2% to management and general and 0.8% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Center for Rural Affairs pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Center for Rural Affairs reported for one person in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 was $196,752, for the role of NSAC POLICY DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Center for Rural Affairs get its money?
Of $18.6 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, 92.2% came from contributions and grants (including 12.1% from government grants) and 3.4% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Center for Rural Affairs a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 47-0553823 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 August 31, 2025, object 202611209349302156 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2024, object 202541059349302149 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2023, object 202421299349300402 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022, object 202320629349301002 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2021, object 202200409349301460 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2020, object 202110339349300841 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 47-0553823: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.