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Leadership Institute
Leadership Institute reported $52.1 million in revenue and $54.7 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $72.94 went to program services, $13.16 to management and general costs and $13.90 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 94.9% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $494,222 (Director, Riley Gaines Center). 38 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 165% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $55MFor 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
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $52MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 72.9% | 84.9% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 13.2% | 10.7% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 13.9% | 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 | 94.9% | 83.8% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.9% | 3.2% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $494,222 | $357,133 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.90% | 1.52% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 38 | 12 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 5.0 | 10.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 12 of 13 | 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
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expensePolitical Technology: Training youth leaders and provide education regarding the public policy process
Campus Leadership Program: Fostering effective student organization on U.S. college campuses. Conducting leadership schools for members of these groups and other students, and helping students start newspapers on their campuses
Campusreform.org: Acting as a watchdog to the nation's higher education system, exposing bias and abuse on the nation's college campuses. Professional Journalists work alongside student activists and student journalists to report on the conduct and misconduct of university administrators, faculty, and students
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Director, Riley Gaines Center Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $474,313 | $0 | $19,909 | $494,222 |
| VP for Growth and Development Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $409,089 | $0 | $82,521 | $491,610 |
| President Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $345,322 | $0 | $58,589 | $403,911 |
| VP for Technology and Operations Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $255,021 | $0 | $68,810 | $323,831 |
| VP for Campus Leadership Programs Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $239,215 | $0 | $59,614 | $298,829 |
| VP for Programs Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $239,215 | $0 | $58,572 | $297,787 |
| Director, Interl School of Politics Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $221,369 | $0 | $40,737 | $262,106 |
| VP for Finance Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $227,711 | $0 | $24,689 | $252,400 |
38 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Leadership Institute (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.6M (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–1b13 · 12 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13No
- 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 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5272
- Volunteers Part I, line 6873
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| Morgan Meredith and Associates Inc Direct mail services | $7,199,620 |
| Planet Direct (RPG Enterprises LLC) Direct mail services | $838,438 |
| Conrad Direct Inc Direct Marketing Services | $551,414 |
| RedEdge LLC Digital Acquisition | $549,970 |
| AmericanEaglecom (Svanaco Inc) IT services | $447,952 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 32 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
295 private foundations reported grants to Leadership Institute 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 Leadership 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 Leadership Institute, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Leadership Institute spent in 2024, $72.94 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All public & societal benefit charities · Largest charities in Virginia
Questions people ask
How much of Leadership Institute's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Leadership Institute reported that 72.9% of its $54.7 million in expenses went to program services, 13.2% to management and general and 13.9% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Leadership Institute pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Leadership Institute reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $494,222, for the role of Director, Riley Gaines Center (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Leadership Institute get its money?
Of $52.1 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 94.9% came from contributions and grants and 0.9% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Leadership Institute a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 51-0235174 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 202523189349305927 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202443189349306199 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202332649349301958 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202211879349301001 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202111809349300916 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202033229349300643 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 51-0235174: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.