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Ashoka
Ashoka reported $35.1 million in revenue and $42.6 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $80.58 went to program services, $13.46 to management and general costs and $5.96 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 85.8% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $260,469 (LGM CHANGEMAKER COMPANIES). 54 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue fell 17% 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 $43MFor context, the median across 469 covered international, foreign affairs & national security charities: $89.04 programs, $8.28 management, $2.68 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 $35MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 80.6% | 86.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 13.5% | 8.0% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 6.0% | 2.6% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.08 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 85.8% | 96.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 6.6% | 0.0% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $260,469 | $341,362 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.61% | 1.06% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 54 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 19.8 | 7.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 4 of 5 | 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 expenseOne search: finding, selecting and supporting the world's leading changemakers. Onesearch is ashoka's unified methodology for identifying and activating exceptional changemakers across all engagement pathways - fellows, staff, entrepreneurs-to-entrepreneurs (e2s), next generation leaders, and partners
One community: bringing the full ashoka community together to support each other and collectively solve problems. Ashoka has built a global community of around 4,000 fellows, ashoka young changemakers, staff, and partners united by the everyone a changemaker (each) mission
Each/new purposes: building movements of changemakers to advance society where the world most needs to change. Ashoka deploys its global network to catalyze paradigm shifts in five arenas: civic participation, economic development, environment, growing up, and gender/women. Rather than running direct services, ashoka elects breakthrough social entrepreneurs and leverages institutional partners - governments, universities, unions, media - to scale proven models until change becomes self-sustaining
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LGM CHANGEMAKER COMPANIES Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $257,969 | $0 | $2,500 | $260,469 |
| PRESIDENT EMERITUS Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $219,270 | $0 | $3,704 | $222,974 |
| DIRECTOR, GLOBAL LEADYOUNG INIT. Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $214,930 | $0 | $70 | $215,000 |
| EUROPE DIAMOND LEADER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $177,670 | $0 | $0 | $177,670 |
| VP OF INTEGRITY Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $154,182 | $0 | $17,364 | $171,546 |
| LEADERSHIP GRP MEMBER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $167,484 | $0 | $2,590 | $170,074 |
| DIRECTOR, YOUTH YEARS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $159,775 | $0 | $5,401 | $165,176 |
| LEADERSHIP GROUP MEMBER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $164,488 | $0 | $0 | $164,488 |
54 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Ashoka (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.5M (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–1b5 · 4 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bNo
- 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 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 581
- Volunteers Part I, line 62,150
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| OREMUS CORPORATION NA Accounting support services | $339,951 |
| QED42 ENGINEERING PVT LTD Drupal development support | $273,514 |
| RSM US LLP Audit services | $198,765 |
| PROCASY INC Consulting services | $181,720 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 9 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
33 private foundations reported grants to Ashoka totaling $5.9M 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 Ashoka's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Ashoka, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Ashoka spent in FY2025, $80.58 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Mercy-Usa for Aid & DevelopmentincPlymouth, MI · revenue $35M · programs 96.0% · 2024
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- Planet AidMilford, MA · revenue $34M · programs 74.8% · 2025
All international, foreign affairs & national security charities · Largest charities in Virginia
Questions people ask
How much of Ashoka's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, Ashoka reported that 80.6% of its $42.6 million in expenses went to program services, 13.5% to management and general and 6.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Ashoka pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Ashoka reported for one person in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 was $260,469, for the role of LGM CHANGEMAKER COMPANIES (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Ashoka get its money?
Of $35.1 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, 85.8% came from contributions and grants and 6.6% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Ashoka a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 51-0255908 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 202641969349301769 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2024, object 202531969349303013 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2023, object 202441979349302294 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022, object 202331989349301148 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2021, object 202231969349302533 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2020, object 202111959349302366 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 51-0255908: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.