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The German Marshall Fund of the United States

Washington, DC · EIN 52-0954751 · 501(c)(3) · Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
Latest filing: Form 990 for calendar year 2024 (tax year 2024) · View the filing · Correct or respond

The German Marshall Fund of the United States reported $38.4 million in revenue and $42.8 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $61.83 went to program services, $35.20 to management and general costs and $2.97 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 76.9% of the total. Government grants made up 39.1%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $530,021 (PRESIDENT (THRU 9/24)). 49 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 51% between FY2020 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.

Where $100 of spending went

Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $43M

For 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

Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $38M

The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades

2024 filing. Median across 469 covered charities in this category, from their latest filings.
Measure2024Median
Program services
Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A)
61.8%86.1%
Management & general
Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A)
35.2%8.0%
Fundraising
Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A)
3.0%2.6%
Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions
Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h
$0.04$0.03
Contributions & grants share of revenue
Part VIII 1h ÷ 12
76.9%96.6%
Government grants share of revenue
Part VIII 1e ÷ 12
39.1%0.0%
Program service revenue share
Part VIII 2g ÷ 12
7.6%0.0%
Highest reported compensation
Part VII-A, columns D–F
$530,021$341,362
Highest compensation as share of expenses
Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A)
1.24%1.06%
People paid over $100,000
Part VII, line 2
4910
Net assets, in months of expenses
Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses
49.37.5
Independent voting board members
Part VI 1a–1b
18 of 18100.0%

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 expense
$14M expenses · 54.1% of program spending · grants $8.7M · revenue $2.9M

Democracy - as many countries in the transatlantic community and beyond held elections in 2024, gmf democracy focused its work on combating threats to democracy and the abuse of recent technologies. Both issues pose challenges to democratic values, in particular election administration. Gmf democracy shed light on widespread efforts to manipulate online information and interference in elections while helping to secure individual rights and freedoms

$6.5M expenses · 24.4% of program spending · grants $189K

Geostrategy - gmf provides policymakers and business leaders on both sides of the atlantic with in-depth and comprehensive analyses of the political, economic, and strategic trends that impact them. Gmf geostrategy focuses on specific geographic regions whose audiences require holistic risk management that integrates policy planning and resilience in an international environment increasingly defined by geopolitical competition, environmental crisis, and hybrid threats

$2.9M expenses · 11.0% of program spending

Strategic engagment - gmf convenes global leaders, policymakers, and experts across sectors to shape the transatlantic agenda and debate the most pressing global challenges. Gmf offers rising and established leaders dynamic opportunities to build transatlantic bridges

$2.8M all other programs (line 4d)

Highest reported compensation

2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here
RoleFrom this orgFrom related orgsOtherTotal
PRESIDENT (THRU 9/24)
Officer, 40.00 hrs/week
$476,766$0$53,255$530,021
ACTING PRESIDENT (BEG 9/24)
Officer, 40.00 hrs/week
$284,199$0$120,338$404,537
MANAGING DIRECTOR, COMMUNICATION
Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week
$205,711$0$109,821$315,532
COO, PRESIDENT (BEG 9/24)
Officer, 40.00 hrs/week
$295,706$0$8,533$304,239
INTERIM SVP, STRATEGIC ENGAGEMENT
Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week
$238,023$0$48,405$286,428
SVP, GMF INNOVATION
Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week
$239,256$0$32,647$271,903
MANAGING DIRECTOR & SENIOR FELLOW
Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week
$195,053$0$20,926$215,979
MANAGING DIRECTOR, LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS
Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week
$187,811$0$22,398$210,209

49 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The German Marshall Fund of the United States (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.7M (Part IX, line 5).

6 filings since FY2020

Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linked
RevenueExpensesShort periods (after a fiscal-year change) are in the table, not the chart.
$0$20M$40M$60M$80MFY2020FY2021202220232024$38M$43M
FilingRevenueExpensesProgramsNet assetsTop pay
2024 ⓘ$38M$43M61.8%$176M$530,021
2023 ⓘ$32M$44M71.5%$169M$490,253
2022 ⓘ$30M$40M78.4%$165M$458,011
FY2021 (7 mo.) ⓘ$26M$23M81.5%$187M$467,846
FY2021 ⓘ$25M$31M77.5%$187M$607,614
FY2020 ⓘ$26M$34M80.5%$150M$600,736

Governance 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–1b18 · 18 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 18No
  • Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
  • Employees Part I, line 5117
  • Volunteers Part I, line 620

Largest outside contractors

2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only
ORACLE AMERICA INC
Software consultant
$400,641
P2 TELECOM LLC
Software security
$324,339
ESENTIRE INC
Software security
$230,745
CONCORDUS APPLICATIONS INC
Software consultant
$218,745
RSM US LLP
Financial auditing
$167,522

Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 10 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.

Private foundation grants it received

12 private foundations reported grants to The German Marshall Fund of the United States totaling $2.5M 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 German Marshall Fund of the United States'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 German Marshall Fund of the United States, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.

Similar-sized charities in this cause

All international, foreign affairs & national security charities · Largest charities in District of Columbia

Questions people ask

How much of The German Marshall Fund of the United States's spending goes to programs?

In calendar year 2024, The German Marshall Fund of the United States reported that 61.8% of its $42.8 million in expenses went to program services, 35.2% to management and general and 3.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).

How much does The German Marshall Fund of the United States pay its top executive?

The largest total compensation The German Marshall Fund of the United States reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $530,021, for the role of PRESIDENT (THRU 9/24) (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).

Where does The German Marshall Fund of the United States get its money?

Of $38.4 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 76.9% came from contributions and grants (including 39.1% from government grants) and 7.6% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).

Is The German Marshall Fund of the United States a registered charity?

The IRS lists EIN 52-0954751 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 202523189349313347 · read the filing · XML
  • 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202413129349302926 · read the filing
  • 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202303199349303410 · read the filing
  • FY2021 (7 mo.): Form 990 for the 7-month short period ending December 31, 2021, object 202243009349300129 · read the filing
  • FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2021, object 202210499349300326 · read the filing
  • FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2020, object 202110499349301611 · read the filing

All filings for EIN 52-0954751: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.