Competitive Enterprise Institute
Competitive Enterprise Institute reported $12.9 million in revenue and $9.1 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $78.41 went to program services, $5.61 to management and general costs and $15.98 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 102.0% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $399,080 (PRESIDENT). 18 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 89% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $9.1MFor 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 September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $13MOther revenue was negative: −$367K. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 78.4% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 5.6% | 11.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 16.0% | 0.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.11 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 102.0% | 29.9% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 3.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 58.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $399,080 | $301,601 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 4.38% | 1.38% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 18 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 12.6 | 6.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 10 of 11 | 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 expenseCommunications and outreachcei's communications and outreach department assists the cei policy centers with their efforts to disseminate research findings and analysis to various audiences including policymakers, news media, allied organizations, and the general public. It also helps the policy centers build coalitions of like minded scholars, activists, and other stakeholders to advance the organization's mission of promoting the institutions of liberty and removing government-created barriers to economic freedom, innovation, and prosperity
Center for energy and environment cei's center for energy and environment makes the positive case for abundant energy and promotes environmental policies based on economic freedom, property rights, and limited government. The center works to combat the belief that prosperity threatens the environment, that the answer to every environmental challenge is more regulation, and that risks can be abolished by limiting human ingenuity
Center for economic freedomcei's center for economic freedom addresses many of the industries and activities where long-established, and often paternalistic, regulatory policies tend to stymie the creation and evolution of new products and services, technologies, business practices, and work arrangements. Key issue areas include banking and securities regulation, consumer finance, labor law and employment policy, consumer product regulation, and trade policy. These issue areas require our experts to have a firm understanding of existing regulation, regulation's monetary and social costs, and…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $359,403 | $0 | $39,677 | $399,080 |
| FRED L. SMITH FELLOW Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $185,918 | $0 | $37,128 | $223,046 |
| SENIOR FELLOW Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $182,652 | $0 | $33,575 | $216,227 |
| VICE PRESIDENT FOR STRATEGY Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $161,635 | $0 | $36,495 | $198,130 |
| FOR ENERGY AND ENVT, SR. FELLOW Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $171,456 | $0 | $11,824 | $183,280 |
| VP OF ADMINISTRATION Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $176,796 | $0 | $4,202 | $180,998 |
| DIRECTOR OF EVENTS Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $161,419 | $0 | $13,061 | $174,480 |
| DIRECTOR OF CENTER FOR TEC Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $160,753 | $0 | $11,409 | $172,162 |
18 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Competitive Enterprise Institute (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $896K (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–1b11 · 10 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 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 553
- Volunteers Part I, line 610
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| OCCASIONS CATERERS Catering | $228,678 |
| MVP PRESS Printing | $219,082 |
| TIMOTHY J MURIS INC Writer | $120,000 |
| BILANDER GROUP LLC Communications consultant | $117,191 |
| DAVIDSON & COMPANY Fundraising consultants | $115,587 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 8 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
35 private foundations reported grants to Competitive Enterprise Institute totaling $2.2M 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 Competitive Enterprise 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 Competitive Enterprise Institute, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Competitive Enterprise Institute spent in FY2025, $78.41 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Stbarnabas Health SystemincGibsonia, PA · revenue $13M · programs 83.8% · 2024
- Tri-County Council for Child Development Inc. (D/B/A Flowers Early Learning)Paw Paw, MI · revenue $13M · programs 99.9% · FY2026
- New Horizons Community Mental Health CenterMiami, FL · revenue $13M · programs 91.6% · FY2025
- More Than WordsBoston, MA · revenue $13M · programs 81.9% · FY2025
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All unclassified charities · Largest charities in District of Columbia
Questions people ask
How much of Competitive Enterprise Institute's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, Competitive Enterprise Institute reported that 78.4% of its $9.1 million in expenses went to program services, 5.6% to management and general and 16.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Competitive Enterprise Institute pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Competitive Enterprise Institute reported for one person in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 was $399,080, for the role of PRESIDENT (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Competitive Enterprise Institute get its money?
Of $12.9 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, 102.0% came from contributions and grants and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Competitive Enterprise Institute a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 52-1351785 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 September 30, 2025, object 202610779349301121 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, object 202530879349300328 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, object 202420639349300407 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022 (amended), object 202341179349300334 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, object 202240959349300319 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, object 202120479349300422 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 52-1351785: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.