Economic Policy Institute
Economic Policy Institute reported $17.4 million in revenue and $14.2 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $80.88 went to program services, $13.17 to management and general costs and $5.95 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 95.1% of the total. Government grants made up 6.6%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $270,559 (PRESIDENT). 28 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 60% between 2019 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $14MFor context, the median across 54 covered social science charities: $84.80 programs, $13.80 management, $1.40 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $17MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 80.9% | 81.3% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 13.2% | 13.2% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 6.0% | 1.3% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.05 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 95.1% | 81.3% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 6.6% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 1.3% | 4.4% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $270,559 | $467,896 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.90% | 2.13% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 28 | 19 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 16.6 | 16.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 26 of 27 | 96.5% |
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
2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseEconomic analysis and research network (earn): the economic analysis and research network (earn) is a network of research and policy organizations. Earn advances a worker-centered economy through state and local policy change, rigorous research, and collaboration between researchers, champions, and community groups across the country
Research: epi produces the highest quality research and policy analysis, wielding the tools of economics to advance the interests of working families. Program on race, ethnicity, and the economy (pree): pree uses research to explore and explain how race, ethnicity, and class intersect to affect economic outcomes in the united states
Communications: epi effectively communicates its in-depth research and policy analysis in ways that can be understood and shared by a variety of audiences. Epi uses web tools, interactive maps and calculators, podcasts, video explainers, and social media to share our research and our policy analysis and recommendations
Highest reported compensation
2025 · 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, 38.75 hrs/week | $234,679 | $0 | $35,880 | $270,559 |
| VICE PRESIDENT Key employee, 39.00 hrs/week | $217,549 | $0 | $34,721 | $252,270 |
| CHIEF ECONOMIST/DIR. OF RESEARCH Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $196,853 | $0 | $54,389 | $251,242 |
| DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $221,497 | $0 | $25,397 | $246,894 |
| INST. ECONOMIST/RESEARCHER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $208,725 | $0 | $37,906 | $246,631 |
| CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $182,230 | $0 | $56,772 | $239,002 |
| DIR. GOVT AFFAIRS/LABOR COUNSEL Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $204,060 | $0 | $29,412 | $233,472 |
28 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Economic Policy Institute (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $513K (Part IX, line 5).
7 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2025 · 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–1b27 · 26 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 553
- Volunteers Part I, line 626
Private foundation grants it received
17 private foundations reported grants to Economic Policy Institute totaling $7.1M 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 Economic Policy 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 Economic Policy Institute, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Economic Policy Institute spent in 2025, $80.88 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Population ConnectionWashington, DC · revenue $17M · programs 77.1% · 2024
- The Becket FundWashington, DC · revenue $18M · programs 86.4% · FY2025
- Salzburg Global SeminarWashington, DC · revenue $16M · programs 81.6% · 2024
- Peter G Peterson Institute for International EconomicsWashington, DC · revenue $18M · programs 71.5% · FY2025
- Imagine North Carolina FirstRaleigh, NC · revenue $16M · programs 97.2% · 2024
All social science charities · Largest charities in District of Columbia
Questions people ask
How much of Economic Policy Institute's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, Economic Policy Institute reported that 80.9% of its $14.2 million in expenses went to program services, 13.2% to management and general and 6.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Economic Policy Institute pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Economic Policy Institute reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $270,559, for the role of PRESIDENT (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Economic Policy Institute get its money?
Of $17.4 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 95.1% came from contributions and grants (including 6.6% from government grants) and 1.3% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Economic Policy Institute a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 52-1368964 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, 2025. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2025: Form 990 for calendar year 2025, object 202602379349301110 · read the filing
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202542469349301614 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202422419349300312 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202302849349301770 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202243189349304384 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202103149349306455 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202022109349300202 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 52-1368964: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.