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Best Buddies International
Best Buddies International reported $48.3 million in revenue and $46.1 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $80.95 went to program services, $4.89 to management and general costs and $14.16 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 97.7% of the total. Government grants made up 31.0%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $663,522 (Chairman). 6 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 49% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $46MFor 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 $48M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$65.36 $32M
- Government grants$30.35 $15M
- Program service revenue$2.58 $1.3M
- Investment income$1.71 $844K
Other revenue was negative: −$991K. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 81.0% | 86.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 4.9% | 8.0% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 14.2% | 2.6% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.14 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 97.7% | 96.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 31.0% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 2.6% | 0.0% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $663,522 | $341,362 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.44% | 1.06% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 6 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 10.3 | 7.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 21 of 24 | 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 expenseThe Best Buddies International Friendship Programs build one-to-one friendships between people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) through six unique programs: Elementary Schools, Middle Schools, High Schools, Colleges, Citizens, and e-Buddies. Best Buddies has grown from a single college program, started at Georgetown University in 1989, and has grown to 3,738 global chapters and is active in 46 countries.Best Buddies School Programs: Elementary Schools, Middle Schools, High Schools, and Colleges Through our school-based programs, Best Buddies creates an…
Best Buddies LivingThe Best Buddies Living program fosters an integrated experience for people with and without IDD to become active, contributing citizens who live independently in a dynamic environment where they can learn, grow, and thrive. Best Buddies is currently operating Living residences in the following markets: Washington, D.C. (2); Miami, Florida; Los Angeles, California; and Atlanta, Georgia; Gainesville, Florida; State College, Pennsylvania; and New Brunswick, New Jersey; Nasheville, Tennessee; Boca Raton, Florida; and Clemson, South Carolina.Residents grow and change immensely…
Best Buddies JobsBest Buddies Jobs matches skilled, qualified individuals with IDD with businesses seeking enthusiastic and dedicated employees. Through the Jobs program, Best Buddies develops partnerships with employers, assists with the hiring process and provides ongoing support to the employee and the employer
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $618,000 | $0 | $45,522 | $663,522 |
| Senior VP - Global Mission Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $180,053 | $0 | $22,959 | $203,012 |
| Senior VP Dev., Mark., & I Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $180,776 | $0 | $5,815 | $186,591 |
| VP Operations Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $170,000 | $0 | $5,469 | $175,469 |
| Senior VP - Finance & Oper Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $168,472 | $0 | $5,686 | $174,158 |
| VP HR & Operations Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $151,618 | $0 | $17,714 | $169,332 |
| Director Director/trustee, 40.00 hrs/week | $0 | $0 | $15,254 | $15,254 |
6 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Best Buddies International (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $838K (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–1b24 · 21 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 2Yes
- 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 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5539
- Volunteers Part I, line 6137,346
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| Pinnacle Coaching Services Coaching | $102,700 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 1 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
142 private foundations reported grants to Best Buddies International totaling $2.7M 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 Best Buddies International's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Best Buddies International, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Best Buddies International spent in 2024, $80.95 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Questions people ask
How much of Best Buddies International's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Best Buddies International reported that 81.0% of its $46.1 million in expenses went to program services, 4.9% to management and general and 14.2% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Best Buddies International pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Best Buddies International reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $663,522, for the role of Chairman (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Best Buddies International get its money?
Of $48.3 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 97.7% came from contributions and grants (including 31.0% from government grants) and 2.6% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Best Buddies International a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 52-1614576 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))), 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 (amended), object 202502049349301030 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202412279349300636 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202312649349301806 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202223009349300007 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202103149349304930 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202023009349301347 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 52-1614576: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.