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The Center for Strategic Economic Studies and Institutional Development
The Center for Strategic Economic Studies and Institutional Development reported $42.8 million in revenue and $41.1 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $98.24 went to program services, $1.36 to management and general costs and $0.40 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 90.1% of the total. Government grants made up 84.5%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $361,463 (President & CEO). 6 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 40621% between 2019 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $41MFor context, the median across 479 covered community improvement & capacity building charities: $90.45 programs, $9.31 management, $0.24 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 $43MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 98.2% | 89.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 1.4% | 9.2% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.4% | 0.2% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 90.1% | 80.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 84.5% | 14.9% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 9.8% | 11.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $361,463 | $291,103 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.88% | 1.49% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 1.0 | 9.2 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 6 of 6 | 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
2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseLA County Household Relief Grant- The Center administered the LA County Household Relief Grant program, delivering $31M+ in direct support to 3,425 households severely impacted by the wildfires and helping prevent displacement during an already uncertain period
Los Angeles County Rent Relief Program- The Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA) launched the LA County Rent Relief Program on December 12, 2023, dispersing financial relief to landlords throughout Los Angeles County adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Administered by The Center, the program's community partners delivered relief grants 4810 upon program close in 2025
Small Business Accelerators- The Center provided 299 businesses with access to intensive accelerator services to support business growth, local job creation, and wealth building for communities. These accelerators focus on specific growth mechanisms including digital growth and online sales, government and supply chain contracting and procurement, scaling through brick and mortar, and other foundational business growth activities
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 & CEO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $331,694 | $0 | $29,769 | $361,463 |
| Vice President Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $207,729 | $0 | $39,969 | $247,698 |
| Sr Project Manager Listed in Part VII, 40.00 hrs/week | $134,957 | $0 | $26,762 | $161,719 |
| Sr Program Manager Listed in Part VII, 40.00 hrs/week | $110,311 | $0 | $21,513 | $131,824 |
6 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Center for Strategic Economic Studies and Institutional Development (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $609K (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–1b6 · 6 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 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 50
- Volunteers Part I, line 66
Largest outside contractors
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| Horne Grant Administrator | $4,417,824 |
| BSD Capital Inc Grant Administrator | $2,315,550 |
| Klimt Consulting LLC Outreach and TA services | $167,750 |
| Pivotal Strategies Outreach and TA Services | $144,740 |
| Office of People Navigation Service | $125,000 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 5 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
2 private foundations reported grants to The Center for Strategic Economic Studies and Institutional Development totaling $45,000 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 Center for Strategic Economic Studies and Institutional Development'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 Center for Strategic Economic Studies and Institutional Development, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 The Center for Strategic Economic Studies and Institutional Development spent in 2025, $98.24 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- CDC Small Business Finance CorporationSan Diego, CA · revenue $41M · programs 58.3% · 2025
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- Connecticut Institute for CommunitiesDanbury, CT · revenue $41M · programs 90.8% · 2024
All community improvement & capacity building charities · Largest charities in California
Questions people ask
How much of The Center for Strategic Economic Studies and Institutional Development's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, The Center for Strategic Economic Studies and Institutional Development reported that 98.2% of its $41.1 million in expenses went to program services, 1.4% to management and general and 0.4% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Center for Strategic Economic Studies and Institutional Development pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Center for Strategic Economic Studies and Institutional Development reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $361,463, for the role of President & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Center for Strategic Economic Studies and Institutional Development get its money?
Of $42.8 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 90.1% came from contributions and grants (including 84.5% from government grants) and 9.8% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Center for Strategic Economic Studies and Institutional Development a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 52-2135889 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, 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 202632619349301908 · read the filing
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202502889349302040 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202442639349301274 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202313009349301891 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202223369349300227 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202133199349324018 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202012529349300901 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 52-2135889: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.