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United Nations Foundation
United Nations Foundation reported $77.0 million in revenue and $141.1 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $87.84 went to program services, $6.27 to management and general costs and $5.89 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 81.8% of the total. Government grants made up 11.5%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $507,474 (PRESIDENT & CEO). 114 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue fell 35% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $141MFor 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 $77MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 87.8% | 86.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 6.3% | 8.0% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 5.9% | 2.6% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.13 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 81.8% | 96.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 11.5% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $507,474 | $341,362 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.36% | 1.06% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 114 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 18.6 | 7.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 17 of 18 | 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 expenseGlobal health: the United Nations Foundation's global health program supports the United Nations and partners to address global health challenges and improve health globally. It works with a wide network of partners to generate fresh ideas, resources, and partnerships to promote solutions for healthy lives, including through advocacy
Climate, energy & environment: the United Nations Foundation's climate & environment program works with the United Nations and partners to address environmental challenges like climate change. It works with a wide network of partners to generate fresh ideas, resources, and partnerships to promote solutions for a healthy planet, including through advocacy
Girls and women: the United Nations Foundation's girls & women program works with the United Nations and partners to address challenges related to gender equality. It works with a wide network of partners to generate fresh ideas,resources, and partnerships to promote solutions for the equality of girls and women, including through advocacy
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT & CEO Director/trustee, officer, 34.0 hrs/week | $387,565 | $68,394 | $51,515 | $507,474 |
| CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Officer, 34.0 hrs/week | $305,260 | $53,870 | $51,944 | $411,074 |
| CHIEF COMMN. OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 34.0 hrs/week | $312,562 | $55,158 | $16,724 | $384,444 |
| VP FOR GIRLS & WOMEN STRATEGY Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $315,610 | $0 | $46,470 | $362,080 |
| CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, CCA Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $292,753 | $0 | $48,216 | $340,969 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 34.0 hrs/week | $253,763 | $44,781 | $27,748 | $326,292 |
| SR VP & HEAD OF NY OFFICE Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $311,796 | $0 | $14,003 | $325,799 |
| CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, DIAL Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $293,537 | $0 | $24,400 | $317,937 |
114 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from United Nations Foundation (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.4M (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–1b18 · 17 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 11aNo
- 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 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5358
- Volunteers Part I, line 611
Private foundation grants it received
52 private foundations reported grants to United Nations Foundation totaling $37M 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 United Nations Foundation's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for United Nations Foundation, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 United Nations Foundation spent in 2024, $87.84 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All international, foreign affairs & national security charities · Largest charities in District of Columbia
Questions people ask
How much of United Nations Foundation's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, United Nations Foundation reported that 87.8% of its $141.1 million in expenses went to program services, 6.3% to management and general and 5.9% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does United Nations Foundation pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation United Nations Foundation reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $507,474, for the role of PRESIDENT & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does United Nations Foundation get its money?
Of $77.0 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 81.8% came from contributions and grants (including 11.5% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is United Nations Foundation a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 58-2368165 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 (amended), object 202533509349300438 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202413209349316756 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202303199349328040 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202242499349301279 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202103199349322385 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202013219349322301 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 58-2368165: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.