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Urban Alchemy
Urban Alchemy reported $101.4 million in revenue and $101.7 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $83.27 went to program services, $15.91 to management and general costs and $0.82 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 98.8% of the total. Government grants made up 97.3%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $353,202 (CEO). 22 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 901% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $102MFor 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
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $101MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 83.3% | 89.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 15.9% | 9.2% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.8% | 0.2% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.01 | $0.00 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 98.8% | 80.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 97.3% | 14.9% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 11.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $353,202 | $291,103 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.35% | 1.49% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 22 | 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 | 8 of 8 | 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 expenseUrban Alchemy employs former long-term offenders as "Urban Alchemy practitioners" to provide clean and safe public facilities in urban areas, currently san francisco, los angeles, austin, and portland. Urban Alchemy aims to provide opportunities for former long-term offenders and to reduce recidivism and simultaneously transform the energy of the most chaotic places in urban environments. Urban Alchemy practitioners work in urban spaces that are most impacted by the intersection of homelessness, addiction, and mental illness. Depending on the particular assignment, Urban Alchemy…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $346,632 | $0 | $6,570 | $353,202 |
| COO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $282,922 | $0 | $6,570 | $289,492 |
| CFO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $188,393 | $0 | $4,737 | $193,130 |
| CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $180,932 | $0 | $6,536 | $187,468 |
| DIRECTOR OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $177,922 | $0 | $6,528 | $184,450 |
| CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $164,605 | $0 | $1,469 | $166,074 |
| DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $153,937 | $0 | $6,515 | $160,452 |
| DIRECTOR OF TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $153,520 | $0 | $6,515 | $160,035 |
22 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Urban Alchemy (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.7M (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–1b8 · 8 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 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 52,010
- Volunteers Part I, line 69
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| ARMANINO LLP Hr and accounting services | $1,117,224 |
| SPAGHETTI NETWORKS INC It consulting | $471,479 |
| PROVISIO PARTNERS ILLINOIS LTD It consulting | $270,076 |
| RISE STRATEGY GROUP Public relations | $267,743 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 18 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
7 private foundations reported grants to Urban Alchemy totaling $806K 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 Urban Alchemy's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Urban Alchemy, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Urban Alchemy spent in FY2025, $83.27 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Questions people ask
How much of Urban Alchemy's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Urban Alchemy reported that 83.3% of its $101.7 million in expenses went to program services, 15.9% to management and general and 0.8% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Urban Alchemy pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Urban Alchemy reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $353,202, for the role of CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Urban Alchemy get its money?
Of $101.4 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 98.8% came from contributions and grants (including 97.3% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Urban Alchemy a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 82-5408579 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 June 30, 2025, object 202601349349311375 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202541349349307034 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202421299349303217 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202311289349304286 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202211369349304796 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202101379349309720 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 82-5408579: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.