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Center for Action and Contemplation
Center for Action and Contemplation reported $16.8 million in revenue and $17.5 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $66.53 went to program services, $27.71 to management and general costs and $5.76 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 63.8% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $225,344 (EXECUTIVE DI). 18 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 83% between 2019 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $17MFor context, the median across 876 covered arts, culture & humanities charities: $79.98 programs, $13.89 management, $6.13 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) | 66.5% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 27.7% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 5.8% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.09 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 63.8% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 27.7% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $225,344 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.29% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 18 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 11.2 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 11 of 11 | 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 expenseIn 2025, the living school launched its first public offering of the living school's essentials of engaged contemplation course, which registered 500 course participants. In 2025, the online education program registered approximately 3,150 students in 3 unique online courses which included one new course and two existing courses that were redesigned for cac's new community learning platform, cac connect, which launched in april of 2025. Work in 2025 also included refinements to 2 other existing online courses to be ready for launch on cac connect in 2026. The daily meditations built and…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXECUTIVE DI Officer, 55.00 hrs/week | $208,890 | $0 | $16,454 | $225,344 |
| DEPUTY E.D. Highest compensated employee, 55.00 hrs/week | $182,194 | $0 | $15,330 | $197,524 |
| FORMATION Highest compensated employee, 55.00 hrs/week | $144,476 | $0 | $25,047 | $169,523 |
| DIR. OF OPER Highest compensated employee, 55.00 hrs/week | $138,288 | $0 | $19,380 | $157,668 |
| OPERATIONS Highest compensated employee, 55.00 hrs/week | $139,249 | $0 | $13,155 | $152,404 |
| MARKETING AN Highest compensated employee, 55.00 hrs/week | $128,914 | $0 | $19,991 | $148,905 |
18 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Center for Action and Contemplation (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $225K (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–1b11 · 11 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 558
- Volunteers Part I, line 621
Largest outside contractors
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses onlyIndividuals listed as contractors are left out. 2 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
42 private foundations reported grants to Center for Action and Contemplation totaling $163K 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 Center for Action and Contemplation's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Center for Action and Contemplation, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Center for Action and Contemplation spent in 2025, $66.53 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
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All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in New Mexico
Questions people ask
How much of Center for Action and Contemplation's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, Center for Action and Contemplation reported that 66.5% of its $17.5 million in expenses went to program services, 27.7% to management and general and 5.8% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Center for Action and Contemplation pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Center for Action and Contemplation reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $225,344, for the role of EXECUTIVE DI (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Center for Action and Contemplation get its money?
Of $16.8 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 63.8% came from contributions and grants and 27.7% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Center for Action and Contemplation a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 85-0354965 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 202602399349301590 · read the filing
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202542199349300249 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202442779349300039 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202343079349303189 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202203059349302805 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202103159349308065 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202003189349305700 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 85-0354965: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.