American Cornerstone Institute
American Cornerstone Institute reported $12.1 million in revenue and $12.4 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $69.86 went to program services, $8.63 to management and general costs and $21.51 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 99.5% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $381,818 (CHAIR). 6 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 131% between 2021 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $12MFor context, the median across 5,499 covered education charities: $85.56 programs, $13.59 management, $0.85 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 $12MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 69.9% | 84.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 8.6% | 13.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 21.5% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.22 | $0.04 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 99.5% | 19.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 69.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $381,818 | $331,578 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 3.09% | 1.28% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 6 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 1.5 | 13.3 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 5 of 9 | 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 development and distribution of children's educational programs which includes books, cartoons and web-based learning materials. The institute is also developing higher-level educational materials to teach students about the executive branch of government. In addition, the institute develops and distributes educational video and podcast materials and op-eds
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHAIR Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $381,818 | $0 | $0 | $381,818 |
| CEO Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $299,302 | $0 | $0 | $299,302 |
| COO & SECRETARY Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $268,590 | $0 | $0 | $268,590 |
| CDO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $255,360 | $0 | $0 | $255,360 |
| EMPLOYEE Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $210,906 | $0 | $0 | $210,906 |
| CFO & TREASURER Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $171,650 | $0 | $0 | $171,650 |
6 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from American Cornerstone Institute (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.0M (Part IX, line 5).
4 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–1b9 · 5 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 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 512
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| KAEL DIRECT LLC Professional services | $1,927,524 |
| NEXT AFTER LLC Professional services | $1,738,564 |
| 3DBOB PRODUCTIONS Professional services | $1,101,345 |
| ACTION MAILING Professional services | $940,551 |
| AMERICAN BUSINESS COLLABORATIVE LLC Professional services | $385,541 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 5 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
36 private foundations reported grants to American Cornerstone Institute totaling $249K 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 American Cornerstone Institute's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for American Cornerstone Institute, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 American Cornerstone Institute spent in 2024, $69.86 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Pinecrest Academy of Northern NevadaLas Vegas, NV · revenue $12M · programs 74.9% · FY2025
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All education charities · Largest charities in District of Columbia
Questions people ask
How much of American Cornerstone Institute's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, American Cornerstone Institute reported that 69.9% of its $12.4 million in expenses went to program services, 8.6% to management and general and 21.5% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does American Cornerstone Institute pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation American Cornerstone Institute reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $381,818, for the role of CHAIR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does American Cornerstone Institute get its money?
Of $12.1 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 99.5% came from contributions and grants and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is American Cornerstone Institute a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 86-1545903 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 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, object 202523199349302987 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202423169349304572 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202333159349300523 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202223159349300512 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 86-1545903: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.