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Truth Initiative Foundation
Also known as Truth Initiative
Truth Initiative Foundation reported $53.0 million in revenue and $109.7 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $84.27 went to program services, $14.39 to management and general costs and $1.34 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was investment income: 64.3% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $806,207 (PRESIDENT & CEO). 61 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue fell 8% 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 $110MFor context, the median across 864 covered mental health & crisis intervention charities: $86.13 programs, $13.87 management, $0.00 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 $53MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 84.3% | 85.2% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 14.4% | 13.7% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 1.3% | 0.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.16 | $0.00 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 17.2% | 26.4% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 1.1% | 14.5% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 3.4% | 69.3% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $806,207 | $324,111 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.73% | 1.28% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 61 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 63.0 | 6.2 |
| 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
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseYouth and young adult public education: Truth Initiative's public health education campaign truth has been a leading driver in reducing youth and young adult tobacco use for two decades. The truth campaign seeks to prevent youth and young adults from starting to use nicotine and to help those who become addicted to quit through public service ads, influencers, social media and on-the-ground events. Campaign impact and the cost effectiveness of the campaign has been proven in multiple published studies. Starting in december 2024, Truth Initiative focused on building awareness of its ex program…
Research policy and practice:Truth Initiative is a leader in tobacco control research and policy with a strong team of research scientists in our schroeder institute for tobacco research and policy studies and a dedicated team of policy professionals who participate in the ongoing discussion around the best approaches for reducing tobacco related death and disease. Schroeder institute scientists produce peer-reviewed papers on issues related to tobacco control and prevention, speak at national and local conferences, and along with our policy team create a suite of resources and guidance on…
Tobacco cessation innovations: Truth Initiative's innovations center builds and deploys scalable and sustainable digital tobacco cessation interventions. Our programs have served millions of tobacco users ages 13+ across the U.S. Over the past 15+ years. Enterprise versions of our programs extend our public health impact through strategic partnerships with employers, health plans, and health systems and generates revenue to support the mission driven work of the foundation. The innovations center is internationally recognized for its rigorous research on digital interventions for tobacco…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT & CEO Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $626,206 | $0 | $180,001 | $806,207 |
| EVP/CFIO Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $624,914 | $0 | $175,849 | $800,763 |
| CHIEF MKTG & STRATEGY OFFICER Key employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $457,669 | $0 | $86,238 | $543,907 |
| CORP. SEC./CHIEF LEGAL & REG. AFFAIRS Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $421,855 | $0 | $86,362 | $508,217 |
| COO Key employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $378,781 | $0 | $97,196 | $475,977 |
| CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $368,313 | $0 | $102,152 | $470,465 |
| CHIEF DEV. & PARTNERSHIPS OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $370,492 | $0 | $97,940 | $468,432 |
| CHIEF OF INNOVATIONS Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $388,220 | $0 | $78,564 | $466,784 |
61 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Truth Initiative Foundation (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $3.1M (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–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 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5204
- Volunteers Part I, line 6264
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| MEDIABRANDS WORLDWIDE INC Marketing | $14,318,544 |
| GALE PARTNERS LLC Marketing | $6,941,103 |
| GOOGLE LLC Marketing | $6,802,542 |
| MOJO HOUSE HOLDINGS LLC Marketing | $5,928,633 |
| TIKTOK INC Marketing | $4,979,660 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 46 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Truth Initiative 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 Truth Initiative Foundation, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Truth Initiative Foundation spent in FY2025, $84.27 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All mental health & crisis intervention charities · Largest charities in District of Columbia
Questions people ask
How much of Truth Initiative Foundation's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Truth Initiative Foundation reported that 84.3% of its $109.7 million in expenses went to program services, 14.4% to management and general and 1.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Truth Initiative Foundation pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Truth Initiative Foundation reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $806,207, for the role of PRESIDENT & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Truth Initiative Foundation get its money?
Of $53.0 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 17.2% came from contributions and grants (including 1.1% from government grants) and 3.4% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Truth Initiative Foundation a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 91-1956621 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 202513049349301586 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202403049349300810 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202313059349301601 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202203049349302155 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202113009349301771 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202023079349302782 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 91-1956621: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.