The Basic Fund
The Basic Fund reported $12.2 million in revenue and $10.0 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $87.44 went to program services, $3.06 to management and general costs and $9.50 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 95.9% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $205,800 (CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER). 2 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 28% 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 $10.0MFor 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
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $12MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 87.4% | 84.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 3.1% | 13.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 9.5% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.08 | $0.04 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 95.9% | 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 | $205,800 | $331,578 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.07% | 1.28% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 2 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 28.7 | 13.3 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 20 of 20 | 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 expenseThe Basic Fund (the fund) is a privately funded program dedicated to broadening the educational equity by helping low-income families in alameda, contra costa, marin, napa, san francisco, san mateo, santa clara, solano, and sonoma counties afford the cost of tuition at private or parochial schools of their choice. The scholarships are offered to students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER Key employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $205,800 | $0 | $0 | $205,800 |
| CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Director/trustee, officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $199,900 | $0 | $0 | $199,900 |
2 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Basic Fund (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $435K (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–1b20 · 20 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 513
- Volunteers Part I, line 623
Private foundation grants it received
16 private foundations reported grants to The Basic Fund totaling $3.9M 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 The Basic Fund's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for The Basic Fund, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 The Basic Fund spent in FY2025, $87.44 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- The Briarwood SchoolHouston, TX · revenue $12M · programs 81.0% · FY2025
- Provident Charter SchoolPittsburgh, PA · revenue $12M · programs 88.7% · FY2025
- Youthforce NolaNew Orleans, LA · revenue $12M · programs 80.9% · 2024
- Davidson AcademyNashville, TN · revenue $12M · programs 83.2% · FY2025
- Lennox Math Science and Technology AcademyInglewood, CA · revenue $12M · programs 86.2% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of The Basic Fund's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, The Basic Fund reported that 87.4% of its $10.0 million in expenses went to program services, 3.1% to management and general and 9.5% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Basic Fund pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Basic Fund reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $205,800, for the role of CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Basic Fund get its money?
Of $12.2 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 95.9% came from contributions and grants and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Basic Fund a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 94-3290699 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 202621339349306342 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202511209349303256 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202421369349309052 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202331359349317518 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202211369349315216 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202141379349307624 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 94-3290699: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.