The Clear Fund

Analysis

The Clear Fund is a registered charity in United States, based in Oakland, CA. It received its IRS tax-exemption ruling in July 2007, 19 years ago. Its declared purposes cover philanthropy, voluntarism and grantmaking foundations, which this site groups under grant-making and general purposes. The IRS classifies it as a publicly supported organisation (donations from the general public) under section 501(c)(3), and contributions to it are listed as tax-deductible.

In the financial year ending December 2023, The Clear Fund reported income of $219.6m and spending of $115.6m, leaving 47% of income unspent that year. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2019 to December 2023, income grew from $51.1m to $219.6m (+330%), an average of +44% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2020, when income rose by 129%. Over the whole period it spent 77% of the income it received.

Among 19,413 United States charities whose main cause is grant-making and general purposes and that reported income, The Clear Fund sits at the 100th percentile: it is one of the largest 1% in its cause. Against every charity in United States with reported income it ranks in the 100th percentile, and in the 100th percentile within CA. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Columbia Lutheran Charities ($213.0m), Endless Success Foundation Inc ($229.4m) and Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation Inc ($208.6m).

On its Form 990 for the period ending December 2023, revenue came from contributions and grants 99% of the total. Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees was $1.9m (1.7% of expenses). Other salaries and wages came to $7.6m. At year end it held assets of $208.6m against liabilities of $26.7m, net assets of $181.8m. It reported 81 employees.