Tax Foundation

Analysis

Tax Foundation is a registered charity in United States, based in Washington, DC. It received its IRS tax-exemption ruling in December 1990, 36 years ago. Its declared purposes cover public and societal benefit, which this site groups under other charitable 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, Tax Foundation reported income of $7.8m and spending of $7.0m, spending 89% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2019 to December 2023, income grew from $5.4m to $7.8m (+46%), an average of +10% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2023, when income rose by 16%. Over the whole period it spent 90% of the income it received.

Among 72,936 United States charities whose main cause is other charitable purposes and that reported income, Tax Foundation sits at the 94th percentile: it is larger than about 94% of them. Against every charity in United States with reported income it ranks in the 94th percentile, and in the 85th percentile within DC. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include American Youth Hostels Inc ($7.8m), Papa Ola Lokahi ($7.8m) and Public Archaeology Laboratory Inc ($7.8m).

On its Form 990 for the period ending December 2023, revenue came from contributions and grants 103% of the total. Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees was $635k (9.1% of expenses). Other salaries and wages came to $3.4m. At year end it held assets of $8.3m against liabilities of $1.8m, net assets of $6.5m. It reported 46 employees.