The 85 Fund
96% goes to programs $0 to raise $100 Thin reserves Growing revenue
The 85 Fund is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Fort Worth, Texas, registered in 2011, with $168,530,018 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it B, and it directs about 96% of spending to programs.
201 Main Street, Fort Worth, TX, 76102 EIN 20-2466871 Since 2011
Revenue (FY2024)
$168.5M
▲ 17.8% vs prior year
Crime & Legal median: $309K
Expenses (FY2024)
$169.7M
Net assets
$2.8M
Employees
7
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
B
A+Program efficiency40% of the rating96% to programs · $0 to raise $100
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For The 85 Fund: 96% to programs · $0 to raise $100 earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
CFinancial health25% of the rating0 mo reserves · -1% margin
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For The 85 Fund: 0 mo reserves · -1% margin earns a C on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
C+Governance25% of the rating3 of 6 checks met
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For The 85 Fund: 3 of 6 checks met earns a C+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
BTransparency10% of the rating3 of 5 disclosure signals
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For The 85 Fund: 3 of 5 disclosure signals earns a B on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
To educate the public and support activities that highlight the relationship between structural limits on government power and the protection of our dignity and our freedoms.
Contact & location
- Address
- 201 Main Street, Fort Worth, TX, 76102
- City
- Fort Worth
- State
- Texas
- Category
- Crime & Legal-Related
- Subcategory
- Alliances, Advocacy & Professional Societies
- Phone
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $65.8M (FY2020) to $168.5M (FY2024) across 5 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2024)
Liabilities $0Net assets $2.8M
Operating margin
-0.7%
Spent more than it raised in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$2.8M
Total liabilities
$0
Net assets
$2.8M
Salaries & benefits
$1.6M
1% of expenses
Board members
3
1 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $168,530,018▲17.8% | $169,654,423▲16.7% | $2,754,902▼29.0% | $2,754,902▼29.0% | 990 |
| 2023 | $143,050,000▲6.2% | $145,383,583▲4.7% | $3,879,307▼37.6% | $3,879,307▼37.6% | 990 |
| 2022 | $134,753,000▲14.9% | $138,818,674▲22.2% | $6,212,890▼39.6% | $6,212,890▼39.6% | 990 |
| 2021 | $117,315,050▲78.4% | $113,588,711▲90.1% | $10,278,564▲56.9% | $10,278,564▲56.9% | 990 |
| 2020 | $65,777,856 | $59,753,082 | $6,552,225 | $6,552,225 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Leadership & compensation (FY2024)
Highest-paid: Ormal Skinner — $308,333 (0.18% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ormal Skinner | Counsel | 40 | $308,333 |
| Jason Snead | Counsel | 40 | $264,600 |
| Chad Ennis | Counsel | 40 | $222,853 |
| Carrie Severino | Director, Secretary | 30 | $215,952 |
| Ann Corkery | Counsel | 20 | $212,360 |
| Jacqueline Doyer | Counsel | 40 | $173,270 |
| Gary Marx | Director, Treasurer | 5 | — |
| Todd Graves | Director, Chairman | 0.25 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2024)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Crc Advisors | Management Support/administration/operations/ Public Affairs Consulting/advertising | $25,860,785 |
| Holtzman Vogel Josefiak Torchinsky Pllc | Legal Services | $4,952,257 |
| Invictus Charitable Advisors LLC | Strategic Consulting | $3,237,000 |
| Argus Insight LLC | Research | $1,804,000 |
| Jones Day | Legal Services | $1,721,620 |
Grants received · $621.0M total
55 grants to The 85 Fund totaling $621.0M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Donors Trust Inc | For general operations | 2024 | $1,585,000 |
| Donors Trust Inc | For the honest elections project | 2024 | $550,000 |
| National Christian Charitable Foundation | Education | 2024 | $450,000 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Human services | 2023 | $160,000,000 |
| National Philanthropic Tr | Education | 2023 | $4,350,000 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2023 | $140,000 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Human services | 2022 | $141,250,000 |
| National Philanthropic Tr | Human services | 2022 | $3,600,000 |
| Donors Trust Inc | For the honest elections project | 2022 | $50,000 |
| Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2022 | $25,000 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Human services | 2021 | $141,500,000 |
| Donors Trust Inc | For general operations | 2021 | $17,100,000 |
| National Philanthropic Tr | Human services | 2021 | $2,700,000 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Human services | 2020 | $39,800,000 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Human services | 2020 | $39,800,000 |
Grants made · $118.2M in FY2024
39 grants totaling $118.2M in FY2024 — showing the 15 largest. All grants made by The 85 Fund →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Donors Trust Inc | General support | $67,900,000 |
| Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund Inc | General support | $39,000,000 |
| Club For Growth Foundation Inc | General support | $1,500,000 |
| Ethics and Public Policy Center Inc | General support | $1,325,000 |
| Hawthorn Foundation Inc | General support | $1,100,000 |
| Paragon Health Institute | General support | $1,000,000 |
| Fidelis Center For Law and Policy | General support | $925,000 |
| The Maine Heritage Policy Center | General support | $760,000 |
| Triton Research Institute | General support | $500,000 |
| The Tikvah Fund | General support | $450,000 |
| American Legislative Exchange Council | General support | $429,881 |
| Becket Fund | General support | $400,000 |
| Center For Individual Rights | General support | $350,000 |
| Sam Inc | General support | $300,000 |
| National Center For Public Policy Research Inc | General support | $300,000 |
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Compare The 85 Fund
Frequently asked questions
- Is The 85 Fund a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. The 85 Fund is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 20-2466871, based in Fort Worth, Texas. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is The 85 Fund's EIN?
- The 85 Fund's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 20-2466871.
- How much revenue does The 85 Fund report?
- The 85 Fund reported $168,530,018 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of The 85 Fund's spending goes to programs?
- The 85 Fund spends about 96% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does The 85 Fund have?
- CharityIndex grades The 85 Fund B, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does The 85 Fund's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on The 85 Fund's latest Form 990 is $308,333, paid to Ormal Skinner (Counsel).
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Data for The 85 Fund (EIN 20-2466871) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.