The Barack Obama Foundation
60% goes to programs $15 to raise $100 Strong reserves Declining revenue
The Barack Obama Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Chicago, Illinois, registered in 2014, with $140,586,104 in FY2023 revenue. CharityIndex grades it B, and it directs about 60% of spending to programs.
5235 S Harper Ct Ste 1140, Chicago, IL, 60615 EIN 46-4950751 Since 2014
Revenue (FY2023)
$140.6M
▼ 54.5% vs prior year
Arts & Culture median: $159K
Expenses (FY2023)
$87.5M
Net assets
$962.3M
Employees
312
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
B
CProgram efficiency40% of the rating60% to programs · $15 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 Barack Obama Foundation: 60% to programs · $15 to raise $100 earns a C on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
B+Financial health25% of the rating132 mo reserves · +38% 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 Barack Obama Foundation: 132 mo reserves · +38% margin earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Governance25% of the rating6 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 Barack Obama Foundation: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Transparency10% of the rating5 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 Barack Obama Foundation: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
To inspire, empower, and connect people to change their world and to honor the legacy of president and mrs. obama.
What they do
Obama presidental center startup:in 2023 the obama foundation construction activities included completing the concrete structures for the forum, library and parking garage and advancing the museum structure to 75% of its final height. design of the athletic center also began. activities also included accelerating the museum component through our ongoing artifact collecting activity, arts commission, and arts program planning; applying best practices for preservation and management of the museum collection; and advancing planning and development for our inaugural exhibitions and visitor experience.
Contact & location
- Address
- 5235 S Harper Ct Ste 1140, Chicago, IL, 60615
- City
- Chicago
- State
- Illinois
- Category
- Arts, Culture & Humanities
- Subcategory
- Historical Societies
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $5.4M (FY2014) to $140.6M (FY2023) across 10 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2023)
Liabilities $24.3MNet assets $962.3M
Operating margin
37.8%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$986.6M
Total liabilities
$24.3M
Net assets
$962.3M
Salaries & benefits
$39.2M
45% of expenses
Board members
16
15 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $140,586,104▼54.5% | $87,462,284▲46.5% | $962,329,392▲4.0% | $986,582,755▲4.4% | 990 |
| 2022 | $309,284,239▲93.4% | $59,708,464▲47.2% | $925,309,131▲36.1% | $944,959,493▲36.2% | 990 |
| 2021 | $159,957,411▼6.7% | $40,550,456 | $680,055,607▲21.3% | $693,835,698▲23.1% | 990 |
| 2020 | $171,374,663▲21.3% | $40,536,698▼26.0% | $560,654,664▲30.5% | $563,740,541▲28.3% | 990 |
| 2019 | $141,308,493▼14.2% | $54,783,253▲19.4% | $429,545,259▲25.2% | $439,375,134▲23.5% | 990 |
| 2018 | $164,674,309▼29.1% | $45,888,380▲116% | $343,020,019▲53.0% | $355,887,803▲55.4% | 990 |
| 2017 | $232,148,718▲1661% | $21,271,265▲337% | $224,234,090▲1959% | $229,077,622▲1603% | 990 |
| 2016 | $13,182,092▲588% | $4,871,276▲72.7% | $10,888,797▲322% | $13,448,613▲237% | 990 |
| 2015 | $1,916,266▼64.7% | $2,820,908▲44.5% | $2,577,981▼26.0% | $3,990,573▲8.7% | 990 |
| 2014 | $5,434,877 | $1,952,254 | $3,482,623 | $3,670,839 | 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 (FY2023)
Highest-paid: Valerie Jarrett — $740,000 (0.85% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valerie Jarrett | Director/ceo | 40 | $740,000 |
| Robbin Cohen | Evp, Opc | 40 | $613,100 |
| Alfreda Bradley-coar | Evp, Chief Legal & People Officer | 40 | $424,769 |
| Christina Tchen | Evp, Strategy & Impact | 40 | $400,000 |
| Lori T Healey | Svp, Executive Project Officer | 40 | $369,886 |
| Ammar Rizki | Cfo | 40 | $364,246 |
| Laura Lucas Magnuson | Evp, Global Programs | 40 | $362,801 |
| Michael Strautmanis | Evp, External Affairs | 40 | $353,477 |
| Daniel Mcgregor | Svp, Development | 40 | $320,240 |
| Charmaine Williams | Svp, Chief Human Resources Officer | 40 | $305,169 |
| Jamie-clare Pickens | Vp, Deputy General Counsel | 40 | $304,991 |
| Louise Bernard | Svp, Museum Director | 40 | $289,424 |
| Elisabeth Siciliano | Svp, Strategy, Governance & Risk | 40 | $284,376 |
| Caitlin Gilmore | Vp, Fundraising & Development | 40 | $264,837 |
| Rachel Rauscher | Vp, Development Operations | 40 | $264,837 |
| Roark Frankel | Director of Planning & Delivery | 40 | $256,488 |
| Kori Schulman | Svp, Creative & Communications | 40 | $234,856 |
| David Simas | President (end 4/23) | 40 | $193,968 |
| Gabriela Fraga | Former Svp, Product & Technology | 40 | $150,562 |
| Broderick Johnson | Director | 1 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2023)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Lakeside Alliance | Construction Services | $150,993,348 |
| Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architect | Architects | $4,601,855 |
| Agency Ea | Event Management | $4,496,375 |
| Ab Data Ltd | Direct Mail Services | $2,301,450 |
| Claycoardmore Roderick Jv | Construction Management | $2,068,609 |
Grants received · $327.6M total
204 grants to The Barack Obama Foundation totaling $327.6M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Endowment Foundation | Arts, culture | 2024 | $10,007,020 |
| Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund For Wealth Management Inc | Arts and culture | 2024 | $8,385,333 |
| Silicon Valley Community Foundation | Arts & culture | 2024 | $2,755,000 |
| Charities Aid Foundation America | Charitable donation | 2024 | $2,510,256 |
| The New York Community Trust | For program support. | 2024 | $1,000,000 |
| Ayco Charitable Foundation | Community & human services | 2024 | $403,500 |
| Philadelphia Foundation | General operating support | 2024 | $150,000 |
| The Skoll Fund | Grant support for convening of obama foundation leaders | 2024 | $100,000 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $98,471 |
| Greater Washington Community Foundation | General support | 2024 | $50,250 |
| The Seattle Foundation | To provide general support | 2024 | $50,000 |
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Unrestricted general support | 2024 | $50,000 |
| The Community Foundation For Greater Atlanta Inc | Arts/culture/humanities | 2024 | $50,000 |
| Paypal Charitable Giving Fund | General support | 2024 | $44,125 |
| United Way of Metropolitan Chicago Inc | Program support | 2024 | $20,000 |
Grants made · $9.3M in FY2023
15 grants totaling $9.3M in FY2023. All grants made by The Barack Obama Foundation →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Gofundme Org | Support grassroots leaders to empower girls through education. | $2,376,045 |
| Chicago Park District | Support for new midway playground. | $1,000,000 |
| Tides Center | Support local organizations that are working to reduce violence in communities. | $1,000,000 |
| African American Empowerment Network Inc | Support mbk model community. | $800,000 |
| Impacttulsa Inc | Support mbk model community. | $800,000 |
| Yonkers City School District Yonkers Public Schools | Support mbk model community. | $800,000 |
| Youthbuild Newark Inc | Support mbk model community. | $800,000 |
| National Archives Trust Fund | Digitization of records | $750,000 |
| Thrive Chicago Nfp | Support the expansion and enhancement of mbk in chicago. | $391,949 |
| Urban Alliance Foundation Inc | Support youth with professional training and employment opportunities. | $266,667 |
| John Jay College Foundation Inc | Support for mbk connect initiative at john jay college of criminal justice . | $250,000 |
| YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago | Support for local lunchbox program. | $57,662 |
| Champs Male Mentoring Program - Chirise | Support for mbk london program. | $25,000 |
| Fund For Public Schools Inc | Support mbk network organizations to maintain their level of service. | $18,750 |
| Liberty Hill Foundation | Support mbk network organizations to maintain their level of service. | $12,500 |
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Frequently asked questions
- Is The Barack Obama Foundation a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. The Barack Obama Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 46-4950751, based in Chicago, Illinois. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is The Barack Obama Foundation's EIN?
- The Barack Obama Foundation's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 46-4950751.
- How much revenue does The Barack Obama Foundation report?
- The Barack Obama Foundation reported $140,586,104 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2023 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of The Barack Obama Foundation's spending goes to programs?
- The Barack Obama Foundation spends about 60% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does The Barack Obama Foundation have?
- CharityIndex grades The Barack Obama Foundation B, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does The Barack Obama Foundation's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on The Barack Obama Foundation's latest Form 990 is $740,000, paid to Valerie Jarrett (Director/ceo).
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Explore more
Data for The Barack Obama Foundation (EIN 46-4950751) 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.