Thousand Currents
91% goes to programs $2 to raise $100 Strong reserves Growing revenue
Thousand Currents is a 501(c)(3) organization based in San Francisco, California, registered in 1985, with $63,561,449 in FY2023 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 91% of spending to programs.
548 Market Street 62831, San Francisco, CA, 94104 EIN 77-0071852 Since 1985
Revenue (FY2023)
$63.6M
▲ 167.1% vs prior year
International median: $227K
Expenses (FY2023)
$30.8M
Net assets
$61.2M
Employees
23
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
A
AProgram efficiency40% of the rating91% to programs · $2 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 Thousand Currents: 91% to programs · $2 to raise $100 earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
AFinancial health25% of the rating24 mo reserves · +52% 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 Thousand Currents: 24 mo reserves · +52% margin earns a A 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 Thousand Currents: 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 Thousand Currents: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
We fund, connect, and walk alongside grassroots groups transforming their communities.
What they do
Philanthropic organizing and outreach: thousand currents works to educate, train and support philanthropists to engage in meaningful and transformative giving through programs such as the thousand currents academy which are housed under our new initiative, the center for transforming philanthropy. the center for transforming philanthropy is a comprehensive, timely, and field-building approach to shifting practices in the philanthropy.
Contact & location
- Address
- 548 Market Street 62831, San Francisco, CA, 94104
- City
- San Francisco
- State
- California
- Subcategory
- International Development & Relief
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $2.0M (FY2014) to $63.6M (FY2023) across 10 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2023)
Liabilities $2.1MNet assets $61.2M
Operating margin
51.6%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$63.3M
Total liabilities
$2.1M
Net assets
$61.2M
Salaries & benefits
$5.0M
16% of expenses
Board members
8
8 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $63,561,449▲167% | $30,786,167▲28.9% | $61,242,835▲117% | $63,311,041▲119% | 990 |
| 2022 | $23,796,383▼5.6% | $23,889,477▲74.4% | $28,178,884▲0.4% | $28,892,801▲0.6% | 990 |
| 2021 | $25,200,495▲65.7% | $13,695,517▼83.0% | $28,061,282▲63.5% | $28,732,895▲57.8% | 990 |
| 2020 | $15,204,408▼82.5% | $80,529,850▲644% | $17,163,764▼79.2% | $18,209,575▼78.1% | 990 |
| 2019 | $86,898,035▲1209% | $10,819,105▲82.5% | $82,387,957▲1212% | $83,111,013▲1173% | 990 |
| 2018 | $6,636,185▼2.3% | $5,926,666▲5.4% | $6,279,215▲14.3% | $6,528,328▲10.5% | 990 |
| 2017 | $6,791,650▲61.9% | $5,625,416▲20.5% | $5,495,932▲26.7% | $5,910,558▲28.1% | 990 |
| 2016 | $4,193,988▼36.3% | $4,669,023▲97.9% | $4,336,782▼8.5% | $4,613,245▼4.8% | 990 |
| 2015 | $6,581,293▲224% | $2,359,696▲45.9% | $4,738,798▲940% | $4,844,235▲798% | 990 |
| 2014 | $2,032,114 | $1,617,692 | $455,442 | $539,674 | 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: Solome Lemma — $191,182 (0.62% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solome Lemma | Ceo | 38 | $191,182 |
| Rajiv Khanna | Dir. of Philanthropic Partnerships | 38 | $152,522 |
| Katherine Zavala | Dir. of Learning Initiatives | 38 | $147,880 |
| Jenesha De Rivera | Vice President | 38 | $141,127 |
| Cindy Del Rosario Tappan | Dir. of Communications | 38 | $128,195 |
| Asad Rehman | Director | 2 | — |
| Flavia Jimenez | Director | 2 | — |
| Herschelle Milford | Secretary | 2 | — |
| Mandy Van Deven | Director | 2 | — |
| Michelle Reddy | Director | 2 | — |
| Ruth Sawyer | Treasurer | 2 | — |
| Shilpa Alimchandani | Chair | 2 | — |
| Sihle Dinani | Director | 2 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2023)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Davis Wright and Tremaine LLP | Legal Services | $146,550 |
| Luam Kidane | Program Consultant | $142,467 |
Grants received · $64.9M total
171 grants to Thousand Currents totaling $64.9M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amalgamated Charitable Foundation Inc | General operating support and project support | 2024 | $2,759,000 |
| Tides Foundation | Sustainable environment | 2024 | $275,000 |
| New Venture Fund | Environmental programs | 2024 | $250,000 |
| Impactassets Inc | General support | 2024 | $225,000 |
| Greater Kansas City Community Foundation | Public, societal benefit | 2024 | $200,000 |
| Greater Washington Community Foundation | General support | 2024 | $175,000 |
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Unrestricted general support | 2024 | $175,000 |
| Silicon Valley Community Foundation | General nonprofit support | 2024 | $101,250 |
| Impactassets Inc | General support | 2024 | $30,000 |
| American Endowment Foundation | Philanthropy | 2024 | $17,000 |
| Climateworks Foundation | To support communities most affected by climate change | 2024 | $10,000 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $8,095 |
| Myriad USA Inc | To support community development activities. | 2024 | $7,350 |
| Raymond James Charitable Endowment Fund | General support | 2024 | $5,000 |
| Amalgamated Charitable Foundation Inc | General operating support and project support | 2023 | $2,508,295 |
Grants made · $6.0M in FY2023
6 grants totaling $6.0M in FY2023. All grants made by Thousand Currents →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Global Greengrants Fund Inc | Program support | $1,975,000 |
| Grassroots International Inc | Program support | $1,925,000 |
| Urgent Action Fund For Feminist Activism | Program support | $1,900,000 |
| Global Fund For Women Inc | Program support | $200,000 |
| Social Good Fund Inc | Program support | $15,000 |
| Us Right To Know | Program support | $7,000 |
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Frequently asked questions
- Is Thousand Currents a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Thousand Currents is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 77-0071852, based in San Francisco, California. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Thousand Currents's EIN?
- Thousand Currents's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 77-0071852.
- How much revenue does Thousand Currents report?
- Thousand Currents reported $63,561,449 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2023 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Thousand Currents's spending goes to programs?
- Thousand Currents spends about 91% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Thousand Currents have?
- CharityIndex grades Thousand Currents A, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Thousand Currents's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Thousand Currents's latest Form 990 is $191,182, paid to Solome Lemma (Ceo).
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Explore more
Data for Thousand Currents (EIN 77-0071852) 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.