DEMOCRACYFIRST
Cite this
Plain text DEMOCRACYFIRST. Strategy Studio, nonprofit organization profile, tax years 2021–2024. https://strategystudio.org/org/881027253. Retrieved 2026-10-19.
APA Strategy Studio. (n.d.). DEMOCRACYFIRST [Nonprofit organization profile; tax years 2021–2024]. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://strategystudio.org/org/881027253
MLA “DEMOCRACYFIRST.” Strategy Studio, tax years 2021–2024, https://strategystudio.org/org/881027253. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.
Retrieved 2026-10-19; covers tax years 2021–2024. Data: Strategy Studio, CC BY 4.0.
2024 · Form 990 · revenue $9.0M · expenses $10.1M · assets $0
- Also known as
- C/O VERDOLINO & LOWEY PC
- EIN
- 88-1027253
- Address
- 611 PENNSYLVANIA AVE SE 143, WASHINGTON, DC 20003
- Website
- HTTPS://WWW.DEMOCRACYFIRST.ORG
- NTEE code
- -
- Subsection
- -
- Ruling year
- -
- Cross-check
- ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer
Mission
DEMOCRACYFIRST IS A 501(C)4 DEDICATED TO RESTORING PUBLIC TRUST IN THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM, PROTECTING FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS, AND RENEWING THE PRO-DEMOCRACY CONSENSUS IN AMERICAN POLITICS.
Each tax year counts once: when a return was amended, only the latest return for that period is used below (superseded returns stay listed, greyed, under Finances).
People paid by the organization
1 person paid across every filing: current people first, then by total pay from this organization. Organizations counts every nonprofit each person appears on.
| Name | Latest title | Years | Latest year pay | Total pay from here | Organizations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jordan Wood | PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR | 2022-2024 | $0 | $30,000 | 1 |
Officers and directors, no compensation reported
5 people listed on the returns with $0 (or no amount) in every compensation column: current people first. Hours are as filed on the latest return each person appears on.
| Name | Latest title | Years | Hrs/wk (latest) | Compensation | Organizations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Bailey | TREASURER/DIRECTOR | 2021-2024 | 2 | $0 reported | 1 |
| Christine Holt | DIRECTOR | 2022-2024 | 2 | $0 reported | 1 |
| Todd Rubin | DIRECTOR | 2024 | 2 | $0 reported | 1 |
| Heather Smith (former) | President | 2021 | 2 | $0 reported | 2 |
| Mike Yang (former) | Director | 2021 | 2 | $0 reported | 1 |
People by year
2024 · 4 people listed · none paid · 4 employees · 0 volunteers
| Name | Title | Hrs/wk | From org | From related | Other | Total | Orgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JORDAN WOOD | PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR | 35 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| MARK BAILEY | TREASURER/DIRECTOR | 2 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| CHRISTINE HOLT | DIRECTOR | 2 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| TODD RUBIN | DIRECTOR | 2 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
2023 · 3 people listed · 1 paid, $30K · 1 employee · 0 volunteers
| Name | Title | Hrs/wk | From org | From related | Other | Total | Orgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JORDAN WOOD | PRESIDENT | 2 | $30,000 | $0 | $0 | $30,000 | 1 |
| MARK BAILEY | TREASURER | 2 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| CHRISTINE HOLT | DIRECTOR | 2 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
2022 · 3 people listed · none paid · 0 employees · 0 volunteers
| Name | Title | Hrs/wk | From org | From related | Other | Total | Orgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JORDAN WOOD | PRESIDENT | 2 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| MARK BAILEY | TREASURER | 2 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| CHRISTINE HOLT | DIRECTOR | 2 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
2021 · 3 people listed · none paid · 0 employees
| Name | Title | Hrs/wk | From org | From related | Other | Total | Orgs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heather Smith | President | 2 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 2 |
| Mark Bailey | Treasurer | 2 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| Mike Yang | Director | 2 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
Highest-paid independent contractors
2024 · 5 contractors · $3.2M
| Name | Location | Service | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANDREW AMSLER | WASHINGTON, DC | MEDIA CONSULTANT | $1,786,741 |
| PUBLIC ACCESS GROUP LLC | WASHINGTON, DC | COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT | $684,969 |
| INTRVL LLC | BROOKLYN, NY | MEDIA CONSULTANT | $370,000 |
| MISSION STRATEGIES LLC | WASHINGTON, DC | MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT | $198,579 |
| SILVERSMITH STRATEGIES LLC | CHICAGO, IL | MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT | $189,752 |
2023 · 2 contractors · $265K
| Name | Location | Service | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| MISSION STRATEGIES LLC | WASHINGTON, DC | MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT | $157,500 |
| UPSWING RESEARCH & STRATEGY | WASHINGTON, DC | POLLING AND FOCUS GROUPS | $107,800 |
Who the money went to
Grants this organization reported paying: Schedule I Part II of the Form 990, or the grants-paid list on the 990-PF. Open a year for every recipient. Recipients link to their own page when the grant names an EIN we have (990-PF grants list no EIN, so those link only on an exact, unique name and state). Grants to individuals are counted; their names are not shown.
2024 · 5 grants to organizations · $1.6M
2023 · 5 grants to organizations · $910K
2022 · 24 grants to organizations · $5.8M
2021 · 20 grants to organizations · $3.4M
Negative amounts are returned or refunded grants; they are listed last and left out of the totals of grants paid.
Who gave
Contributor names are not public for this form type.
Public charities filing Form 990 or 990-EZ report large donors on Schedule B, but the IRS withholds their names and addresses from public copies. Private foundations (990-PF) are different: their contributors are public.
Finances
Newest first. Each filing: its name on one row, its figures on the row beneath. Greyed filings are superseded by a later return for the same period and are left out everywhere else on this page.
| Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Net assets | Contributions | Program revenue | Officer pay | Employees | Volunteers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 · Form 990 | ||||||||
| $9,040,572 | $10,111,758 | $0 | $0 | $9,040,572 | $0 | $0 | 4 | 0 |
| 2023 · Form 990 | ||||||||
| $3,775,287 | $3,061,434 | $1,482,253 | $1,071,186 | $3,775,287 | $0 | $30,000 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022 · Form 990 | ||||||||
| $4,410,000 | $6,186,749 | $357,333 | $357,333 | $4,410,000 | $0 | $0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 · Form 990 | ||||||||
| $5,575,000 | $3,440,918 | $2,134,082 | $2,134,082 | $5,575,000 | $0 | $0 | 0 | - |
Funders of this organization
9 grantors reported grants to this organization, $9,065,000 in all, tax years 2022 to 2025. Exact: the grantor wrote this organization's EIN. Fuzzy: the grantor wrote only a name (foundations' 990-PF has no EIN field), matched to the same or a near-identical name in the same state; the name as filed is shown. From the latest return for each grantor and year, so amended returns aren't counted twice. CSV
| Grantor | Type | Match | Years given | Grants | Total | Latest year | Latest year's amount | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRIGHT FUTURE FUND | Public charity | Fuzzy filed as “DEMOCRACYFIRST” | 2024 | 1 | $2,940,000 | 2024 | $2,940,000 | show |
| Our American Future Action | Public charity | Exact | 2023-2024 | 2 | $2,500,000 | 2024 | $2,000,000 | show |
| BUSINESS FORWARD FOUNDATION | Public charity | Exact | 2024 | 1 | $1,550,000 | 2024 | $1,550,000 | show |
| WORKING FAMILIES ORGANIZATION INC | Public charity | Exact | 2024 | 1 | $575,000 | 2024 | $575,000 | show |
| BEYOND IMPACT | Public charity | Exact | 2024 | 1 | $500,000 | 2024 | $500,000 | show |
| OAKW FUND | Public charity | Exact | 2023 | 1 | $500,000 | 2023 | $500,000 | show |
| TURNOUT ACTION FUND | Public charity | Exact | 2025 | 1 | $250,000 | 2025 | $250,000 | show |
| ALL HANDS ON DECK NETWORK INC | Public charity | Exact | 2022 | 1 | $200,000 | 2022 | $200,000 | show |
| UNITE AMERICA INC | Public charity | Exact | 2024 | 1 | $50,000 | 2024 | $50,000 | show |
Similar organizations
Ranked without any AI: same NTEE code first, then the same NTEE group; then revenue within 2x, 5x or 10x; then the same state; then similar name and mission text. Same state only
| Organization | State | NTEE | Latest revenue | Latest expenses | Top-paid title | Top pay | Why similar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIX DEMOCRACY FIRST | WA | W20 | $43,510 | $44,125 | Executive Director | $20,500 | Similar name, revenue differs more than 10x |
Who funds organizations like this
Not reported: none of these organizations has foundation or DAF-sponsor grants in the filings we have.
The full list · all similar organizations
Where the money went
Every expense line on each return, biggest first: Form 990 Part IX (with its program, management and fundraising columns), 990-EZ Part I, or 990-PF Part I. Event marks lines the organization itself describes as events. “Events” in each summary adds those lines, conferences and meetings, and the direct costs of fundraising events. Unusual is not the same as improper. Many of these patterns have ordinary explanations. Check the filing.
2024 · Form 990 · $10,111,758 spent · pay $177,344 · grants $1,625,000 · events $0
| Line | As described | Total | Program | Management | Fundraising | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advertising and promotion | $7,329,653 | $3,727,980 | $3,601,673 | - | 72.5% | |
| Grants to US organizations and governments | $1,625,000 | $1,625,000 | - | - | 16.1% | |
| Fees: management | $380,083 | - | $380,083 | - | 3.8% | |
| Fees: other services | $348,235 | $300,550 | $47,685 | - | 3.4% | |
| Other salaries and wages | $113,800 | - | $113,800 | - | 1.1% | |
| Fees: accounting | $80,924 | - | $80,924 | - | 0.8% | |
| Travel | $75,521 | - | $75,521 | - | 0.7% | |
| Payroll taxes | $53,501 | - | $53,501 | - | 0.5% | |
| Insurance | $44,893 | - | $44,893 | - | 0.4% | |
| Fees: legal | $25,964 | - | $25,964 | - | 0.3% | |
| Information technology | $20,202 | - | $20,202 | - | 0.2% | |
| Other employee benefits | $10,043 | - | $10,043 | - | 0.1% | |
| Other (as described) | BANK FEES | $1,887 | - | $1,887 | - | 0.0% |
| Other (as described) | FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT | $1,713 | - | $1,713 | - | 0.0% |
| Other (as described) | BOOKS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS | $339 | - | $339 | - | 0.0% |
| Total | $10,111,758 | 100% |
2023 · Form 990 · $3,061,434 spent · pay $143,576 · grants $910,000 · events $0
| Line | As described | Total | Program | Management | Fundraising | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fees: other services | $1,011,765 | - | $1,011,765 | - | 33.0% | |
| Grants to US organizations and governments | $910,000 | $910,000 | - | - | 29.7% | |
| Advertising and promotion | $494,788 | - | $494,788 | - | 16.2% | |
| Fees: management | $403,421 | - | $403,421 | - | 13.2% | |
| Other salaries and wages | $63,628 | - | $63,628 | - | 2.1% | |
| Payroll taxes | $44,687 | - | $44,687 | - | 1.5% | |
| Fees: legal | $35,692 | - | $35,692 | - | 1.2% | |
| Travel | $30,673 | - | $30,673 | - | 1.0% | |
| Pay: officers, directors, trustees, key employees | $30,000 | - | $30,000 | - | 1.0% | |
| Fees: accounting | $16,707 | - | $16,707 | - | 0.5% | |
| Insurance | $8,218 | - | $8,218 | - | 0.3% | |
| Other employee benefits | $5,261 | - | $5,261 | - | 0.2% | |
| Other (as described) | BOOKS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS | $4,030 | - | $4,030 | - | 0.1% |
| Information technology | $1,476 | - | $1,476 | - | 0.0% | |
| Other (as described) | TAX REGISTRATION FEES | $626 | - | $626 | - | 0.0% |
| Other (as described) | BANK FEES | $462 | - | $462 | - | 0.0% |
| Total | $3,061,434 | 100% |
2022 · Form 990 · $6,186,749 spent · pay $0 · grants $5,820,000 · events $0
| Line | As described | Total | Program | Management | Fundraising | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grants to US organizations and governments | $5,820,000 | $5,820,000 | - | - | 94.1% | |
| Fees: other services | $182,905 | - | $182,905 | - | 3.0% | |
| Fees: management | $107,000 | - | $107,000 | - | 1.7% | |
| Advertising and promotion | $37,500 | - | $37,500 | - | 0.6% | |
| Fees: accounting | $21,250 | - | $21,250 | - | 0.3% | |
| Fees: legal | $10,571 | - | $10,571 | - | 0.2% | |
| Insurance | $6,833 | - | $6,833 | - | 0.1% | |
| Other (as described) | BANK FEES | $390 | - | $390 | - | 0.0% |
| Other (as described) | TAX REGISTRATION FEES | $300 | - | $300 | - | 0.0% |
| Total | $6,186,749 | 100% |
2021 · Form 990 · $3,440,918 spent · pay $0 · grants $3,425,000 · events $0
| Line | As described | Total | Program | Management | Fundraising | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grants to US organizations and governments | $3,425,000 | $3,425,000 | - | - | 99.5% | |
| Insurance | $6,803 | - | $6,803 | - | 0.2% | |
| Fees: accounting | $4,500 | - | $4,500 | - | 0.1% | |
| Fees: legal | $4,324 | - | $4,324 | - | 0.1% | |
| Other (as described) | Tax Registration Fees | $230 | - | $230 | - | 0.0% |
| Other (as described) | Bank Fees | $61 | - | $61 | - | 0.0% |
| Total | $3,440,918 | 100% |