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I AM Why

I am why brings young women and gender expansive activists together with researchers and other partners to increase young activists individual and collective power. By celebrating their strengths …

I Am Why Inc

Youth Development Newton, MA EIN: 852643182 (IRS) Sign up to see website
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59
Integrity Assessment
Partial transparency
59/100 · methodology

About I AM Why

I Am Why brings young women and gender expansive activists together with researchers and other partners to increase young activists’ individual and collective power. By celebrating their strengths and sharing their stories and visions for justice, young people lead the way to policies, practices and programs that work.

Founded
Headquarters
Newton, MA
Foundation type
Publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2))
NTEE code
O50
IRS subsection
501(c)(03)
Ruling date
Size
small

Verified certifications

Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.

IRS Tax-Deductible since 2024

Mission

I am why brings young women and gender expansive activists together with researchers and other partners to increase young activists individual and collective power. By celebrating their strengths and sharing their stories and visions for justice, young people lead the way to policies, practices and programs that work.

Focus areas & reach

· What they work on and where
Cause tags
SDG alignment The 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the global agenda for ending poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring prosperity by 2030. We tag each charity to the goals its work advances.

How it stacks up against peers

· vs. 8 similar youth development in United States
Program spending This charity: 96%
Peer average: 82%
CEO comp as % of revenue This charity: 55.54%
Peer average: 0.48%
Integrity Assessment This charity: 59
Peer average: 90

Concerns

· 1 red flag
High Executive Pay
Top executive compensation is 39.9% of total expenses ($218,039 of $546,334).

Where every $1 goes

· FY2023 · IRS 990 (FY2023)
$0.96
Program$0.96
96% to programs beats the peer average (82%) and beats the Charity Navigator "highly efficient" threshold (75%).

GiveRadar Analysis

Original analysis from GiveRadar's dataset of comparable organizations

From what GiveRadar has verified so far, I AM Why has a complete profile, cross-referenced across 4 independent sources including the IRS.

  • GiveRadar has cross-referenced this organization across 4 independent sources, led by the IRS - more than 95% of similar organizations. See the sources
  • It has more complete governance disclosure than nearly all similar organizations, because GiveRadar has verified leadership, executive compensation, a mission statement and a founding date. See national comparisons
  • GiveRadar's profile for I AM Why draws on its financial disclosures and its governance, in line with the typical youth development charities in the United States it tracks. View this cohort
GiveRadar has verified
  • government registration
  • financial records
  • disclosed leadership
  • a website
  • a donation page
  • third-party accreditation
Not yet verified by GiveRadar
  • a contact email
  • an owner-submitted profile claim

Analysis based on GiveRadar's benchmark dataset of 2026-07-03. It describes what GiveRadar has verified, not a judgment of the organization itself.

Common questions

· Auto-generated from filings + methodology

I AM Why is a registered youth development nonprofit based in Newton, MA, United States. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It was founded in 2020 and has been operating for 6 years. Its EIN is 852643182. According to GiveRadar's records, it holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. GiveRadar's Integrity Assessment for the organization is 59/100, which reflects how much public information is available, not whether the charity is legitimate. The organization reports $393K in annual revenue. GiveRadar has identified 1 potential concern.

I AM Why's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 852643182. This is the organization's IRS tax identification number; you can use it to verify tax-exempt status and to look up its Form 990 filings with the IRS.

I AM Why has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 59/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 59 ('Partial transparency') means some public data is on file but key signals are missing - worth a closer look before donating. The charity allocates 96% of expenses to programs, which contributes positively to its score. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for youth development charities in United States is 90/100.

I AM Why is located in Newton, MA, United States. The organization was established in 2020 and has been active for 6 years.

Based on official tax filings, I AM Why has $393K in annual revenue. It allocates 96% of expenses to programs and services. This is above the average of 82% for youth development charities in United States. Its revenue is below the peer average of $1M. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.

I AM Why is classified as a Youth Development organization, registered in United States. It operates as a Publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)). By size, it is categorized as a small organization. It has $393K in annual revenue.

GiveRadar has identified 1 potential concern for I AM Why. Red flags are automatically detected from official data and may include high executive compensation relative to budget, low program spending, or missing financial filings. Red flags do not necessarily mean wrongdoing but indicate areas that may warrant further review before donating.

According to GiveRadar's records, I AM Why holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It reports that 96% of expenses go to programs (the peer average is 82%). You can donate directly through their official donation page linked on their GiveRadar profile. GiveRadar provides data for research and does not endorse any organization. A GiveRadar Integrity Assessment reflects how much public data is available, not whether an organization is safe to donate to, so it is always smart to do your own research before giving.

I Am Why brings young women and gender expansive activists together with researchers and other partners to increase young activists’ individual and collective power. By celebrating their strengths and sharing their stories and visions for justice, young people lead the way to policies, practices and programs that work. I AM Why is classified as a youth development organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 2020.

Among youth development charities registered in United States: It allocates 96% of expenses to programs, above the peer average of 82%. Its annual revenue of $393K is below the peer average of $1M.

Yes, donations to I AM Why are generally tax-deductible in the United States. I AM Why is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Its EIN is 852643182, which you can use for tax filing purposes. Donors can typically deduct contributions on their federal income tax return if they itemize deductions. Consult a tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Annual revenue
$100K-$1M
96% to programs
Source: IRS 990 (FY2023) why this matters
Unlock exact figures

Filing history

1 year on file from IRS 990 (FY2023): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.

Years on record: FY2023.
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Taxes

Tax-deductibility for donors

Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United States under local rules. Confirm with the charity directly.

Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.

Staff & volunteers

From filings and published profiles

Employees
3

Leadership

From FY2023 filing

FR
Francine S••••••
Founder & President

Officers & trustees (1)

Source: Public filings

See full names, roles, and stories

1 officers and trustees on file - free with a GiveRadar account.

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Latest news

From global news sources

No recent news coverage found

News coverage will appear here when articles mention this organization.

Activity timeline

Filings and press mentions, merged

Form filed
$0.4M revenue
FY2023
IRS 990

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Cause areas in United States

How many charities work in each area, with this charity's area highlighted.

Human Services 322,679
Education 195,586
Arts & Culture 133,128
Advocacy & Civil Rights 128,026
Religion 114,636
Health 98,862
Community Development 56,086
Youth Development this charity 53,450
See all cause areas in United States

Most common causes in United States

Causes charities work on most, with this charity's causes ticked.

Community Development 235,146
Education 159,016
Religion 103,741
Arts & Culture 101,203
Human Rights 76,926
Health 65,250
Youth Development 47,775
Animal Welfare 32,425

Sources and verification

Registration and legal identity
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search
Financial filings
IRS Form 990 filings - Fiscal year 2023 most recent on file.
Officers and trustees
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search - 1 disclosed in the public registry.
Supplementary verification
ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer
Supplementary verification
Charity Navigator

Data freshness

Last updated
Jun 12, 2026
Registry checked
Jun 6, 2026
Profile completeness
90%

What we know and don't know

Exactly which public data we hold on this charity. Our score reflects transparency, not impact.

On record · 10
  • Financial data · FY2023 on record
  • Named leadership · 1 officer on file
  • Executive pay · Disclosed
  • Government registration · Registered with an official registry
  • Mission statement · Published
  • Official website · On record
  • Headquarters address · On file
  • Direct contact · Email or phone published
  • Tax-deductibility · Verified
  • Founding date · 2020
Not available · 1
  • Programs & activities
    No named programs listed by the charity

Methodology

GiveRadar builds each profile primarily from official government charity registries, supplemented where available by third-party nonprofit databases and news archives, and combines it into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. The exact sources for this charity are listed above. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.

Read full methodology

Are you the owner or a board member?

If you represent this organization and want to correct or update its data, you can claim this listing to edit details yourself, or email [email protected] with the correct information. We review every request and respond within 30 days.

Quick facts about I AM Why

What is I AM Why?
I AM Why is a youth development publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)) based in Newton, United States. I Am Why brings young women and gender expansive activists together with researchers and other partners to increase young activists’ individual and collective power. By celebrating their strengths and sharing their stories and visions for justice, young people lead the way to policies, practices and programs that work.
When was I AM Why founded?
I AM Why was founded in 2020.
Who leads I AM Why?
Francine Sherman serves as Founder & President.
Where is I AM Why located?
Headquartered in Newton, MA, United States.
What is I AM Why's annual budget?
Annual revenue for fiscal year 2023 is approximately $100K-$1M. 96% of expenses go to program services.
Is I AM Why trustworthy?
I AM Why has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 59 out of 100 (Partial transparency). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
What is I AM Why's registration number?
IRS EIN: 852643182.
What is I AM Why's website?
http://iamwhy.org