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Center for Responsive Politics (Open Secrets)
The Center for Responsive Politics (CRP) is a nonprofit advocacy group founded to track and report on the movement of money and funding within politics.
1
The CRP was founded in 1983 by former U.S. Senators Frank Church (D-Idaho) and Hugh Scott of Pennsylvania, a centrist Rockefeller Republican.
2
Read More
At-A-Glance
Type:
Non-profit
,
501(c)(3)
Issue Areas:
Elections Policy
Website:
www.opensecrets.org
Formation:
1983
Executive Director:
Hilary Braseth
Location:
Washington, DC
View on map
Tax ID:
52-1275227
Most Recent Filing:
2024
Budget (2024):
Assets: $2,890,676
Revenue: $3,036,734
Expenses: $4,498,584
Contents
Contents
The Center for Responsive Politics operates OpenSecrets, an online web page used to compile political financial data such as campaign contribution profiles of members of Congress, a lobbying database, and financial information related to Congressional committees.
3
4
Background
Formed in 1983, the Center for Responsive Politics (CRP) was created to track money in politics by analyzing contributions from political action committees (PACs) to congressional candidates and by compiling data and publishing large reports.
2
By 1990, the CRP published the first OpenSecrets book that documented and analyzed congressional political contributions in the 1988 elections.
2
In addition to analyzing political contributions from PACs, the book also reported on the spending patterns of interest groups and companies within major industries.
2
CRP’s main project, OpenSecrets.org, went online following the 1996 elections.
2
The website later began producing online contribution profiles prior to Election Day for federal candidates in the 1998 elections.
2
OpenSecrets.org
As of 2018, OpenSecrets includes contribution profiles for members of Congress as well as information on their personal finances,
3
money spent on their campaigns by joint fundraising committees,
4
and a lobbying database.
5
Politicians & Elections
OpenSecrets shows political contributions from campaign committees, outside groups, lobbyists, and Super PACs to candidates in Presidential and Congressional races. In addition, OpenSecrets amasses the financial information and disclosures for the Trump administration.
6
Financial summaries for political parties and party committees are also included on the site and display the contributions made to the party, the recipients of the party’s expenditures, and a geographic analysis of expenditures.
7
OpenSecrets also publishes an election overview online that includes general trends from elections, the most expensive races, and top donors. Election overviews are available online for all federal elections dating back to 1990.
8
Influence & Lobbying
OpenSecrets also provides data on spending by interest groups. The site provides data by sector and issue type for all elections since 1990.
9
In addition, OpenSecrets includes a lobbying database that aggregates data on top lobbyists and top lobbying firms from certain election cycles and groups, as well as data on specific bills that lobbyists reported lobbying on.
10
In addition to political finance data collections, OpenSecrets also maintains an independent news platform called OpenSecrets News
11
and also publishes independent reports.
12
Additionally, the CRP’s OpenData initiative allows for the non-commercial use of CRP’s archive of money-in-politics data.
13
Leadership
Founders
The Center for Responsive Politics (CRP) was founded in 1983 by then-Senators Frank Church and Hugh Scott. Senator Church was a Democratic Senator from Idaho who served in the U.S. Senate for 24 years.
14
Senator Scott was a moderate Republican politician from Pennsylvania who served in both the U.S House and U.S. Senate.
15
Directors
Hilary Braseth is the Executive Director of Center for Responsive Politics (CRP). Braseth previously held positions at IDEO and the left-of-center
Aspen Institute
. Braseth previously co-founded two organizations focused on entrepreneurship and digital infrastructure in West Africa.
16
Board Members
Daniel Doktori is the Chair of the OpenSecrets Board of Directors. Doktori is also the SVP & General Counsel at American Public Media Group (APMG). Prior to working at APMG, Doktori served as Chief of Staff and General Counsel at digital marketing company Credly.
17
Financials
According to its 2023 990 form, the Center for Responsive Politics reported a revenue of $2,504,743, expenses of $4,303,121, and total assets of $4,182,944.
18
Funding
Between 2017 and 2018, the CRP received over $100,000 in funding from several left-of-center organizations including
Democracy Fund
, the
Ford Foundation
,
the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
,
George Soros’
Open Society Foundations
, and the
William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
.
19
Financial Statistics
Total Assets
Total Revenue
Total Expenses
Year
Total Assets
Total Revenue
Total Expenses
Filing
2024
$2,890,676
$3,036,734
$4,498,584
View
2023
$4,182,944
$2,504,743
$4,303,121
View
2022
$6,337,413
$4,992,704
$3,985,037
View
2021
$6,023,095
$6,510,987
$3,506,004
View
2020
$2,989,391
$1,494,730
$2,174,923
View
Prior year filings:
2019
,
2018
,
2017
,
2016
,
2015
,
2014
,
2013
,
2012
,
2011
,
2010
Revenue Detail
Expenses Detail
Employee Compensation
Number of Employees:
50
Highest Earning Employees
Employee
Title
Total Compensation
Hilary Braseth
Executive Director
$206,428
Jacob Hileman
IT Director
$174,389
Sarah Bryner
Director of Research & Strat
$148,740
Victoria Sorg
Director of Revenue & Ext
$126,000
Anna Massoglia
Editoral & Investigations
$115,762
Brendan Glavin
Director of Insights
$114,339
More +
Less –
Grant Activity
Grants Received
All-time grants received statistics from Candid dataset:
Total Grant Value:
$27,401,620
Number of Grants:
378
Number of Funders:
114
Selection of highest value grants received from the last seven years:
Amount
Year
Funder
Subject
$2,500,000
2021
The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation
FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
$950,000
2021
The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation
FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
$500,000
2020
The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation
FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
$400,000
2022
The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation
FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
$400,000
2022
Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Inc.
For general support
$350,000
2022
Carnegie Corporation of New York
$210,000
2024
The Miami Foundation
PROGRAM SUPPORT
$204,200
2024
Carnegie Corporation of New York
For research and analysis on defense industries and armed conflict
$200,000
2024
Henry Luce Foundation
Support for professional training
$200,000
2024
Mertz Gilmore Foundation
GENERAL SUPPORT
$200,000
2022
Mertz Gilmore Foundation
GENERAL SUPPORT (OPENSECRETS)
$200,000
2021
Mertz Gilmore Foundation
GENERAL SUPPORT (OPENSECRETS)
$200,000
2020
Carnegie Corporation of New York
For a project on defense industries and armed conflict
$189,770
2022
Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund
For grant recipient's exempt purposes
$175,000
2023
Democracy Fund Inc
General support
$150,000
2021
Omidyar Network Fund, Inc.
To support Grantee's state-level transparency work
$150,000
2020
The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation
FOR GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
$134,065
2024
Carnegie Corporation of New York
For research and analysis on defense industries and armed conflict
$125,000
2024
Democracy Fund Inc
General support
$125,000
2022
Democracy Fund Inc
General support
$100,000
2024
Park Foundation
GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
$85,000
2023
Omidyar Network Fund, Inc.
To support activities to increase transparency of data on state and federal lobbying activities.
$75,000
2023
Park Foundation
MEDIA – PROJECT SUPPORT
$75,000
2021
Democracy Fund Inc
General support
$61,500
2023
ImpactAssets
GENERAL SUPPORT
More +
Less –
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Financials, employee compensation, and grant information provided by Candid.
Mentioned in this Article
Aspen Institute
Democracy Fund
Ford Foundation
George Soros
John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
Open Society Foundations (Open Society Institute)
William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
References
1.
“Our Vision and Mission.” OpenSecrets.org. Accessed November 19, 2018.
https://www.opensecrets.org/about/
.
2.
“About the Site.” OpenSecrets.org. Accessed November 19, 2018.
https://www.opensecrets.org/about/tour.php
.
3.
“Personal Finances.” OpenSecrets.org. Accessed December 07, 2018.
https://www.opensecrets.org/personal-finances/
.
4.
“Politicians & Elections Overview.” OpenSecrets.org. Accessed December 03, 2018.
https://www.opensecrets.org/elections/
.
5.
“Lobbying Database.” OpenSecrets.org. Accessed November 19, 2018.
https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/
.
6.
“Trump Administration.” OpenSecrets.org. Accessed December 03, 2018.
https://www.opensecrets.org/trump
.
7.
“Political Parties Overview.” OpenSecrets.org. Accessed December 09, 2018.
https://www.opensecrets.org/parties/
.
8.
“2018 Election Overview.” OpenSecrets.org. Accessed December 09, 2018.
https://www.opensecrets.org/overview/
.
9.
“Interest Groups.” OpenSecrets.org. Accessed December 09, 2018.
https://www.opensecrets.org/industries/
.
10.
“Lobbying.” OpenSecrets.org. Accessed December 09, 2018.
https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/index.php
.
11.
“OpenSecrets News.” OpenSecrets.org. Accessed December 6, 2018.
https://www.opensecrets.org/news/
.
12.
“Reports.” OpenSecrets.org. Accessed December 07, 2018.
https://www.opensecrets.org/news/reports/
.
13.
“About the Site.” OpenSecrets.org. Accessed December 07, 2018.
https://www.opensecrets.org/about/tour.php
.
14.
“Church, Frank Forrester.” Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed December 03, 2018.
http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=c000388
.
15.
“Scott, Hugh Doggett, Jr.” Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed December 03, 2018.
http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=S000174
16.
“Our Team.” Open Secrets, Accessed July 11, 2025.
https://www.opensecrets.org/about/staff
17.
Board of Directors.” Open Secrets, Accessed July 11, 2025.
https://www.opensecrets.org/about/board
18.
“Opensecrets, Full Filing – Nonprofit Explorer.” Projects.Propublica.Org. ProPublica, May 9, 2013. Last modified May 9, 2013. Accessed July 11, 2025.
https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/521275227/202423209349323637/full
.
19.
“Funders.” OpenSecrets.org. Accessed December 07, 2018.
https://www.opensecrets.org/about/funders.php
.
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