Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc
Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc, known as ideas42 on its website, is a public charity based in Washington, DC. Formed in 2010, it uses behavioral science to improve lives, build better systems, and drive social change. Its work includes research, designing and testing interventions, and working with partner organizations to implement solutions.
Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc at a glance
In short: Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc gave $639K across 15 grants in 2024 (avg $43K), top state District of Columbia. 73% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $638,600
- +1402.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 15
- +200.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $42,573
- +400.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $21,086,267
- -23.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 73% first-time grantees (11 of 15, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (37% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc
- Contact
Mailing address: 805 15Th St Nw 1100, Washington, DC 20005
Phone: (646) 330-5700
Website: https://ideas42.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was George Washington University ($200K). Together the top 10 received $574K.
Grant Size Distribution
35 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 26 grants of 35 (74%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in multiple states. The largest shares were reported for DC (37%), Georgia (19%), New York (12%), Texas (8%), and Washington (5%). These grant records show a multi-state distribution; they do not establish a geographic restriction for future support.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc open to new grantees?
73%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 11 of 15 grantees (73%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $50K; repeat grants $21K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $24K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $43K (2023) to $890K (2020). In 2024 it made 15 grants totaling $639K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| George Washington University Washington, DC | Implementation Partner | $200,000 |
| Georgia Opportunity and Resilience Fund Atlanta, GA | Community Research and Co-Design Implementation Partner. | $121,500 |
| Hostos Community College Foundation Bronx, NY | Behavioral Design and Game Development Partner | $64,100 |
| North Seattle Community College Foundation Seattle, WA | Behavioral Intervention Implementation Partner | $30,500 |
| Navicore Solutions Garden State Consumer Credit Counseling Inc Manalapan, NJ | Pilot Implementation and Data Tracking | $30,000 |
| Lutheran Social Services of MN Saint Paul, MN | Implementation Partner | $27,500 |
| Arrofi Inc Marina Del Rey, CA | Implementation Partner | $25,000 |
| Money Management International Inc Stafford, TX | Behavioral Intervention Implementation Partner | $25,000 |
| National Center for Family Philanthropy (A Delaware Corporation) Washington, DC | Donor Research and Design Implementation Partner | $25,000 |
| Self Financial Inc Austin, TX | Behavioral Intervention Implementation Partner | $25,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $21,086,267 | $10,958,819 | $17,493,077 | $638,600 | 15 | $602,904 |
| 2023 | $27,537,104 | $23,951,203 | $18,019,969 | $42,500 | 5 | $367,495 |
| 2022 | $30,546,600 | $14,305,997 | $17,104,596 | $204,000 | 6 | $7,561 |
| 2021 | $32,612,042 | $18,817,686 | $16,428,707 | $496,660 | 5 | $1,583 |
| 2020 | $31,447,220 | $32,329,188 | $16,906,038 | $889,793 | 4 | $43,190 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
In its 2024 filing, ideas42 says it uses behavioral science to improve lives, build better systems, and drive social change. It describes work on access to postsecondary education and healthcare, economic and legal justice, and civic engagement, with an emphasis on equitable opportunity and communities with the least.
The filing describes economic justice work as addressing systemic issues that contribute to poverty by increasing access to time, money, and information and promoting inclusive policies. Its financial health work aims to make financial products, services, and programs responsive to people’s needs and reduce hardship for people with low-to-moderate incomes. Its global development work includes projects in eight countries, focused on livelihoods, education, and workforce development. Its civic engagement work supports public participation and solutions that state and local partners can implement.
The organization’s website describes a collaborative approach involving behavioral research, intervention design, evaluation, and scaling. It also offers capacity-building work with partners, including training, co-design, tools, and embedded behavioral designers.
The 2024 grants show support for organizations working in areas such as education, financial counseling, community engagement, and philanthropy. For example, the Georgia Resilience and Opportunity Fund describes its mission as building evidence-based, community-informed solutions to address poverty and close the racial wealth gap. Navicore Solutions describes work in housing and credit counseling, financial education, and related support. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own work.
Grantmaking
In 2024, ideas42 reported 15 grants totaling $638,600. Grants ranged from $7,500 to $200,000, with a median of $25,000. The largest reported grants included $200,000 to George Washington University for an implementation partnership; $121,500 to the Georgia Resilience and Opportunity Fund for community research and co-design implementation; and $64,100 to the Hostos Community College Foundation for behavioral design and game development. Other grants included $30,500 to North Seattle Community College Foundation for behavioral intervention implementation and $30,000 to Navicore Solutions for pilot implementation and data tracking.
The filing says ideas42 assesses potential sub-grantees for alignment with the project’s mission and commitment to innovation, flexibility and capacity to refine intervention designs, ability to develop and iterate prototypes, and ability to meet legal and other funder requirements. It asks sub-grantees for project reports on the same schedule ideas42 must meet with its funders and periodically checks in by conference call.
The website has described seeking organizational partners to implement and test workplace work-life-balance solutions and learn to apply behavioral science.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Bridgette Gray as chief executive officer, from February 2024, and Piyush Tantia as chief innovation officer. Directors listed were Antoinette Schoar, Diana Taylor (until June 2024), English Sall, George Overholser, Larry Kantor, Michael Warren, Stacey Hightower, and Susan Sobbott.
Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc is led by Bridgette Gray, Chief Executive Officer on the 2024 filing; 18 of 27 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Bridgette Gray
Chief Executive Officer
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$281K (2024)
Joshua Lloyd Wright
Executive Director
Chief Executive Officer → Chief Executive Director, 2022
Chief Executive Director → Executive Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$208K (2020) → $97K (2024)
Alissa Fishbane
Managing Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$179K (2020) → $199K (2024)
Emily Sue Zimmerman
Managing Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$135K (2020) → $154K (2024)
Jana Nicole Smith
Managing Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$143K (2020) → $185K (2024)
John Robertson
Managing Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$182K (2020) → $148K (2024)
Rachel Sarah Taylor
Managing Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$142K (2020) → $190K (2024)
Omar Eruch Parbhoo
Managing Director
Vice President → Managing Director, 2022
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$130K (2021) → $149K (2024)
Carolina Better Romero
Managing Director
Assistant Managing Director → Managing Director, 2024
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$126K (2023) → $145K (2024)
Evelyn J. Stark
Managing Director
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$153K (2023) → $206K (2024)
Scott Alan Stinson
Director & Operations
Chief of Staff & Director of Ops. → Chief of Operations, 2023
Chief of Operations → Director & Operations, 2024
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$107K (2021) → $185K (2024)
Antoinette Schoar
Director
Secretary → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Diana Taylor
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
English Sall
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
George Overholser
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Larry Kantor
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Warren
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stacey Hightower
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Susan Sobbott
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nozipho Mbanjwa-Tshabalala
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Piyush Tantia
Chief Innovation Officer
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$196K (2020) → $215K (2024)
Shannon A. McAuliffe
Associate Managing Director
Assistant Manager Director → Assistant Managing Director, 2023
Assistant Managing Director → Associate Managing Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$126K (2020) → $140K (2024)
Melody M. Scales
Chief Financial Officer
Director of Finance & Acct. → Director of Finance, 2023
Director of Finance → Chief Financial Officer, 2024
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$48K (2022) → $159K (2024)
Gary Davis
Chief People Officer
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$93K (2024)
Katherine Boyer
Chief of Staff
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$29K (2024)
Leslie Heilbrunn
Chief Communications Officer
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$78K (2024)
Nicole Forbes
Associate Managing Director
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$119K (2024)
Former officers (26)
- Former: Eldar Shafir (2020–2023) — President & Treasurer
- Former: Jeremy Theodore Barofsky (2020–2023) — Research Director
- Former: Mitra Shahin Salasel (2020–2023) — Managing Director
- Former: Nigel Morris (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Paul Brest (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Saugato Datta (2020–2023) — Managing Director
- Former: Victoria Sharell Lucas (2020–2023) — Director of People Operations
- Former: Jacqueline J. Sharkey (2021–2023) — Chief of Operations
- Former: Ricardo D. Lagrange (2021–2023) — Assistant Managing Director
- Former: Alexander Muschett Blau (2022–2023) — Principal Behavioral Designer
- Former: Allison R. Schachter (2023) — Principal Behavioral Designer
- Former: Laurie Smolenski (2023) — Director of Development
- Former: Tamba Aghailas (2023) — Director of People Operations
- Former: Kathryn Elizabeth Davis (2020–2022) — Managing Director
- Former: Sarah Welch (2020–2022) — Assistant Manager Director
- Former: Kelli K. Garcia (2022) — Policy Lab Director
- Former: Manasee Desai (2022) — Assistant Manager Director
- Former: Anthony Barrows (2020–2021) — Managing Director
- Former: Joshua Bader Martin (2020–2021) — Managing Director
- Former: Stanley E. Lau (2020–2021) — Director of Finance & Administrator
- Former: Tamika M. Cummings (2020–2021) — General Counsel
- Former: Marc Oliver Laitin (2021) — Managing Director
- Former: Maria Pisano (2021) — Controller
- Former: Erin Elizabeth Sherman (2020) — Vice President
- Former: Matthew D. Darling (2020) — Vice President
- Former: Molly Hill Patten (2020) — COO
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $281K, to Bridgette Gray (Chief Executive Officer (From 2/24)). 18 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc
How much does Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc give each year?
Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc gave $639K across 15 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $43K across 5 grants.
What is Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc's typical grant size?
Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $42,573, across 15 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc that year got $50K on average.
Where does Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc give grants?
Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc's top state is District of Columbia, with 37% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Georgia (19%) and New York (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (3 grants).
Does Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 15 grants with a stated purpose on Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Implementation Partner" (5 grants) and "Behavioral Intervention Implementation Partner" (3 grants).
Who are Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc's largest grantees?
Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc's largest 2024 grantees include George Washington University ($200,000), Georgia Opportunity and Resilience Fund ($121,500) and Hostos Community College Foundation ($64,100), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 60% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc?
Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc reported $21.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $11.0M.
What does Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc fund?
In its 2024 filing, ideas42 says it uses behavioral science to improve lives, build better systems, and drive social change. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc?
Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check ideas42.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc's EIN?
Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-1678009. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 29, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/behavioral-ideas-lab-inc-morg_a3a8778588d447e3aaa98cfba23e95b6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_271678009_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/behavioral-ideas-lab-inc-morg_a3a8778588d447e3aaa98cfba23e95b6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Behavioral Ideas Lab Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?