The Opportunity Institute
The Opportunity Institute is a non-profit organization that promotes social mobility and equity by improving outcomes from early childhood through early career. We focus on education, which plays a critical role in opening opportunities, and the related social policies that make true opportunity possible.
The Opportunity Institute at a glance
- Total assets
- $113,814
- -41.7% vs 2023
- Revenue (2024)
- $775,795
- +98.4% vs 2023
- Net investment income (2024)
- $195
- -75.2% vs 2023
- Expenses (2024)
- $822,725
- -47.9% vs 2023
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026.
Who The Opportunity Institute funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
9 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 8 grants of 9 (89%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2022, annual grant giving ranged from $4K (2022) to $281K (2020). In 2022 it reported $4K in grants paid, as a total without an itemized list.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| College Futures Foundation Oakland, CA | Program for Formerly Incarcerated Youth | $109,108 |
| Chaffey College Rancho Cucamonga, CA | Program for Formerly Incarcerated Youth | $25,000 |
| Kern Community College District Bakersfield, CA | Program for Formerly Incarcerated Youth | $25,000 |
| San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA | Program for Formerly Incarcerated Youth | $25,000 |
| Shasta College Redding, CA | Program for Formerly Incarcerated Youth | $25,000 |
| Cal State La University Auxiliary Services Inc Los Angeles, CA | Program for Formerly Incarcerated Youth | $25,000 |
| Street Scholars-the Gamble Institute Oakland, CA | Program for Formerly Incarcerated Youth | $25,000 |
| Community Partners Los Angeles, CA | Program for Formerly Incarcerated Youth | $11,206 |
| Campaign for College Opportunity Los Angeles, CA | Program for Formerly Incarcerated Youth | $10,595 |
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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 | $113,814 | $775,795 | $822,725 | — | — | $195 |
| 2023 | $195,310 | $391,108 | $1,577,642 | — | — | $786 |
| 2022 | $1,407,884 | $1,056,817 | $1,659,960 | $4,000 | Total only | $1,641 |
| 2021 | $1,968,297 | $2,052,478 | $1,396,408 | — | — | $1,229 |
| 2020 | $1,446,686 | $1,101,656 | $3,433,713 | $280,909 | 9 | $2,766 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
About The Opportunity Institute
Based on IRS filings
The Opportunity Institute is a public charity focused on Human Services, based in Berkeley, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $114K in total assets. Net investment income was $195.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
The Opportunity Institute is led by Maria Echaveste, President & CEO on every filing since 2020; 5 of 13 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Maria Echaveste
President & CEO
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$162K (2020) → $197K (2024)
Laura Dandrea Tyson
Chair
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cynthia Palmerin
Director of Operations
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$109K (2020) → $113K (2024)
Arnold Sowell
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bill Richardson
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mark G. Yudof
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert Reich
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert Shireman
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christopher Edley Jr.
Co-Founder & President Emeritus
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$7K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Guy Johnson
Program Officer
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$144K (2020) → $150K (2024)
Winsome Waite
Program Officer
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$109K (2022) → $145K (2024)
Chiara Parisi
Program Analyst
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$105K (2023) → $105K (2024)
Thomas Saenz
Secretary
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (9)
- Former: Alida Garcia (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Heather Boushey (2020–2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Sean Simplicio (2020–2021) — CFO
- Former: Deanna Niebuhr (2021) — Program Officer
- Former: Kedda Williams (2020) — Program Officer
- Former: Molly Mauer (2020) — Program Officer
- Former: Pamela S. Burdman (2020) — Program Associate
- Former: Rebecca Silbert (2020) — Program Officer
- Former: Robert Bertram Lubin (2020) — Director
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 $197K, to Maria Echaveste (President/CEO). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Opportunity Institute
How large is The Opportunity Institute?
The Opportunity Institute reported $114K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $776K.
What is The Opportunity Institute?
The Opportunity Institute is a public charity focused on Human Services, based in Berkeley, CA. It holds $114K in total assets as of 2024.
Where does The Opportunity Institute operate?
The Opportunity Institute has awarded grants in California.
What is The Opportunity Institute's EIN?
The Opportunity Institute's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-3888926. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 29, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Opportunity Institute's focus areas in our free grants database
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Figures come from The Opportunity Institute'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.
The Opportunity Institute down — hundreds of funders to go?