2015-08-12T14:00:51-05:00 2014-12-31 271728945 O'CONNOR DAVIES LLP 665 FIFTH AVENUE NEW YORK NY 10022 990 2014-01-01 132847587 PUBLIC AGENDA INC PUBL 2126866610 6 EAST 39TH STREET 9TH FLOOR NEW YORK NY 10016 WILLIAM K FRIEDMAN PRESIDENT 2126866610 2015-08-12 1 GARRETT M HIGGINS P00543209 2122862600 2015-08-12 2014 2016-02-25 16:41:14Z WILLIAM K FRIEDMAN 6 EAST 39TH STREET 9TH FLOOR NEW YORK NY 10016 4137941 0 X WWW.PUBLICAGENDA.ORG X 1982 NY PUBLIC AGENDA HELPS DIVERSE LEADERS AND CITIZENS NAVIGATE COMPLEX, DIVISIVE ISSUES AND WORK TOGETHER ON SOLUTIONS. THROUGH NONPARTISAN RESEARCH, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS, WE PROVIDE THE INSIGHT, TOOLS AND SUPPORT PEOPLE NEED TO BUILD COMMON GROUND AND MAKE PROGRESS ON SUCH CRITICAL CHALLENGES AS IMPROVING EDUCATION, MAKING HEALTHCARE AFFORDABLE, INFORMING IMMIGRATION POLICY, AND HELPING COMMUNITIES COME TO TERMS WITH CLIMATE CHANGE. IN DOING SO, WE ARE PROVING THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO MAKE PROGRESS ON CRITICAL ISSUES REGARDLESS OF OUR DIFFERENCES.PUBLIC AGENDA WAS FOUNDED BY SOCIAL SCIENTIST AND AUTHOR DANIEL YANKELOVICH AND FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE CYRUS VANCE IN 1975. 16 16 26 16 0 0 2938908 1796571 1289695 866767 163910 141870 -2855 -3009 4389658 2802199 0 0 0 0 1978472 1891837 27500 24000 188626 1170049 990153 3176021 2905990 1213637 -103791 4162027 3876021 168587 118015 3993440 3758006 X PUBLIC AGENDA'S MISSION IS TO IMPROVE DEMOCRATIC PROBLEM SOLVING. WE SEEK TO CONTRIBUTE TO A DEMOCRACY IN WHICH PROBLEM SOLVING TRIUMPHS OVER GRIDLOCK AND INERTIA, AND WHERE PUBLIC POLICY REFLECTS THE DELIBERATIONS AND VALUES OF THE CITIZENRY. 0 0 1429471 866767 PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT: PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, AN ESSENTIAL AND OFTEN MISSING INGREDIENT IN AMERICAN PUBLIC LIFE, IS CONCERNED WITH INVOLVING CITIZENS MORE FULLY AND MORE THOUGHTFULLY IN PUBLIC PROBLEM-SOLVING. PUBLIC AGENDA'S APPROACH IS SHAPED BY AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE STAGES THE PUBLIC GOES THROUGH TO COME TO TERMS WITH DIFFICULT ISSUES, A PROCESS WHICH IS OFTEN OUT OF SYNCH WITH LEADERS AND EXPERTS. PUBLIC AGENDA OFFERS NONPARTISAN, CAPACITY-BUILDING, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT SUPPORT TO LEADERS AND CHANGE AGENTS IN COMMUNITIES AND PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS. WE CONDUCT RESEARCH, FRAME ISSUES FOR PRODUCTIVE DELIBERATION THROUGH OUR "CHOICEWORK DISCUSSION STARTERS," AND FACILITATE DIALOGUES TO ENHANCE ENGAGEMENT AND PROBLEM SOLVING BY DIVERSE STAKEHOLDERS, AND TRAIN PEOPLE WITH WHOM WE WORK TO FRAME ISSUES AND FACILITATE CONVERSATIONS SO THE WORK CAN PROGRESS AFTER A GIVEN PROJECT ENDS. OUR SIGNATURE COMMUNITY CONVERSATION MODEL HAS BEEN APPLIED IN HUNDREDS OF COMMUNITIES TO HELP CITIZENS, STAKEHOLDERS AND LEADERS BUILD COMMON GROUND ON TOUGH LOCAL ISSUES, SUCH AS CLOSING ACHIEVEMENT GAPS IN SCHOOLS OR DECIDING HOW TO DEAL WITH CLIMATE CHANGE. 513335 RESEARCH:PUBLIC AGENDA CONDUCTS IN-DEPTH RESEARCH ON HOW CITIZENS THINK ABOUT PUBLIC PROBLEMS AND POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS. THE ORGANIZATION'S PARTICULAR EXPERTISE LIES IN CRAFTING RESEARCH STUDIES THAT EXPLORE DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW WITH EMPATHY AND PROBE BENEATH SURFACE RESPONSES TO CAPTURE THE PUBLIC'S CONCERNS, ASSUMPTIONS AND VALUES. PUBLIC AGENDA EMPLOYS SUCH RESEARCH TECHNIQUES AS ONE-ON-ONE INTERVIEWS, FOCUS GROUPS, AND SCIENTIFIC SURVEYS. OUR SIGNATURE LEARNING CURVE ANALYSIS FOCUS GROUP METHODOLOGY IS DESIGNED TO CAPTURE THE WAYS IN WHICH PEOPLE ENCOUNTER AND WORK THROUGH COMPLEX, DIVISIVE ISSUES, AND TO ILLUMINATE THE KINDS OF INFORMATION AND SUPPORT THAT HELPS PEOPLE TO DO SO. PUBLIC AGENDA'S RESEARCH SERVES TWO MAIN PURPOSES. THE FIRST IS TO INFORM PUBLIC POLICY BY BRINGING THE PUBLIC'S CONCERNS, VALUES AND IDEAS TO BEAR ON CURRENT POLICY DEBATES. THE SECOND IS TO INFORM EFFORTS TO BETTER ENGAGE STAKEHOLDERS AND/OR THE GENERAL PUBLIC SO THAT PEOPLE CAN BETTER LEARN ABOUT ISSUES AND WORK TOGETHER ON SOLUTIONS. 203941 COMMUNICATIONS ACTIVITIES:PUBLIC AGENDA USES ITS COMMUNICATIONS TO FURTHER ITS MISSION OF IMPROVING DEMOCRATIC PROBLEM SOLVING IN A NUMBER OF WAYS. FIRST, TO DISSEMINATE OUR RESEARCH REPORTS AND ENGAGEMENT TOOLS AND MATERIALS, SO THEY HAVE THE WIDEST POSSIBLE IMPACTS. SECOND, TO MAKE OUR CITIZEN EDUCATION MATERIALS (SUCH AS THE NONPARTISAN CITIZENS SOLUTIONS GUIDES SERIES ON ELECTION-YEAR ISSUES IN 2012) WIDELY AVAILABLE TO EDUCATORS, STUDENTS, CIVIC GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS WHO WANT TO LEARN ABOUT ISSUES AND DECIDE WHERE THEY STAND ON THEM. MOREOVER, OUR WEBBY-NOMINATED WEBSITE, PUBLIC AGENDA ONLINE, AND OUR SOCIAL NETWORKING ACTIVITIES ALL ENHANCE OUR EFFORTS TO HELP DIVERSE LEADERS AND CITIZENS NAVIGATE COMPLEX AND DIVISIVE ISSUES AND DEVELOP SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS. 2146747 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 11 0 26 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 16 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 NY X X JUDITH L WEISSMAN SVP DIRECTOR OF FINANCE 2126866610 6 EAST 39TH STREET 9TH FLOOR NEW YORK NY 10016 DR MITCHEL WALLERSTEIN CHAIRMAN 2.00 X X 0 0 0 DR LLOYD MORRISETT CHAIR, AUDIT COMMITTEE 1.00 X X 0 0 0 CHRISTOPHER GATES CHAIR, FINANCE COMMITTEE 0.50 X X 0 0 0 DANIEL YANKELOVICH CHAIRMAN EMERITUS 0.50 X 0 0 0 DR ANN KIRSCHNER VICE CHAIR 2.00 X X 0 0 0 HON DAVID MATHEWS DIRECTOR 0.50 X 0 0 0 NORTON GARFINKLE DIRECTOR 1.00 X 0 0 0 PHILIP HOWARD DIRECTOR 0.50 X 0 0 0 RUTH WOODEN CHAIR, FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE 1.00 X 0 0 0 SHIRLEY M MALCOLM DIRECTOR 0.50 X 0 0 0 JEFFERSON JONES BASKIN DIRECTOR AS OF 7/14 1.00 X 0 0 0 BETTY SUE FLOWERS DIRECTOR AS OF 10/14 1.00 X 0 0 0 WENDY PURIEFOY DIRECTOR AS OF 10/14 0.50 X 0 0 0 STEPHEN B SCHOENBAUM DIRECTOR AS OF 10/14 0.50 X 0 0 0 ROBERT Y SHAPIRO DIRECTOR AS OF 10/14 0.50 X 0 0 0 LILIAN WU DIRECTOR AS OF 10/14 0.50 X 0 0 0 WILLIAM K FRIEDMAN PRESIDENT 50.00 X 234447 0 43768 ALISON KADLEC-HASSING SVP, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC EN 60.00 X 150270 0 41039 JUDITH L WEISSMAN SVP, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE 50.00 X 133499 0 47696 518216 0 132503 3 0 1 0 0 1796571 2045 1796571 CONSULTING INCOME 541611 866767 866767 866767 47287 47287 1724 1724 70021 74754 -4733 -4733 -4733 1355571 1260988 94583 94583 94583 2802199 866767 0 138861 650719 482942 125208 42569 917703 681087 176578 60038 38178 28334 7346 2498 156062 115824 30028 10210 129175 95869 24855 8451 6754 6439 315 35000 33367 1633 24000 24000 14767 14767 250646 231725 16607 2314 16027 16027 133428 94277 39151 18500 17637 863 204899 153862 51037 140404 120696 19708 12250 10919 1331 11840 6630 5210 16283 10303 5980 TRANSCIPTS/RESEARCH/SUR 69343 69343 REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE 29483 17720 11763 FOCUS GROUPS AND PROJEC 27131 27131 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMEN 3398 85 3313 2905990 2146747 570617 188626 642120 765060 329910 35435 1207170 546958 112349 168381 30988 73552 262193 226792 30651 35401 1795334 2237714 13505 13520 4162027 3876021 76481 85104 92106 4416 0 28495 168587 118015 X 950837 931681 3042603 2826325 3993440 3758006 4162027 3876021 X -103791 -131259 -384 X X 0 1 X 1 0 X 2121632 2924068 3437326 2938908 1796571 13218505 2121632 2924068 3437326 2938908 1796571 13218505 7284341 5934164 112054 94607 129374 112963 119032 568030 346 346 13786881 2469916 0.43040 0.46960 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 56922 56922 0 151691 116290 35401 53580 53580 0 35401 DUE TO GRANTOR 28495 28495 X 2730927 -131259 74754 -56505 2787432 14767 14767 2802199 2966361 75138 75138 2891223 14767 14767 2905990 PART X, LINE 2: THE ORGANIZATION RECOGNIZES THE EFFECT OF INCOME TAX POSITIONS ONLY IF THOSE POSITIONS ARE MORE LIKELY THAN NOT TO BE SUSTAINED. MANAGEMENT HAS DETERMINED THAT THE ORGANIZATION HAD NO UNCERTAIN TAX POSITIONS THAT WOULD REQUIRE FINANCIAL STATEMENT RECOGNITION OR DISCLOSURE. THE ORGANIZATION IS NO LONGER SUBJECT TO EXAMINATIONS BY THE APPLICABLE TAXING JURISDICTIONS FOR PERIODS PRIOR TO DECEMBER 31, 2011. PART XI, LINE 2D - OTHER ADJUSTMENTS: RENTAL EXPENSES REPORTED ON PAGE, 9, PART VIII, LINE 6B 74,754. PART XII, LINE 2D - OTHER ADJUSTMENTS: RENTAL EXPENSES REPORTED ON PAGE, 9, PART VIII, LINE 6B 74,754. LOSS ON ASSET DISPOSAL 384. X X X 1 CONSTELLATION ADVANCEMENT LLC 17 VILLAGE ROAD PO BOX 188 NEW VERNON NJ 07976 DONOR CULTIVATION 0 0 24000 -24000 24000 -24000 NY SCHEDULE G, PART I, LINE 2B, COLUMN (V) EXPLANATION FOR PAYMENT TO CONSTELLATION ADVANCEMENT, LLC: CONSTELLATION ADVANCEMENT, LLC HAS BEEN ENGAGED TO ASSIST THE PUBLIC AGENDA FOUNDATION, INC. (THE "FOUNDATION") WITH THE FOLLOWING:- A) ADVISING THE FOUNDATION WITH THE PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT OF THE FOUNDATION'S EFFORTS TO RAISE FUNDS IN AND TO SUPPLEMENT THE EFFORTS OF THE FOUNDATION IN THIS REGARD. B) IDENTIFYING POTENTIAL DONORS TO THE FOUNDATION AND WORKING IN A BOARD DEVELOPMENT EFFORT TO EXPAND THE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEER LEADERS INVOLVED WITH THE FOUNDATION; C) ADVISING THE FOUNDATION ON STRATEGIES FOR CULTIVATING THESE POTENTIAL DONORS; D) ARRANGING MEETINGS BETWEEN POTENTIAL DONORS OR DONOR ADVISORS AND THE FOUNDATION, AND IN SOME CASES, ATTENDING THOSE MEETINGS WITH THE FOUNDATION; E) ADVISING THE FOUNDATION ON APPROPRIATE NEXT STEPS (IN SOME CASES LEADING TO DIRECT SOLICITATIONS BY THE FOUNDATION). F) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY LANGUAGE IN THIS AGREEMENT TO THE CONTRARY, CONSTELLATION ADVANCEMENT, LLC SHALL NOT (I) SOLICIT CONTRIBUTIONS OR (II) HAVE ACCESS TO CONTRIBUTIONS OR OTHER RECEIPTS FROM A SOLICITATION OR AUTHORITY TO PAY EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH ANY SOLICITATION. THE FOUNDATION SHALL HAVE EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS TO CUSTODY AND CONTROL, MANAGEMENT, AND THE EXERCISE OF DOMINION OVER ANY FUNDS DONATED TO IT. G) THE FOUNDATION SHALL PERFORM THE SERVICES DESCRIBED ABOVE A REASONABLE MANNER REQUESTED BY AND AT THE DIRECTION OF THE FOUNDATION. THE FOUNDATION AGREES TO PAY CONSTELLATION ADVANCEMENT, LLC A FEE OF $2,000 PER MONTH. X 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 WILLIAM K FRIEDMAN PRESIDENT 233286 0 0 0 1161 0 11750 0 32018 0 278215 0 0 0 ALISON KADLEC-HASSING SVP, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC EN 150000 0 0 0 270 0 7500 0 33539 0 191309 0 0 0 JUDITH L WEISSMAN SVP, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE 132878 0 0 0 621 0 7000 0 40696 0 181195 0 0 0 FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 11 THE FOUNDATION HAS ITS FORM 990 PREPARED BY AN OUTSIDE ACCOUNTING FIRM AND HAS ESTABLISHED THE FOLLOWING REVIEW PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT THE INFORMATION REPORTED IS COMPLETE AND ACCURATE. AFTER REVIEW OF THE FORM 990 BY THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND PRESIDENT OF THE FOUNDATION, THE FORM, IN ITS ENTIRETY, IS SENT TO EACH MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTRONICALLY. ONCE EACH BOARD MEMBER APPROVES THE RETURN, THE ACCOUNTING FIRM IS ADVISED THAT THE FORM 990 IS CLEARED FOR FILING. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 12C PUBLIC AGENDA SENDS TO EACH BOARD MEMBER ANNUALLY A COPY OF ITS CONFLICT-OF-INTERESTS AND CODE-OF-ETHICS FORMS, WHICH EACH BOARD MEMBER MUST FILL OUT, SIGN, AND RETURN TO PUBLIC AGENDA. THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE REVIEWS THESE FORMS AND ANY CONFLICT-OF-INTERESTS NOTED ON THE FORM ARE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE BOARD AT ITS FALL MEETING AND ARE REVIEWED. NO DIRECTOR SHALL VOTE ON ANY MATTER, UNDER CONSIDERATION AT A BOARD OR COMMITTEE MEETING, IN WHICH SUCH DIRECTOR HAS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST. THE MINUTES OF SUCH MEETING SHALL REFLECT THAT A DISCLOSURE WAS MADE AND THAT THE DIRECTOR HAVING A CONFLICT OF INTEREST ABSTAINED FROM VOTING. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 15A THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, DURING EXECUTIVE SESSION, REVIEWS AND DECIDES ON THE COMPENSATION OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE FOUNDATION. THE DECISION IS DOCUMENTED IN MINUTES OF THE MEETING DURING WHICH THE COMPENSATION WAS APPROVED. THIS COMPENSATION REVIEW PROCESS WAS LAST UNDERTAKEN ON JUNE 11, 2013 AND A DECISION WAS MADE TO INCREASE THE PRESIDENT'S SALARY, EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2014. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION C, LINE 19 PUBLIC AGENDA MAKES ITS GOVERNING DOCUMENTS, CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY, & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC UPON REQUEST. ALSO, THE FEDERAL FORM 990 WHICH INCLUDES FINANCIAL AND OTHER DISCLOSURES IS AVAILABLE ON GUIDESTAR. FORM 990, PART XI, LINE 9: LOSS ON ASSET DISPOSAL -384. FORM 990, PART XII, LINE 2C: PUBLIC AGENDA FOUNDATION HAS A COMMITTEE THAT ASSUMES RESPONSIBILITY FOR OVERSIGHT OF THE AUDIT OF ITS FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SELECTION OF AN INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANT. THIS PROCESS DID NOT CHANGE FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.