Non-profit

Foundation to Decrease World Suck

Website:

fightworldsuck.org/

Location:

Missoula, MT

Tax ID:

45-3782765

Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2020):

Revenue: $61,354
Expenses: $785,011
Assets: $77,466

Founders:

John Green

Hank Green

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Foundation to Decrease World Suck is a grantmaking foundation created by brothers John Green, an author of young-adult fiction books such as The Fault in Our Stars, and Hank Green, a science communicator.

The Foundation funds many humanitarian groups that provide aid to the needy and invest in health care research, but it also funds many left-of-center nonprofits, environmentalist groups, and activist groups. These include Planned Parenthood, Earthjustice, and Trans Lifeline.

Background

Both John and Hank have popular YouTube channels as well as a shared channel called Vlogbrothers and have garnered a large following across multiple social media platforms. They refer to their online community as “Nerdfighteria.” 1 2 3

Funding

Foundation to Decrease World Suck claims that it raises most of its funds through the annual Project for Awesome (P4A), a fundraising event where supporters of the Vlogbrothers and their philanthropy contribute funds. 4 Project for Awesome also acts a weekend-long contest during which charities and their supporters upload videos in attempt to garner votes in exchange for possibly receiving grant money from the Foundation. Project for Awesome is a fiscally sponsored project of Foundation to Decrease World Suck. 5

Operating costs are paid for by the directors of the foundation, including the Green brothers. 6

Since 2014, Foundation to Decrease World Suck has been giving its largest grant to Save the Children, a humanitarian group. It has also prioritized Last Mile Health, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and Partners in Health. In 2022, the Foundation reported on its website that it gave $520,519 each to Save the Children and Partners in Health. 7

The Foundation gave over two dozen organizations exactly $27,654 each, earmarked as “operating funds.” These recipients included Against Malaria Foundation, Planned Parenthood Federation, Uplift, US Association of UNHCR, Earthjustice, the Good Food Institute, Trevor Project, Give Directly, Ocean Cleanup North Pacific Foundation, Clean Air Task Force, Ecology Project International, Prison Book Program, Feeding America, Fund for the City of New York, Givewell Maximum Impact Fund, Social Good Fund, the Equal Justice Initiative, the Humane League, Trans Lifeline, Trees for the Future, United Mitochondrial Disease, and Wild Animal Initiative. 8

In 2020, the Foundation raised $61,354, spent $785,011, and ended the year with $77,466 in net assets. 9

In 2021, the Foundation raised $1,683,464, spent $1,698,596, and ended the year with $62,334 in net assets. 10

Leadership

The Foundation was founded and is run by Hank and John Green. 11 In 2021, John Green was listed as the principal officer of the organization. 12 As of 2023, the board of directors was comprised of John Green, Hank Green, Benny Fine, Valerie Barr, Mike Green, Rosianna Halse Rojas, Marie Ann Fernandez-Silva, Taylor Behnke, and Angela Y. Lin. 13

References

  1. “Home.” Foundation to Decrease World Suck. Accessed March 25, 2023. https://fightworldsuck.org/.
  2. “About Hank and John Green.” HankandJohn.com. Accessed March 25, 2023. https://www.hankandjohn.com/who-we-are/.
  3. “Home.” Foundation to Decrease World Suck. Accessed March 25, 2023. https://fightworldsuck.org/.
  4. “Home.” Foundation to Decrease World Suck. Accessed March 25, 2023. https://fightworldsuck.org/.
  5.  “Project for Awesome.” John Green Books. Accessed March 25, 2023. https://www.johngreenbooks.com/project-for-awesome.
  6. “Home.” Foundation to Decrease World Suck. Accessed March 25, 2023. https://fightworldsuck.org/.
  7. “Documents.” Foundation to Decrease World Suck. Accessed March 25, 2023. https://fightworldsuck.org/#Documents.
  8. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Foundation to Decrease World Suck. 2021. Schedule I, Part II – Grants and Other Assistance to Domestic Organizations and Domestic Governments.
  9. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Foundation to Decrease World Suck. 2020. Part I, lines 12, 18, 22.
  10. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Foundation to Decrease World Suck. 2021. Part I, lines 12, 18, 22.
  11. “About Hank and John Green.” HankandJohn.com. Accessed March 25, 2023. https://www.hankandjohn.com/who-we-are/.
  12. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Foundation to Decrease World Suck. 2021. Section F.
  13. “About.” Foundation to Decrease World Suck. Accessed March 25, 2023. https://fightworldsuck.org/.
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: January 1, 2013

  • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2020 Dec Form 990 $61,354 $785,011 $77,466 $0 N $107,371 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2019 Dec Form 990 $875,523 $904,288 $801,123 $0 N $880,854 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2018 Dec Form 990 $1,706,312 $1,076,524 $829,888 $0 N $1,736,172 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2017 Dec Form 990 $252,082 $1,022,296 $200,100 $0 N $324,624 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2016 Dec Form 990 $1,744,566 $1,099,906 $970,314 $0 N $1,811,285 $0 $0 $0
    2015 Dec Form 990 $1,245,340 $988,115 $325,654 $0 N $1,311,595 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990 $998,849 $976,557 $68,429 $0 N $998,342 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2013 Dec Form 990 $442,613 $421,482 $46,136 $0 N $435,628 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2012 Dec Form 990EZ $36,760 $77,062 $25,005 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF

    Foundation to Decrease World Suck

    PO Box 8147
    Missoula, MT 59807