Smartmeme DBA Center for Story-based Strategy

EIN: 201897585 501(c)(3) Education

Los Angeles, CA

Total Revenue
$2,017,745
Total Expenses
$2,878,224
Total Assets
$4,177,120
Net Assets
$3,943,203
🔒

Financial Vulnerability Assessment (Tuckman-Chang)

4 risk indicators measuring financial stability and operational resilience

Sign in with your work email to view Tuckman-Chang indicators

Sign In — Free (10 views/day)

Financial Trends

Organization Details

Formation Year
2004
Legal Domicile
VT
Principal Officer
Angus Maguire
Phone
4752420002
Tax Period
2024-08-01 to 2025-07-31

Smartmeme DBA Center for Story-based Strategy, founded in 2004, is a community nonprofit in the Education sector that reported $2.0M in total revenue in fiscal year 2024. Revenue fell 52% from the prior year — a significant decline worth monitoring. Expenses of $2.9M exceeded revenue, resulting in a 43% operating deficit.

Mission

SMARTMEME INC. DBA CENTER FOR STORY-BASED STRATEGY ("CSS") IS A NATIONAL STRATEGY CENTER DEDICATED TO HARNESSING THE POWER OF NARRATIVE FOR MOVEMENT BUILDING AND SOCIAL CHANGE. CSS PROVIDES SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND ECOLOGICAL JUSTICE LEADERS, ORGANIZATIONS AND ALLIANCES THE STRATEGIC SUPPORT TO REFRAME ISSUES AND WIN CRITICAL CAMPAIGNS. WE USE STORY-BASED APPROACHES TO AMPLIFY THE IMPACT OF GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING, TO COMMUNICATE TRANSFORMATIVE POSSIBILITIES AND TO RE-IMAGINE SOCIAL CHANGE STRATEGY. THROUGH TRAINING AND CONSULTING, WEVE SUPPORTED OVER 300 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND 6,000 INDIVIDUAL CHANGE AGENTS.

Program Service Accomplishments

Program 1
Expenses: $2,476,917 Revenue: $56,474

Public Trainings: CSS hosted multiple introductory training sessions to equip organizations with Story-Based Strategy (SBS) methods and support them in building long-term capacity for narrative...

Read more

Public Trainings: CSS hosted multiple introductory training sessions to equip organizations with Story-Based Strategy (SBS) methods and support them in building long-term capacity for narrative strategy. Additionally, CSS planned a four-day, in-person training session, set for October 2025, bringing together 30 participants from different organizations.

Program 2

Partnerships: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: CSS brought together a one-year cohort alongside Frameworks to shift mindsets around care while addressing individualism and deservingness. The cohort...

Read more

Partnerships: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: CSS brought together a one-year cohort alongside Frameworks to shift mindsets around care while addressing individualism and deservingness. The cohort also aimed to convene collaborative learning spaces throughout the year to foster co-creation, relationship-building, and shared learning across six different organizations and build their capacity for narrative strategy.

Program 3

Partnerships: Healthy & Safe Schools: In the second year of a two-year initiative, CSS implemented a structured, multi-phase framework designed to support a cohort of organizations in the adoption...

Read more

Partnerships: Healthy & Safe Schools: In the second year of a two-year initiative, CSS implemented a structured, multi-phase framework designed to support a cohort of organizations in the adoption and application of SBS methodologies. This initiative facilitated the development of a cohesive meta-narrative and integrated long-term communication strategies to strengthen campaign effectiveness and advance community capacity of participating organizations working to promote and grow healthy schools.

🔒

Trantor Score

Financial Health Score (300–850) · Liquidity · Solvency · Sustainability · Efficiency

Sign in to view Trantor Score and financial metrics

Liquidity (40%) • Solvency (30%) • Sustainability (20%) • Efficiency (10%)

Sign In — Free (10 views/day)

Financial Overview (2024)

Revenue Breakdown

Contributions & Grants $1,929,476
Program Service Revenue $56,474
Investment Income $21,183
Other Revenue $10,612
TOTAL REVENUE $2,017,745

Expense Breakdown

Grants Paid $662,949
Salaries & Benefits $1,176,525
Fundraising Expenses $100,554
Program Expenses $2,476,917
Other Expenses $1,038,750
TOTAL EXPENSES $2,878,224

Year-over-Year Comparison

2024 2023 Change
Revenue $2,017,745 $4,218,156 -0.5%
Expenses $2,878,224 $2,036,399 +0.4%
Net Income $-860,479 $2,181,757 -1.4%
Key Indicators
Grants to Organizations Grants to Individuals Lobbying Political Activity Foreign Activities Donor Advised Fund Schedule B Required
🔒

Financial Health Indicators

Comprehensive financial analysis: Altman Z-Score, liquidity, solvency, sustainability, efficiency, and growth metrics

Financial Distress Indicator

Liquidity & Cash Position

Sign in to view all financial metrics

Altman Z-Score • Liquidity Ratios • Solvency Analysis • Growth Indicators • Efficiency Metrics

Sign In

Governance

Voting Members
6
Independent Members
6
Employees
12
Volunteers
N/A

Governance Policies

Conflict of Interest Policy
Whistleblower Policy
Document Retention Policy

Special Practices & Reported Activities

Operated a School
Operated a Hospital
Provided First Class Travel
Reported Conflict of Interest
Reported Asset Diversion
Excess Benefit Transaction
Made Political Expenditures
Engaged in Lobbying
Operated Donor Advised Fund
Maintained Art Collections
Filed Form 720

Compensation of Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Total Officers
6
$244,715
Total Directors
6
$41,700
Key Employees
0
$0
Highest Compensated
0
reported
Name Title Hours/Week Role Reportable Comp Other Comp Total
Nayantara Sen Executive Dir. 32.00
Officer
$155,929 $0 $155,929
Reuben Tihi Hayslett Interim ED 2.00
Officer
$47,086 $0 $47,086
Jamila Brown Vice President 2.00
Officer Director
$41,700 $0 $41,700
Angus Maguire President 2.00
Officer Director
$0 $0 $0
Seng So Secretary 2.00
Officer Director
$0 $0 $0
Iva Torres Treasurer 2.00
Officer Director
$0 $0 $0
Kedar Reddy Board Member 2.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Rachel Weidinger Board Member 2.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Note: Compensation data is self-reported by the organization on their Form 990. "Reportable Comp" includes salary, bonuses, and other reportable compensation from the organization and related organizations. "Other Comp" includes benefits, deferred compensation, and non-taxable benefits.

Historical Data

Year Revenue Expenses Assets Net Income
2025 $2,017,745 $2,878,224 $4,177,120 $-860,479
2024 $4,218,156 $2,036,399 $5,309,193 $2,181,757
2023 $1,678,377 $1,598,407 $3,119,879 $79,970
2022 $1,968,605 $1,368,806 $2,961,906 $599,799
2021 $1,981,299 $1,295,608 $2,683,742 $685,691
2020 $1,843,727 $1,239,359 $1,842,700 $604,368
2019 $1,121,149 $1,195,366 $983,527 $-74,217
2018 $1,095,990 $1,067,567 $987,000 $28,423
Explore More Nonprofits
Top 100 Nonprofits in California Largest U.S. Nonprofits Best Rated Nonprofits Most Efficient Nonprofits

Compare Smartmeme DBA Center for Story-based Strategy with other nonprofits in California and across the country.