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Charity Math
The 990 read · EIN 22-3419667 · NY · Fiscal year 2024

Vital Strategies

Vital Strategies Inc: CEO salary, finances and where donations go

In its own words

“At Vital Strategies, we're reimagining public health, working for a world where everyone, everywhere is protected by equitable and effective public health systems.”

Data only Figures straight from the filing, screened by our rules. Not yet reviewed in depth by a CPA.

Methodology by Amir Arani, CPA, CA · Updated

Top pay
$641K Jose Luis Castro, 0.6% of spending
Revenue
$132.4M 98.8% from donations and grants
Spent
$109.3M 87.5% on programs, as reported
Net assets
$90.9M end of 2024
Savings
10.0 months of spending, net assets ÷ spending
People
208 employees, 14 volunteers
Form 990 (2024), Parts I, VII, IX, X
01 · Red flags

No red flags in its latest filing.

We screen every filing against twelve rules. A flag is a prompt for a closer look, not a finding of wrongdoing.

No reported asset diversions, no insider transactions, no fundraisers keeping most of the money, and the governance policies we check for are in place.

02 · Where $1 goes · 2024

Of each dollar it spent, 87.5¢ went to programs, as reported.

The split the charity filed.
87.5¢
Programs, $95.6M
1.9¢
Fundraising, $2.1M
10.6¢
Admin, $11.6M
Form 990 (2024), Part IX, line 25
Cost to raise $1
2¢
as reported

For each dollar donated, Vital Strategies spent 2¢ on fundraising.

Fundraising ÷ $130.9M contributions · Form 990 Parts VIII, IX
03 · What it does

What it told the IRS it spent on.

The charity's own description of its largest programs, with what each cost.

Program 1 · 19.1% of program spending · $7.5M in grants $18.3M

Opioid overdose prevention program: Vital strategies continued its work as part of the opioid overdose prevention program in 2024, helping to implement 28 legislative, regulatory, administrative action and protocol changes in four of our seven focus states, distributed more than 1.8m naloxone kits through state-run naloxone portals, launched nine state and national media campaigns and developed 12 toolkits and technical guidance products since inception. Specific 2024 achievements across our seven focus states are as follows: - kentucky: - naloxone access - helped kentucky launch their new…

Program 2 · 17.9% of program spending · $6.7M in grants $17.1M

Tobacco control programs: Vital strategies achieved the following accomplishments as part of the initiative to reduce tobacco use in 2024: - in 2024, the vital strategies tobacco control division contributed to policy development, capacity building and sustainability efforts across the 10 initiative priority countries, and several non-priority countries. In addition, significant work continued and grew under the global implementation program, the tobacco industry interference grants program and the global cessation program. - in 2024, vital tcd launched alongside rounds 35 and 36 of the bi…

Program 3 · 40.4% of program spending · $18.3M in grants $38.7M

Other programs include road safety, partnership for healthy cities, obesity prevention & food policy, reset alcohol, and more.

Form 990 (2024), Part III
04 · The savings

Net assets: $2.0M to $90.9M in 11 years.

Net assets at each fiscal year end, 2013 to 2024.

Net assets at year end, $ millions
2
10
55
25
122
84
187
209
158
109
68
91
Form 990 history via ProPublicaForm 990 (2024)
05 · Who gets paid

The 8 highest-paid people.

Reportable pay in 2024, from the charity and related organizations.

Jose Luis Castro
President & CEO Thru Jun 2024
$641,161
Wallace D'souza Interim CEO
Thru Sep 2024, Cfao
$390,373
Adam Karpati
SVP Public Health Programs
$347,090
Daniel Kass
SVP Environmental Health
$298,406
Andrew Rendeiro SVP Chief
Strategy Officer (thru Aug 2024)
$293,857
Sandra Mullin
SVP Pac
$291,956
Barrett Prinz
General Counsel
$265,200
Philip Setel
VP & Director, Crvs
$260,911
Form 990 (2024), Part VII, Section A
Largest outside contractors
ContractorServicePaid
Community Media TrustMass media campaign services$1,945,000
The Gallup OrganizationOpinion research services$1,585,810
Safeguard GlobalEmployer of record services$1,157,342
University College LondonStream tb trial management services$1,003,009
Mine23 LLCWebsite management services$824,700
Form 990 (2024), Part VII, Section B
06 · Questions

The questions people ask about the Vital Strategies.

Short, sourced answers. Each one stands on its own.

How much does the Vital Strategies CEO make?

Jose Luis Castro, President & CEO Thru Jun 2024, received $641,161 in reportable compensation in 2024, 0.6% of Vital Strategies' $109.3M in spending.

Form 990 (2024), Part VII

What percentage of Vital Strategies donations go to programs?

Vital Strategies reported 87.5% of 2024 spending as programs, 1.9% as fundraising and 10.6% as management.

Form 990 (2024), Part IX

How much money does Vital Strategies have?

Net assets were $90.9M at the end of 2024, about 10.0 months of spending.

Form 990 (2024), Part X

Does Vital Strategies have any red flags in its filing?

Its latest Form 990 triggered none of our twelve screening rules, which cover reported asset diversions, insider transactions, fundraiser costs, governance policies and spending patterns.

Form 990 (2024)
07 · Sources and citing

Every number, traced.

  1. Vital Strategies Form 990, 2024 (IRS e-file)
  2. Vital Strategies Form 990 history (ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer)
Cite this page

Amir Arani, “Vital Strategies: CEO salary, finances and where your dollar goes,” Charity Math, updated 2026-11-07. https://charitymath.com/charities/vital-strategies/