Federation for Children with Special Needs INC

Tax-deductible

Boston, MA501(c)(3)Since 1974Health CareEIN 04-2557572Revenue $7.4M in FY2025

On file with the IRSfcsn.org529 Main Street, 02129-1125 · Boston, MATax-exempt since Jul 1975Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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The mission of the Federation for Children with Special Needs is to empower families, engage diverse communities, and eliminate barriers to improve life outcomes for all Children.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
84¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 760 volunteers and 86 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $529K a year · 9% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
84%
of spending
Looks good: 84% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$251K
to officers and key staff · 4% of spending
Top officer’s pay lower than 59% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 4% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Worth a look: 0.9 months of spending in cash; under 1.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
3
named funders · $41K
Looks good: 3 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$1.2M
22% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 22% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
18
of 18 voting members
Looks good: 18 of 18 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$7.4M
-14% vs prior year
Spent
$7.0M
To programs
84%
Net assets
$4.2M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$7.4M
FY2025▼ -14%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$4.3M
FY2021$5.3M
FY2022$5.0M
FY2023$5.5M
FY2024$8.6M
FY2025$7.4M
Expenses
$7.0M
FY2025▲ +12%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$4.4M
FY2021$4.6M
FY2022$4.9M
FY2023$5.6M
FY2024$6.3M
FY2025$7.0M
Net assets
$4.2M
FY2025▲ +14%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$806K
FY2021$1.4M
FY2022$1.5M
FY2023$1.4M
FY2024$3.7M
FY2025$4.2M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending October 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jul 1975.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

84 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 84% · $5.9M Management & general 12% · $842K Fundraising 4% · $282K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

23 people listed on the 990; $251K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Associate Director
$129,628Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Director
$120,386Pt VII · Sec A
$625Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director (since 7/1/25)
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Darla Gundler’s $130K as Associate Director is at the 41st percentile of top reported officer pay among 3128 $1–10M health care nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 6 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Pamela Nourse$120,386$119,132$120,544$118,150$131,808$131,808
Darla Gundler$129,628$123,486$100,800———
Jacqueline Koelsch———$86,689——
Nopalzin Torres——$26,264———
Elizabeth Bostic——$875———
Joseph Petner$625$625$625———

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Empowering parents of children with disabilities to partner with schools for their children's success.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $5.9M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

FCSN provides information and referrals, education and training to families with children with disabilities and the professionals who serve them. We work with partner organizations to develop and disseminate best practices on family engagement.

$5.9Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 3 funders$41K
See all 3 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$7.4M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$6.5M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$814K
Investment incomeLn 3$74K
Money outPt IX
$7.0M
Ln 25
Programscol B$5.9M
Managementcol C$842K
Fundraisingcol D$282K
Owns and owesPt X
$4.2M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$541K
Total assetsLn 16$5.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.2M
PeoplePt VI, VII
23
listed · VII A
PaidVII A3
Voting boardVI 1a18
IndependentVI 1b18
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$6.5M
Government grantsLn 1e$5.4M
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$247K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$814K
Investment incomeLn 3$74K
Total revenueLn 12$7.4M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$125K
SavingsLn 2$416K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$541K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$2.7M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$14K
Other assetsLn 15$675K
Total assetsLn 16$5.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.2M
Net assetsLn 32$4.2M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 586
VolunteersI 6760
Fiscal year endsHeaderOctober
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$3.7M$541K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$2.7M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$19K$14K
Total assetsLn 16$5.7M$5.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.0M$1.2M
Net assetsLn 32$3.7M$4.2M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$164K$35K$129K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$3.1M$2.9M$84K$133K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$20K$18K$1K$808
Other employee benefitsLn 9$632K$581K$25K$26K
Payroll taxesLn 10$283K$254K$17K$11K
Legal feesLn 11b$27K$190$27K
Accounting feesLn 11c$223K$223K
Investment management feesLn 11f$15K$15K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$963K$704K$227K$31K
Office expensesLn 13$88K$59K$14K$16K
Information technologyLn 14$83K$64K$16K$3K
OccupancyLn 16$256K$224K$20K$12K
TravelLn 17$360K$356K$4K$196
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$29K$29K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$5K$5K
InsuranceLn 23$13K$13K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$672K$620K$20K$33K
All other expensesLn 24e$31K$10K$4K$16K
Total functional expensesLn 25$7.0M$5.9M$842K$282K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $7.4M$7.0M$381K$4.2M 990 PDF
FY2024 $8.6M$6.3M$2.3M$3.7M 990 PDF
FY2023 $5.5M$5.6M−$119K$1.4M 990 PDF
FY2022 $5.0M$4.9M$68K$1.5M 990 PDF
FY2021 $5.3M$4.6M$642K$1.4M 990 PDF
FY2020 $4.3M$4.4M−$95K$806K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $7,369,538 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $7,621,304$6,504,716
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $889,504$814,159
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $70,927$74,475
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$25,667−$23,812
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $8,556,068$7,369,538
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $3,984,345$4,225,540
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $2,274,445$2,762,713
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $6,258,790$6,988,253
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $2,297,278$381,285
Part VI · Governance 18 of 18 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body18
VI-1b Independent voting members18
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $7,369,538 across 9 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$246,913
VIII-1e Government grants$5,365,835
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$891,968
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$6,504,716
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $814,159$814,159
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $74,475$74,475
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$27,103−$27,103
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $3,291$3,291
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $814,159 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $50,663$7,369,538
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $6,988,253 across 18 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $34,743 · Management $128,819$163,562
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $2,910,580 · Management $83,500 · Fundraising $132,756$3,126,836
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $17,949 · Management $1,210 · Fundraising $808$19,967
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $580,912 · Management $25,274 · Fundraising $25,982$632,168
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $254,409 · Management $17,144 · Fundraising $11,454$283,007
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $190 · Management $27,041$27,231
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $222,519$222,519
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $15,045$15,045
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $704,471 · Management $227,442 · Fundraising $30,835$962,748
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $58,998 · Management $13,618 · Fundraising $15,628$88,244
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $64,043 · Management $15,837 · Fundraising $2,663$82,543
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $223,654 · Management $19,945 · Fundraising $11,927$255,526
IX-17 TravelPrograms $356,000 · Management $3,518 · Fundraising $196$359,714
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $28,837$28,837
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $4,944$4,944
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $12,737$12,737
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $619,591 · Management $19,563 · Fundraising $32,867$672,021
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $10,277 · Management $3,880 · Fundraising $16,447$30,604
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $5,864,654 · Management $842,036 · Fundraising $281,563$6,988,253
Part X · Balance sheet $5,394,943 assets, 16 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $616,508$125,236
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $3,042,151$415,596
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $1,018,291$1,377,132
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $80,597$105,054
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $19,208$14,264
X-11 Publicly traded securities$2,682,999
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $878,172$674,662
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $5,654,927$5,394,943
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $423,767$419,441
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $62,372$69,365
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $1,475,065$684,076
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,961,204$1,172,882
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $3,606,887$4,122,673
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $86,836$99,388
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $3,693,723$4,222,061
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $5,654,927$5,394,943
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $4,222,061 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$7,369,538
XI-2 Total expenses$6,988,253
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$381,285
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$3,693,723
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$147,053
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$4,222,061

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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