Is it real?
Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Sep 1989.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File
Where the money goes
71 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.
Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.
Something off? Claim to add context
Who runs it and what they're paid
10 people listed on the 990; $891K paid to officers and key staff.
Kathryn Dineen’s $327K as President & CEO is at the 89th percentile of top reported officer pay among 2832 $1–10M community development 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 · 8 named individuals · Part VII
| Name | FY2025 | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | FY2021 | FY2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Dimino | — | — | $423,072 | $453,006 | $422,156 | $410,168 |
| Kathryn Dineen | $327,207 | $309,102 | $257,506 | $198,065 | $172,509 | $156,455 |
| Thomas Ryan | $140,313 | $112,981 | $107,797 | $104,049 | $106,694 | $104,654 |
| Richard a Dimino | — | $134,857 | — | — | — | — |
| Elizabeth Sullivan | $124,640 | $122,057 | $115,659 | $114,976 | $111,105 | $117,556 |
| Scott Mullen | $120,316 | $117,802 | $112,020 | $109,066 | $111,510 | — |
| Yve Torrie | $119,057 | $116,142 | $110,060 | $105,390 | — | — |
| Thomas Nally | $116,755 | $114,444 | $108,594 | $104,515 | $104,936 | — |
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.
See A Better City INC executive salaries →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
Unites business leaders to improve the Boston region's economic health, sustainability, and quality of life through research, policy advocacy, and collaborative programs.
Questions for A Better City INC
Your first name shows with your question. A Better City INC answers here, for everyone.
Transportation & Infrastructure
A better city completed further refinement of an at-grade alternative for replacement of the I-90 viaduct and redesign of rail, pedestrian and bicycle facilities adjacent to the allston interchange. A better city also managed the seaport leadership group (SLG) in south boston.
Environment & Energy
Through research, policy, programming and education, we work with members to give voice to the business community on energy and environment issues. Our policy work is based on an approved energy & environment policy agenda, allowing us to advocate at a city and state level, and with utilities.
Land Use & Development
A better city is managing the greenway business improvement district (bid), only the 2ND bid in boston and 6TH active bid in the commonwealth of massachusetts. The greenway bid establishes a long-term sustainable funding structure for the rose kennedy greenway that will protect and enhance the park for years to come.
Funders
Who pays for it.
From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.
Grants
By the numbers
The FY2020 990, line by line.
Download 990
| Line | Start FY20 | End FY20 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and savingsLn 1–2 | $1.7M | $1.5M |
| InvestmentsLn 11–13 | $303K | $365K |
| Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c | $24K | $12K |
| Total assetsLn 16 | $2.1M | $2.2M |
| LiabilitiesLn 26 | $1.1M | $1.3M |
| Net assetsLn 32 | $1.0M | $903K |
| Line | Total | Programs | Management | Fundraising |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5 | $515K | $283K | $232K | |
| Other salaries and wagesLn 7 | $1.0M | $882K | $163K | |
| Pension plan contributionsLn 8 | $19K | $15K | $4K | |
| Other employee benefitsLn 9 | $61K | $50K | $11K | |
| Payroll taxesLn 10 | $84K | $65K | $20K | |
| Accounting feesLn 11c | $138K | $138K | ||
| Other fees for servicesLn 11g | $151K | $115K | $36K | |
| Office expensesLn 13 | $7K | $6K | $2K | |
| OccupancyLn 16 | $167K | $127K | $40K | |
| TravelLn 17 | $6K | $51 | $6K | |
| Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22 | $13K | $9K | $4K | |
| Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24 | $143K | $102K | $41K | |
| All other expensesLn 24e | −$3K | $10K | −$13K | |
| Total functional expensesLn 25 | $2.3M | $1.7M | $683K | $0 |
Filing history
| Year | Money in | Money out | In minus out | Net assets | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 LatestFiled with the IRS Jul 14, 2026 | $2.6M | $2.4M | $171K | $1.2M | 990 PDF |
| FY2024Filed with the IRS Jul 23, 2025 | $2.4M | $2.5M | −$17K | $989K | 990 PDF |
| FY2023Filed with the IRS Aug 19, 2024 | $2.5M | $2.5M | −$2K | $987K | 990 PDF |
| FY2022Filed with the IRS Aug 8, 2023 | $2.5M | $2.6M | −$97K | $989K | 990 PDF |
| FY2021Filed with the IRS May 11, 2022 | $2.5M | $2.4M | $162K | $1.1M | 990 PDF |
| FY2020 ViewingFiled with the IRS May 12, 2021 | $2.2M | $2.3M | −$134K | $903K | 990 PDF |
Schedules filed Part IV
See the full FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $2,211,439 revenue, 12 lines filed
Part VI · Governance 125 of 126 board members independent, no flags
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $2,211,439 across 5 lines filed
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,345,830 across 13 lines filed
Part X · Balance sheet $2,160,014 assets, 15 lines filed
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $903,299 net assets at year end
Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File
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