Breakthrough Greater Boston INC

Tax-deductible

Cambridge, MA501(c)(3)Since 1996EducationEIN 04-3307783Revenue $2.8M in FY2025

On file with the IRSbreakthroughgreaterboston.orgPo Box 381486, 02238-1486 · Cambridge, MATax-exempt since Jun 1997Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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To inspire excitement for learning, create paths to and through college, and promote careers in education.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
70¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 50 volunteers and 194 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 $225K a year · 6% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
70%
of spending
Fine: 70% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$890K
to officers and key staff · 21% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 72% of similar orgs
Worth a look: pay to officers and key staff is 21% of spending; over 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
8 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 7.7 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $60K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$338K
5% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 5% 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
$2.8M
-7% vs prior year
Spent
$4.3M
To programs
70%
Net assets
$6.6M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$2.8M
FY2025▼ -7%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$2.3M
FY2021$3.6M
FY2022$5.3M
FY2023$4.3M
FY2024$3.0M
FY2025$2.8M
Expenses
$4.3M
FY2025▲ +3%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$2.2M
FY2021$2.5M
FY2022$3.0M
FY2023$3.9M
FY2024$4.1M
FY2025$4.3M
Net assets
$6.6M
FY2025▼ -18%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$5.1M
FY2021$6.2M
FY2022$8.5M
FY2023$9.1M
FY2024$8.1M
FY2025$6.6M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending September 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 Jun 1997.

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

Where the money goes

70 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 70% · $3.0M Management & general 17% · $720K Fundraising 13% · $575K

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

31 people listed on the 990; $890K 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
Man. Dir of Ops/Co-Ed
$166,642Pt VII · Sec A
Managing Director of Development
$155,069Pt VII · Sec A
Co Executive Director
$122,437Pt VII · Sec A
SR. Director of Operations
$113,265Pt VII · Sec A
SR. Dir of High School Programs
$112,414Pt VII · Sec A
SR. Dir of Student Services
$111,350Pt VII · Sec A
SR. Dir of College Access
$109,056Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Jennifer Stange’s $167K as Man. Dir of Ops/Co-Ed is at the 72nd percentile of top reported officer pay among 3394 $1–10M education 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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Jennifer Stange$166,642$170,253$110,400$106,350——
Elissa Spelman—$165,992$150,000$150,000$140,027$136,703
Andrew Jackson$155,069—————
Oneda Horne$122,437—————
Emma Samler——$110,000$110,000$118,160—
Jennie Mcdonald-Brown——$110,400$110,100$115,730—
Paulina Murton——$115,000———
Angela Dipesa$111,350$114,490————

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

Inspire learning, create college paths, and promote education careers.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $3.0M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Breakthrough greater boston, inc. ("BTGB") works to improve educational equity by inspiring excitement for learning, creating paths to college, and promoting careers in education. BTGB stands apart from other college access programs in that they offer comprehensive academic support that intervenes early and continues for ten years.

$3.0Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$60K
Grants paid · 7 grants · $92K · 2022–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$21,575
Unitemized GrantFY2024$11,264
Unitemized GrantFY2024$2,000
Unitemized GrantFY2023$29,364
Unitemized GrantFY2023$5,000
Unitemized GrantFY2022$20,500
Unitemized GrantFY2022$2,000

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$2.8M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.5M
Investment incomeLn 3$312K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$102K
Money outPt IX
$4.3M
Ln 25
Programscol B$3.0M
Managementcol C$720K
Fundraisingcol D$575K
Owns and owesPt X
$6.6M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.7M
Total assetsLn 16$6.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$338K
PeoplePt VI, VII
31
listed · VII A
PaidVII A7
Voting boardVI 1a18
IndependentVI 1b18
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.5M
Government grantsLn 1e$102K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$262K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$57K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$102K
Investment incomeLn 3$312K
Gains on assetsLn 7−$28K
Total revenueLn 12$2.8M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$200K
SavingsLn 2$2.5M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$2.7M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$3.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$11K
Other assetsLn 15$137K
Total assetsLn 16$6.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$338K
Net assetsLn 32$6.6M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5194
VolunteersI 650
Fiscal year endsHeaderSeptember
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$1.9M$2.7M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$5.4M$3.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$16K$11K
Total assetsLn 16$8.6M$6.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$490K$338K
Net assetsLn 32$8.1M$6.6M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$35K$35K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$358K$233K$36K$89K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$2.2M$1.5M$342K$362K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$72K$56K$8K$8K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$170K$132K$18K$20K
Payroll taxesLn 10$232K$178K$24K$29K
Legal feesLn 11b$2K$2K
Accounting feesLn 11c$188K$188K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$19K$19K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$139K$121K$11K$6K
Office expensesLn 13$214K$153K$30K$31K
Information technologyLn 14$54K$43K$8K$3K
OccupancyLn 16$95K$71K$23K$1K
TravelLn 17$157K$157K$40$224
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$2K$2K$297$113
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$5K$5K
InsuranceLn 23$45K$39K$1K$5K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$280K$258K$21K$492
Total functional expensesLn 25$4.3M$3.0M$720K$575K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $2.8M$4.3M−$1.4M$6.6M 990 PDF
FY2024 $3.0M$4.1M−$1.1M$8.1M 990 PDF
FY2023 $4.3M$3.9M$419K$9.1M 990 PDF
FY2022 $5.3M$3.0M$2.3M$8.5M 990 PDF
FY2021 $3.6M$2.5M$1.1M$6.2M 990 PDF
FY2020 $2.3M$2.2M$37K$5.1M 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 $2,844,227 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,914,757$2,481,901
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $828,741$102,124
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $314,975$311,748
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$11,846−$51,546
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $3,046,627$2,844,227
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $34,364$34,839
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $2,986,158$3,039,674
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $25,507$19,000
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,101,769$1,181,345
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $4,147,798$4,274,858
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$1,101,171−$1,430,631
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 $2,844,227 across 10 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$57,137
VIII-1e Government grants$101,927
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$2,322,837
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$261,737
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$2,481,901
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $102,124$102,124
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $339,797$339,797
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax −$28,049−$28,049
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$51,546−$51,546
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $102,124 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $260,202$2,844,227
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $4,274,858 across 18 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $34,839$34,839
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $232,695 · Management $35,799 · Fundraising $89,498$357,992
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,503,303 · Management $342,469 · Fundraising $361,862$2,207,634
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $55,878 · Management $7,604 · Fundraising $8,346$71,828
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $132,478 · Management $18,033 · Fundraising $19,836$170,347
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $178,381 · Management $24,456 · Fundraising $29,036$231,873
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $2,159$2,159
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $188,278$188,278
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $19,000$19,000
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $121,489 · Management $11,015 · Fundraising $6,369$138,873
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $152,717 · Management $30,253 · Fundraising $30,964$213,934
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $42,625 · Management $8,444 · Fundraising $3,206$54,275
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $71,162 · Management $23,047 · Fundraising $1,111$95,320
IX-17 TravelPrograms $156,604 · Management $40 · Fundraising $224$156,868
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $1,500 · Management $297 · Fundraising $113$1,910
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $5,394$5,394
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $38,520 · Management $1,391 · Fundraising $4,885$44,796
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $257,664 · Management $21,382 · Fundraising $492$279,538
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,979,855 · Management $720,061 · Fundraising $574,942$4,274,858
Part X · Balance sheet $6,939,257 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $122,850$200,392
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $1,821,258$2,540,115
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $895,646$656,170
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $57,580$58,111
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $16,181$10,787
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $5,445,937$3,336,233
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $205,043$137,449
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $8,564,495$6,939,257
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $286,432$202,111
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $203,810$136,370
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $490,242$338,481
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $7,155,673$5,689,469
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $918,580$911,307
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $8,074,253$6,600,776
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $8,564,495$6,939,257
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $6,600,776 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$2,844,227
XI-2 Total expenses$4,274,858
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$1,430,631
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$8,074,253
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$42,846
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$6,600,776

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

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