From the Top INC EIN 04-3583756 Form 990 (PDF) Claim this org

From the Top INC

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Empowers and celebrates young musicians through performance and education. For fiscal year 2024 it reported $1.9M in revenue, $2.3M in expenses, and $2.0M in net assets.Pt I

Founded
2002
Type
Public charity (501(c)(3)) · Arts & Culture
Location
Boston, MA
Website
fromthetop.org
Filings
5 on file (2020–2024)
Revenue
$1.9MFY2024
Expenses
$2.3M
Net assets
$2.0M
People
16
Filings
5
Updates
0
More identity details & actions ⌄
EIN  04-3583756 Public charity (501(c)(3)) Boston, MA Founded 2002
Form 990 (PDF)
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Figures match the IRS filing checked 9/11/26 · see original: IRS
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Size
$1–10M
What they do
Empowers and celebrates young musicians through performance and education.
Leadership
Gretchen Nielsen · Executive Di · $281K
Money in and out
$1.9M revenue, $2.3M expenses
Bottom line
64% program efficiency
Where the money goes · FY2024
Total revenue
$1.9M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$2.3M
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$2.0M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expenses (Pt I · Ln 19): −$423K
Where spending went · Part IX cols B–D
Program services $0.64 Management & general $0.20 Fundraising $0.16
Program efficiency
64%
of spending reaches programs▼ -2% vs prior filing year
Operating runway
10.9mo
months of highly liquid reserves at operating expense rate▼ -25% vs prior filing year
Surplus margin
-23%
revenue over expenses, this year▲ +25% vs prior filing year

Summary of the Filing

Part I · fiscal year 2024 · Form 990
Revenue
$1.9M
FY2024▲ +20%
Expenses
$2.3M
FY2024▲ +13%
Total assets
$2.2M
FY2024▼ -15%
Total liabilities
$184K
FY2024▲ +14%
Total revenue
$1.9M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$2.3M
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$2.0M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expensesPt I · Ln 19−$423K
Total assetsPt X · Ln 16$2.2M
Program-expense ratioPt IX · col B64%
Voting members of governing bodyPt I · Ln 314
Independent voting membersPt I · Ln 414

Identity & Classification

Form 990 Header · IRS Business Master File
Legal nameHdr · item CFrom the Top INC
EINHdr · item D04-3583756
Principal addressHdr · item CBoston, MA
WebsiteHdr · item Jfromthetop.org
Year of formationHdr · item L2002
State of legal domicileHdr · item MMA
Exempt statusHdr · item I501(c)(3) · active
NTEE classificationIRS BMFArts & Culture (A30)
Ruling yearIRS BMFJul 2002

Governance & Policies

Part VI
Voting members of the governing bodyPt VI · Ln 1a14
Independent voting membersPt VI · Ln 1b14
Conflict-of-interest policyPt VI · Ln 12aYes
Whistleblower policyPt VI · Ln 13Yes
Document retention policyPt VI · Ln 14Yes
CEO/top-official compensation independently reviewedPt VI · Ln 15aNo
Family or business relationships among officers/directorsPt VI · Ln 2No

Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Di
$281,400Pt VII · Sec A
Dir of Produ
$125,367Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Gretchen Nielsen’s $281K as Executive Di is at the 96th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3916 $1–10M arts & culture 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

NameFY2024FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Gretchen Nielsen$281,400$199,694$196,662$226,894
Gretchen S Nielsen$169,902$179,811
Emily Borababy$132,900
Megan Swan Droke$125,367$108,677
David Balsom$120,771
Timothy Banker$100,643$107,507$106,202$114,920
Dianne Collazo$81,904$107,338$112,779
Mary Deissler$106,218$103,805

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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Mission & Programs · Part III

Where the work happens

3 program services account for $1.2M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2024.
01

For almost 25 years, from the top has been america's largest media platform dedicated to featuring classically-trained young musicians. Through its nationally syndicated show heard on nearly 200 radio stations, weekly audiences of more than 350,000 people enjoy inspiring original content that shines a spotlight on remarkable young people.

$596Kprogram expense
02

The admissions, recruitment, and scholarship department is the engine that fuels from the top, bringing young musicians of different ages, geographic regions, socio-economic, and racial backgrounds into the organization.

$477Kprogram expense
03

Over the past decade, from the top has recognized the power in providing a space for young musicians to slow down, reflect and build leadership skills and "citizen artist" muscles. Through a month of online workshops and facilitated peer exchange, these young artists examine their passions, what skills they have in and out of music, and…

$121Kprogram expense

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Statement of Revenue

Part VIII
Contributions & grants$1.4M · 75%
Program service revenue$346K · 18%
Investment income$100K · 5%
Other revenue$17K · 1%
Contributions & grants75%$1.4M
Program service revenue18%$346K
Investment income5%$100K
Other revenue1%$17K
— government grantsLn 1e$147K
Total revenueLn 12$1.9M

Statement of Functional Expenses

Part IX · allocated across program, management, and fundraising
Allocation · columns B–D
Program services $0.64 Management & general $0.20 Fundraising $0.16
Program services64%$1.5M
Management & general20%$452K
Fundraising16%$363K
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.3M

Balance Sheet

Part X · end of year
CashLn 1$2.1M
Total assetsLn 16$2.2M
Total liabilitiesLn 26$184K
Total net assetsLn 32$2.0M
Months of cash on handcomputed10.9

Financial Metrics

Form 990 · FY2024 · each ratio shown with the dollars behind it
Liquidity & Payout
Operating runway
Highly liquid reserves $2.1M · Operating expenses (Pt IX) $2.3M · Less non-cash grants $2K · Cash operating expenses/yr $2.3M
10.9 months
Where the money goes
Program services
Program services $1.5M · Total expenses $2.3M
64%
Management & General
Management & general $452K · Total expenses $2.3M
20%
Fundraising
Fundraising $363K · Total expenses $2.3M
16%
Cost to raise $1
Fundraising expense (3-yr avg) $357K · Solicited contributions (3-yr avg) $1.3M
$0.28 to raise $1 (3-yr avg)
Where the money comes from
Contribution dependence
Contributions & grants $1.4M · Total revenue $1.9M
75%
Government reliance
Government grants $147K · Total revenue $1.9M
8%
Earned-income share
Program service revenue $346K · Total revenue $1.9M
18%
Investment reliance
Investment income $100K · Total revenue $1.9M
+5%
Program self-sufficiency
Program service revenue $346K · Total expenses $2.3M
15%
Growth & trend
Revenue growth (YoY)
This year $1.9M · Prior year $1.6M
+20%
Revenue CAGR
FY2019 $2.8M · FY2024 $1.9M
-8%
Net-asset trend (YoY)
End of year $2.0M · Beginning of year —
Beginning net assets not meaningfully positive — showing dollar change
Balance sheet
Surplus Margin
Revenue $1.9M · Expenses $2.3M
-23%
Liabilities-to-Assets
Total liabilities — · Total assets $2.2M
Net-asset ratio
Net assets $2.0M · Total assets $2.2M
92%
Marketable Investment Share
Publicly traded securities (Pt X, ln 11) $13K · Other securities (Pt X, ln 12) — · Total assets (Pt X, ln 16) $2.2M
0.6%
People & payroll
Highest Reported Total Compensation
Individual Gretchen Nielsen · Reported title EXECUTIVE DI · Highest reported compensation $281K · Total expenses $2.3M
12%
Personnel share
Salaries, benefits & payroll (Pt IX 5-10) $1.2M · Total expenses $2.3M
52%
Peer comparison

Same NTEE category, revenue band, and state where available. Descriptive — not a grade.

MetricThis orgPeer medianPercentile
Program ratio 64%
Overhead ratio 20%
Fundraising cost ratio 26%
Revenue growth 20%

Straight from the Form 990 — descriptive, not an evaluation. A ratio is hidden when its base is zero or too small to be meaningful; the dollars are always shown.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
See all 23 funders →
Grants paid · 6 grants · $1.2M · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$216,508
Unitemized GrantFY2023$184,901
Unitemized GrantFY2022$254,964
Unitemized GrantFY2021$228,872
Unitemized GrantFY2020$202,427
Unitemized GrantFY2019$161,852

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Filings & Schedule Manifest

Part IV
III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
FY2024$1.6M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2023$2.3M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2022$3.8M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2021$2.2M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2020$2.8M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF

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Sources

Every figure above is drawn from these filings
Form 990 e-file (XML) · FY2024IRS
Classification, formation year, addressIRS Business Master File
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