Promoting sustainable economic growth and quality of place; educating the public on growth and development policy options.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
66¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$143K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2020 · 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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $15K a year · 2% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
66%
of spending
Fine: 66% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$143K
to officers and key staff · 23% of spending
Worth a look: pay to officers and key staff is 23% of spending; over 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.6 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $500
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$75K
67% of total assets
Worth a look: liabilities are 67% of assets; over 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
42
of 42 voting members
Looks good: 42 of 42 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$579K
Spent
$610K
To programs
66%
Net assets
$36K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$579K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$579K
FY2021$646K
FY2022$711K
FY2023$627K
FY2024$763K
Expenses
$610K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$610K
FY2021$575K
FY2022$734K
FY2023$703K
FY2024$630K
Net assets
$36K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$36K
FY2021$107K
FY2022$84K
FY2023$7K
FY2024$132K

From the FY2020 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Nov 1998.

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

Where the money goes

66 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 66% · $401K Management & general 13% · $78K Fundraising 21% · $131K

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

43 people listed on the 990; $143K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$142,806Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

J Scott Wolf’s $156K as Executive Director is at the 99th percentile of top reported officer pay among 2215 $100K–1M 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 · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
J Scott Wolf$156,041$133,749$144,895$150,469$142,806

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 Grow Smart Rhode Island executive salaries →

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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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Promotes sustainable growth and quality of place, educating the public on development policies.

Questions for Grow Smart Rhode Island

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Your first name shows with your question. Grow Smart Rhode Island answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $401K · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Outreach and COMMUNCATION1) grow smart ri continued its stepped up communications strategy for two overriding purposes a.) to support an expanded fundraising capacity, and b.) to increase grow smart's influence with targeted opinion leaders, decision makers and the PUBLIC.2) staff initially engaged the services of the jai communications…

$401Kprogram expense
02

Public policywe organized our policy and program work in 2020 under the goals discussed below:a) promoting an asset based and equitable economic development strategy for RI.SPECIFIC 2020 DELIVERABLES/OUTPUTS on this front have included: 1.AS a member of the north atlantic rail working group, grow smart ri helped to advance this…

Pt IX · col B
03

Educationin 2020, grow smart ri trained nearly 400 local officials and community stakeholders about a variety of smart growth techniques, including shaping stronger main streets, developing environmentally friendly municipal solar siting ordinances and doing effective outdoor winter place making.

Pt IX · col B

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 1 funder$500

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$579K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$454K
Other incomeLn 4–11$79K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$46K
Money outPt IX
$610K
Ln 25
Programscol B$401K
Managementcol C$78K
Fundraisingcol D$131K
Owns and owesPt X
$36K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$79K
Total assetsLn 16$112K
LiabilitiesLn 26$75K
PeoplePt VI, VII
43
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a42
IndependentVI 1b42
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$454K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$46K
Other incomeLn 4–11$79K
Total revenueLn 12$579K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$79K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$79K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$11K
Total assetsLn 16$112K
LiabilitiesLn 26$75K
Net assetsLn 32$36K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 57
VolunteersI 60
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$62K$79K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$802$11K
Total assetsLn 16$131K$112K
LiabilitiesLn 26$74K$75K
Net assetsLn 32$57K$36K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$397K$255K$42K$101K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$72K$56K$5K$12K
Payroll taxesLn 10$32K$20K$3K$8K
Accounting feesLn 11c$6K$6K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$40K$40K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$3K$3K
Office expensesLn 13$3K$892$2K$540
OccupancyLn 16$16K$16K
TravelLn 17$548$488$60
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$5K$4K$294
InterestLn 20$2K$2K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$802$802
InsuranceLn 23$2K$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$25K$8K$14K$3K
All other expensesLn 24e$5K$14K−$15K$7K
Total functional expensesLn 25$610K$401K$78K$131K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $763K$630K$133K$132K 990 PDF
FY2023 $627K$703K−$76K$7K 990 PDF
FY2022 $711K$734K−$23K$84K 990 PDF
FY2021 $646K$575K$70K$107K 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $579K$610K−$31K$36K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $578,566 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $456,363$453,504
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $140,095$45,900
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $3,161$79,162
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $599,619$578,566
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 $508,129$501,048
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $92,912$108,519
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $601,041$609,567
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$1,422−$31,001
Part VI · Governance 42 of 42 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body42
VI-1b Independent voting members42
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $578,566 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$453,504
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$453,504
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $45,900$45,900
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $79,162$79,162
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $125,062 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$578,566
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $609,567 across 15 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $254,651 · Management $41,707 · Fundraising $100,701$397,059
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $56,152 · Management $4,614 · Fundraising $11,606$72,372
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $20,266 · Management $3,344 · Fundraising $8,007$31,617
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $6,500$6,500
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $39,800$39,800
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $2,851$2,851
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $892 · Management $1,776 · Fundraising $540$3,208
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $15,945$15,945
IX-17 TravelPrograms $488 · Management $60$548
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $4,384 · Management $294$4,678
IX-20 InterestManagement $2,172$2,172
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $802$802
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $1,761$1,761
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $7,651 · Management $14,244 · Fundraising $3,362$25,257
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $13,583 · Management −$15,338 · Fundraising $6,752$4,997
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $400,718 · Management $77,881 · Fundraising $130,968$609,567
Part X · Balance sheet $111,631 assets, 11 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $61,605$78,740
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $60,592$14,318
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $7,880$8,020
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $802$10,553
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $130,879$111,631
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $30,989$40,227
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $74,136$75,336
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year −$10,757−$30,705
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $67,500$67,000
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $56,743$36,295
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $130,879$111,631
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $36,295 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$578,566
XI-2 Total expenses$609,567
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$31,001
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$56,743
XI-6 Donated services and use of facilities$10,523
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$30
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$36,295

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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