Connect Foundation

Tax-deductible

San Diego, CA501(c)(3)EducationEIN 20-3049742Revenue $3.1M in FY2025

On file with the IRSconnect.org9605 Scranton Rd Ste 110, 92121-1767 · San Diego, CATax-exempt since Apr 2006Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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Connect catalyzes life science and technology companies throughout their entire growth journey with our expertly curated programs and events. This is critical because our economic future depends on continuous cultivation of a strong and inclusive innovation ecosystem.with nearly 40 years of experience and an unrivaled network, we are uniquely positioned to Connect businesses with the capital, education, and advisors they need to succeed. By relentlessly fueling a diverse and robust innovation engine, we help ensure that current and future generations can learn, grow and thrive in san diego

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
86¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 30 volunteers and 15 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
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $165K a year · 7% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
86%
of spending
Looks good: 86% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$459K
to officers and key staff · 15% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 86% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 15% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
7 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 7.3 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $15K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$906K
41% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 41% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
92
of 92 voting members
Looks good: 92 of 92 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$3.1M
+9% vs prior year
Spent
$3.1M
To programs
86%
Net assets
$1.3M
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$3.1M
FY2025▲ +9%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$1.4M
FY2022$2.7M
FY2023$2.6M
FY2024$2.8M
FY2025$3.1M
Expenses
$3.1M
FY2025▲ +11%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$1.4M
FY2022$2.2M
FY2023$2.2M
FY2024$2.8M
FY2025$3.1M
Net assets
$1.3M
FY2025▼ -1%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$330K
FY2022$957K
FY2023$1.3M
FY2024$1.3M
FY2025$1.3M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 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 Apr 2006.

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

Where the money goes

86 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 86% · $2.7M Management & general 8% · $263K Fundraising 6% · $182K

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

122 people listed on the 990; $459K 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
$215,590Pt VII · Sec A
$134,118Pt VII · Sec A
Interim COO
$108,817Pt VII · Sec A
Member of Board
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Member of Board
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Member of Board
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Member of Board
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Member of Board
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Mike Krenn’s $216K as CEO is at the 86th 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 · 5 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Mike Krenn$215,590$289,970$301,140$297,277$222,264
Christie Marcella$134,118$183,909———
Marcela Christie——$175,147$156,729—
Laura Shaw———$47,712$133,322
Tre Braquet$108,817————

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 Connect Foundation 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 15aYes

Programs and updates

Accelerates the growth of San Diego life science and technology startups by connecting them with funding, education, mentorship, and venture capital investors.

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3 programs · $1.3M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Innovation day (FIVE.TEN.THIRTY) was the largest gathering of the innovation community in sandiego history. Connect gathered 200 VCS, angel investors, ceos, ctos, dei leaders,national security leaders, and 160+ tech and life science companies, driving innovation acrosssan diego to continue collective momentum forward to scaling up a more…

$868Kprogram expense
02

Life science luminary dinner, an annual dinner of key players in the san diego life science community, traditionally hosted at the home of a successful life science entrepreneur that made great strides in the life science community in the past year.

$259Kprogram expense
03

Cool companiescool companies private event, an annual program where connect selects the top centure capital-ready technology and life science companies to be named a "cool company". All the companies' ceos meet investors in a private invite-only event with the intention of securing funding for their company;cool companies public event…

$207Kprogram 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 · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$15K

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$3.1M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.2M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$889K
Investment incomeLn 3$48K
Money outPt IX
$3.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$2.7M
Managementcol C$263K
Fundraisingcol D$182K
Owns and owesPt X
$1.3M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.9M
Total assetsLn 16$2.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$906K
PeoplePt VI, VII
122
listed · VII A
PaidVII A3
Voting boardVI 1a92
IndependentVI 1b92
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.2M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$889K
Investment incomeLn 3$48K
Other incomeLn 4–11$5K
Total revenueLn 12$3.1M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.9M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$22K
Other assetsLn 15$1K
Total assetsLn 16$2.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$906K
Net assetsLn 32$1.3M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 515
VolunteersI 630
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
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$2.0M$1.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$32K$22K
Total assetsLn 16$2.9M$2.2M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.5M$906K
Net assetsLn 32$1.3M$1.3M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$459K$368K$55K$35K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.1M$922K$137K$88K
Legal feesLn 11b$91K$54K$18K$18K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$7K$3K$2K$2K
Office expensesLn 13$18K$10K$4K$4K
Information technologyLn 14$34K$25K$4K$5K
OccupancyLn 16$32K$24K$5K$3K
TravelLn 17$51K$30K$5K$15K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$26K$23K$3K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$13K$10K$3K
InsuranceLn 23$8K$4K$2K$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$1.2M$1.2M$5K$6K
Total functional expensesLn 25$3.1M$2.7M$263K$182K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $3.1M$3.1M−$17K$1.3M 990 PDF
FY2024 $2.8M$2.8M$36K$1.3M 990 PDF
FY2023 $2.6M$2.2M$345K$1.3M 990 PDF
FY2022 $2.7M$2.2M$484K$957K 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.4M$1.4M−$22K$330K 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 $3,094,359 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,830,068$2,153,341
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $967,944$888,610
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $29,340$47,617
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$4,791
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $2,827,352$3,094,359
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 $1,722,458$1,605,345
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,068,424$1,505,718
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $2,790,882$3,111,063
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $36,470−$16,704
Part VI · Governance 92 of 92 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body92
VI-1b Independent voting members92
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 $3,094,359 across 7 lines filed
VIII-1b Membership dues$775,913
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,377,428
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$2,153,341
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $888,610$888,610
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $47,617$47,617
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $4,791$4,791
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $893,401 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $47,617$3,094,359
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $3,111,063 across 12 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $368,483 · Management $54,926 · Fundraising $35,116$458,525
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $921,614 · Management $137,377 · Fundraising $87,829$1,146,820
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $54,403 · Management $18,134 · Fundraising $18,134$90,671
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $3,421 · Management $1,710 · Fundraising $1,710$6,841
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $9,976 · Management $4,086 · Fundraising $4,279$18,341
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $24,748 · Management $3,879 · Fundraising $5,423$34,050
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $24,021 · Management $4,804 · Fundraising $3,203$32,028
IX-17 TravelPrograms $30,415 · Management $5,069 · Fundraising $15,207$50,691
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsManagement $22,952 · Fundraising $2,550$25,502
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $9,643 · Management $3,214$12,857
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $4,017 · Management $2,008 · Fundraising $2,008$8,033
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,215,909 · Management $4,634 · Fundraising $6,161$1,226,704
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $2,666,650 · Management $262,793 · Fundraising $181,620$3,111,063
Part X · Balance sheet $2,228,305 assets, 13 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $2,025,135$1,887,638
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $478,099$286,688
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $333,823$30,540
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $32,155$22,439
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $500$1,000
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $2,869,712$2,228,305
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $210,604$64,292
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $1,320,249$841,858
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,530,853$906,150
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $310,191$295,673
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $1,028,668$1,026,482
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,338,859$1,322,155
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $2,869,712$2,228,305
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,322,155 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$3,094,359
XI-2 Total expenses$3,111,063
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$16,704
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,338,859
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,322,155

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

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