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Project Step INC Symphony Hall FY2024 filing

Tax-deductible

Boston, MA501(c)(3)Since 1983Arts & Culture EIN 22-2505816Revenue $1.6M in FY2024

On file with the IRSprojectstep.org301 Massachusetts Ave, 02115-4557 · Boston, MATax-exempt since Oct 1984Publicly supported — 509(a)(2)

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Project STEP, Inc., (Project STEP) was incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation in 1983 under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Project STEP uses classical music training to bring positive change to the lives of students, their families, and their communities. The Organization identifies musically talented students from underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities at an early age and provides them with a comprehensive music program that prepares them to compete at the highest levels. Project STEP's goals are to expand the lives of students through music, helping them reach their potential, and to bring diversity to the field of classical music. By teaching the values of responsibility, respect, perseverance and joy in achievement through learning a string instrument, Project STEP develops strong, productive and happy adults.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
49¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$99K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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FY2024 · 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
6 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $1.3M a year · 61% of revenue · last 6 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 6 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
49%
of spending
Concern: 49% of spending went to programs; under 50%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$99K
to officers and key staff · 10% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 10% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
8 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $8.5M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Looks good: 8.3 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $2K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$27K
0.3% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
16
of 16 voting members
Looks good: 16 of 16 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.6M
-76% vs prior year
Spent
$1.0M
To programs
49%
Net assets
$9.3M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$1.6M
FY2024▼ -76%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$828K
FY2021$1.1M
FY2022$889K
FY2023$6.5M
FY2024$1.6M
FY2025$1.8M
Expenses
$1.0M
FY2024▲ +33%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$607K
FY2021$684K
FY2022$733K
FY2023$773K
FY2024$1.0M
FY2025$1.1M
Net assets
$9.3M
FY2024▲ +5%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$2.5M
FY2021$3.4M
FY2022$3.0M
FY2023$8.9M
FY2024$9.3M
FY2025$10.2M

From the FY2024 Form 990 (year ending June 2024) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2024 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Oct 1984.

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

Where the money goes

49 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 49% · $501K Management & general 32% · $329K Fundraising 19% · $199K

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

16 people listed on the 990; $99K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2023); the FY2024 filing did not itemize Part VII
Josu Gonzlez
Executive Di
$98,825Pt VII · Sec A
Alex McCray
Vice Preside
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Meghan Jasani
Vice Preside
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Diane Austin
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Josue Gonzlez’s $78K as Executive Director is at the 16th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3924 $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 · 5 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Josu Gonzlez—$98,825$83,494———
Josue Gonzlez$77,633—————
Lee Alyssa————$70,600$70,600
Alyssa Lee———$54,481——
Malik Williams——$5,000———

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

Provides classical music training to talented minority students, fostering personal growth and diversity in music.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $501K · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

Weekly program of private lessons, chamber music coaching, orchestra and theory classes. The program includes approximately 55-60 students ages six to eightteen. 100% of the program's graduates have gone on to college or conservatory.

$501Kprogram 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 · FY2025
Gibson GivesFY2025$2K
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$2K

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.6M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$818K
Investment incomeLn 3$730K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$15K
Money outPt IX
$1.0M
Ln 25
Programscol B$501K
Managementcol C$329K
Fundraisingcol D$199K
Owns and owesPt X
$9.3M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$712K
Total assetsLn 16$9.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$27K
PeoplePt VI, VII
16
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a16
IndependentVI 1b16
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$818K
Government grantsLn 1e$118K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$2K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$34K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$15K
Investment incomeLn 3$730K
Gains on assetsLn 7$425K
Total revenueLn 12$1.6M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$712K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$712K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$8.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$32K
Total assetsLn 16$9.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$27K
Net assetsLn 32$9.3M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 56
VolunteersI 610
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$778K$712K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$7.8M$8.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$44K$32K
Total assetsLn 16$8.9M$9.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$46K$27K
Net assetsLn 32$8.9M$9.3M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$111K$11K$89K$11K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$288K$101K$54K$132K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$3K$2K$2K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$30K$4K$5K$21K
Payroll taxesLn 10$37K$16K$11K$10K
Accounting feesLn 11c$41K$41K
Investment management feesLn 11f$19K$19K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$97K$7K$90K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$901$901
Office expensesLn 13$20K$5K$11K$3K
Information technologyLn 14$13K$708$3K$10K
TravelLn 17$1K$38$138$915
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$13K$13K
InsuranceLn 23$4K$4K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$338K$328K$949$9K
All other expensesLn 24e$13K$9K$3K$445
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.0M$501K$329K$199K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $1.8M$1.1M$683K$10.2M 990 PDF
FY2024 Viewing $1.6M$1.0M$525K$9.3M 990 PDF
FY2023 $6.5M$773K$5.8M$8.9M 990 PDF
FY2022 $889K$733K$156K$3.0M 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.1M$684K$380K$3.4M 990 PDF
FY2020 $828K$607K$221K$2.5M 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 FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,554,797 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $6,470,599$817,909
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $12,665$15,250
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $92,166$730,159
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$35,930−$8,521
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $6,539,500$1,554,797
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $381,877$469,372
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $390,945$560,818
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $772,822$1,030,190
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $5,766,678$524,607
Part VI · Governance 16 of 16 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body16
VI-1b Independent voting members16
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,554,797 across 10 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$34,342
VIII-1e Government grants$118,100
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$665,467
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$2,243
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$817,909
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $15,250$15,250
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $305,166$305,166
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $424,993$424,993
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$8,521−$8,521
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $15,250 · Excluded from tax $721,638$1,554,797
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,030,190 across 16 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $11,128 · Management $89,024 · Fundraising $11,128$111,280
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $101,165 · Management $54,112 · Fundraising $132,376$287,653
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $1,743 · Fundraising $1,700$3,443
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $4,140 · Management $4,902 · Fundraising $20,935$29,977
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $15,675 · Management $10,901 · Fundraising $10,443$37,019
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $41,127$41,127
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $19,426$19,426
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $7,000 · Management $90,351$97,351
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $901$901
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $5,295 · Management $11,470 · Fundraising $3,068$19,833
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $708 · Management $2,708 · Fundraising $9,586$13,002
IX-17 TravelPrograms $38 · Management $138 · Fundraising $915$1,091
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $12,587$12,587
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $4,232$4,232
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $328,303 · Management $949 · Fundraising $8,693$337,945
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $9,395 · Management $3,483 · Fundraising $445$13,323
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $501,409 · Management $329,492 · Fundraising $199,289$1,030,190
Part X · Balance sheet $9,366,101 assets, 13 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $777,554$712,262
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $283,988$146,900
X-4 Accounts receivable$350
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $9,200$16,850
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $44,141$31,554
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $7,789,611$8,458,185
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $8,904,494$9,366,101
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $45,511$26,914
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $45,511$26,914
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $2,969,646$3,234,831
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $5,889,337$6,104,356
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $8,858,983$9,339,187
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $8,904,494$9,366,101
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $9,339,187 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,554,797
XI-2 Total expenses$1,030,190
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$524,607
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$8,858,983
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$44,403
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$9,339,187

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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