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Essential Partners INC FY2020 filing

Tax-deductible

Cambridge, MA501(c)(3)Since 1995Human ServicesEIN 22-3432160Revenue $1.4M in FY2020

On file with the IRSwhatisessential.org1953 Massachusetts Ave Unit 400175, 02140-7001 · Cambridge, MATax-exempt since Jul 1996Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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Founded in 1989, Essential Partners helps people build relationships across differences to address their communities' most pressing challenges. Virtually and in person, across the country, the organization Partners with schools, civic groups, faith institutions, colleges, and organizations to support belonging and cultures of constructive engagement across differences.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
69¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$224K 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
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 $517K a year · 24% 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
69%
of spending
Fine: 69% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$224K
to officers and key staff · 17% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 17% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
7 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 7.0 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $3K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$257K
29% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 29% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
9
of 9 voting members
Looks good: 9 of 9 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.4M
Spent
$1.3M
To programs
69%
Net assets
$624K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$1.4M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.4M
FY2021$1.8M
FY2022$1.8M
FY2023$2.0M
FY2024$3.1M
FY2025$3.1M
Expenses
$1.3M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$1.3M
FY2021$1.4M
FY2022$1.6M
FY2023$1.7M
FY2024$1.9M
FY2025$2.1M
Net assets
$624K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$624K
FY2021$989K
FY2022$1.2M
FY2023$1.5M
FY2024$2.6M
FY2025$3.6M

From the FY2020 Form 990 (year ending August 2020) · 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 (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jul 1996.

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

Where the money goes

69 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 69% · $889K Management & general 18% · $229K Fundraising 13% · $172K

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

11 people listed on the 990; $224K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2019); the FY2020 filing did not itemize Part VII
John Sarrouf
Co-Executive Director
$127,208Pt VII · Sec A
Kathryn Hyten
Co-Executive Director
$96,501Pt VII · Sec A
Robert O'Hara
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
David March
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Gary Sandhu
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

John Sarrouf’s $153K as Co-Executive Director is at the 74th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3868 $1–10M human services 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
John Sarrouf$152,786$138,441$130,602$138,231$124,091$127,208
Kathryn Dugdale$131,029—————
Kathryn Hyten Dugdale—$119,311$108,910$109,585——
Kathryn Hyten————$107,200$96,501
Molly Zuker$43,274$11,913————

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

Builds trust and understanding to help people live and work better together.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $889K · in their own filed words · FY2019
01

The organization promotes constructive conversations and relationships among those who have differing values, world views, and positions related to divisive public issues. The organization fosters ways of talking across differences that decrease polarization, and increase mutual understanding and possibilities for collaborative action.

$889Kprogram 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
Stable Foundation INCFY2025$2K
Harvey Dan Kyle & Hunter Weinstein Family FoundationFY2025$1K
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$3K

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.4M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$809K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$572K
Investment incomeLn 3$887
Money outPt IX
$1.3M
Ln 25
Programscol B$889K
Managementcol C$229K
Fundraisingcol D$172K
Owns and owesPt X
$624K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$752K
Total assetsLn 16$880K
LiabilitiesLn 26$257K
PeoplePt VI, VII
11
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b9
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$809K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$88K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$572K
Investment incomeLn 3$887
Other incomeLn 4–11$311
Total revenueLn 12$1.4M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$752K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$752K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$29K
Other assetsLn 15$17K
Total assetsLn 16$880K
LiabilitiesLn 26$257K
Net assetsLn 32$624K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 530
VolunteersI 69
Fiscal year endsHeaderAugust
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 FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$483K$752K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$44K$29K
Total assetsLn 16$598K$880K
LiabilitiesLn 26$67K$257K
Net assetsLn 32$531K$624K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$290K$203K$35K$52K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$451K$333K$47K$71K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$108K$79K$16K$13K
Payroll taxesLn 10$61K$45K$7K$9K
Legal feesLn 11b$3K$3K
Accounting feesLn 11c$12K$12K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$129K$115K$11K$3K
Office expensesLn 13$45K$3K$38K$5K
OccupancyLn 16$131K$89K$31K$11K
TravelLn 17$32K$22K$1K$8K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$3K$300$2K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$19K$19K
InsuranceLn 23$6K$6K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.3M$889K$229K$172K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $3.1M$2.1M$993K$3.6M 990 PDF
FY2024 $3.1M$1.9M$1.1M$2.6M 990 PDF
FY2023 $2.0M$1.7M$333K$1.5M 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.8M$1.6M$190K$1.2M 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.8M$1.4M$365K$989K 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $1.4M$1.3M$93K$624K 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 FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,382,581 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $962,531$808,995
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $494,591$572,388
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $243$887
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $2,568$311
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,459,933$1,382,581
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 $861,410$909,742
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $436,482$380,061
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,297,892$1,289,803
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $162,041$92,778
Part VI · Governance 9 of 9 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body9
VI-1b Independent voting members9
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 $1,382,581 across 7 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$808,995
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$87,549
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$808,995
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $572,388$572,388
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $887$887
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $311$311
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $572,699 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $887$1,382,581
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,289,803 across 13 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $202,678 · Management $34,820 · Fundraising $52,042$289,540
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $332,960 · Management $46,854 · Fundraising $71,122$450,936
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $78,676 · Management $16,422 · Fundraising $13,115$108,213
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $45,250 · Management $6,505 · Fundraising $9,298$61,053
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $2,888$2,888
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $12,226$12,226
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $114,871 · Management $11,079 · Fundraising $2,695$128,645
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $2,728 · Management $38,025 · Fundraising $4,514$45,267
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $89,340 · Management $30,784 · Fundraising $11,167$131,291
IX-17 TravelPrograms $22,258 · Management $1,441 · Fundraising $8,276$31,975
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $300 · Management $2,275$2,575
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $18,849$18,849
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $6,345$6,345
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $889,061 · Management $228,513 · Fundraising $172,229$1,289,803
Part X · Balance sheet $880,155 assets, 14 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $482,832$751,685
X-3 Pledges and grants receivable$29,738
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $52,222$50,824
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $1,431$1,628
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $44,182$29,230
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $17,050$17,050
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $597,717$880,155
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $66,860$88,353
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $0$168,167
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $66,860$256,520
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $510,719$593,897
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $20,138$29,738
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $530,857$623,635
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $597,717$880,155
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $623,635 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,382,581
XI-2 Total expenses$1,289,803
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$92,778
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$530,857
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$623,635

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

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