We empower and equip early childhood professionals, families, and other adults influential in young children's lives through training, coaching and advocating to positively impact educational and developmental outcomes for young children.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
76¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$134K 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

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
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $1.0M a year · 18% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
76%
of spending
Looks good: 76% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$134K
to officers and key staff · 3% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 3% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $4.7M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Looks good: 3.2 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
13
named funders · $1.1M
Looks good: 13 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$938K
9% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 9% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
13
of 13 voting members
Looks good: 13 of 13 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$5.3M
-43% vs prior year
Spent
$5.1M
To programs
76%
Net assets
$9.6M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$5.3M
FY2024▼ -43%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$6.9M
FY2021$3.6M
FY2022$6.4M
FY2023$9.4M
FY2024$5.3M
FY2025$2.7M
Expenses
$5.1M
FY2024▼ -0.6%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$3.9M
FY2021$4.4M
FY2022$4.5M
FY2023$5.1M
FY2024$5.1M
FY2025$5.3M
Net assets
$9.6M
FY2024▲ +2%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$4.1M
FY2021$3.3M
FY2022$5.2M
FY2023$9.5M
FY2024$9.6M
FY2025$7.4M

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 Aug 1968.

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

Where the money goes

76 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 76% · $3.9M Management & general 14% · $726K Fundraising 10% · $498K

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

19 people listed on the 990; $134K 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
Executive Director
$134,438Pt 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
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Carol Austin’s $150K as Executive Director is at the 73rd 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 · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Carol Austin$150,000$134,438$129,832$129,832$129,299$129,298

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 First Up 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 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Equips adults to positively impact young children's education and development.

Questions for First Up

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $3.9M · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

Quality Improvement

First up provides training and coaching to early childhood programs seeking to improve the quality of their services. Since 1995, first up has assisted over 400 child centers and family child care homes in reaching state (keystone stars) or national accreditation (naeyc or nafcc) standards.

$3.2Mprogram expense
02

Public Policy

First up works to expand pennsylvania's commitment to quality child care initiatives, which are critical to the healthy development of young children, particularly those at risk from the effects of poverty.

$629Kprogram expense
03

Annual Conference

For more than 30 years, First Up has sponsored a professional development conference for the Early Childhood Community in the region. The conference includes presentations by local and national experts in early childhood education.

$20Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
See all 13 funders →
Grants paid · 29 grants · $775K · 2019–2023
Unitemized GrantFY2023$34,000
Hasan's Interactive Learning CenterFY2023$6,000
Unitemized GrantFY2023$4,666
Greater Hope Ministries INCPA · FY2022$55,000
Children's Village INCPA · FY2022$35,000
Unitemized GrantFY2022$30,000
WonderspringPA · FY2022$15,000
Unitemized GrantFY2021$46,489
Children's Village INCPA · FY2021$30,000
The Caring CenterPA · FY2021$20,000
Wescott's Fov Child Care CenterFY2021$7,000
Pearlwood Early Learning CenterFY2021$5,100
Beginning Foundation AcademyFY2021$5,100
Acclaim Academy ProgramFY2021$5,100
Greater Hope Ministries INCPA · FY2020$50,000
Highway Mission TabernaclePA · FY2020$42,250
See all 29 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$5.3M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$4.9M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$252K
Investment incomeLn 3$227K
Money outPt IX
$5.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$3.9M
Managementcol C$726K
Fundraisingcol D$498K
Owns and owesPt X
$9.6M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.4M
Total assetsLn 16$10.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$938K
PeoplePt VI, VII
19
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a13
IndependentVI 1b13
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$4.9M
Government grantsLn 1e$742K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$40K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$252K
Investment incomeLn 3$227K
Other incomeLn 4–11$9K
Gains on assetsLn 7$0
Total revenueLn 12$5.3M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.3M
SavingsLn 2$117K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$4.7M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$15K
Other assetsLn 15$516K
Total assetsLn 16$10.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$938K
Net assetsLn 32$9.6M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 540
VolunteersI 617
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$7.4M$1.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$397K$4.7M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$47K$15K
Total assetsLn 16$10.6M$10.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.1M$938K
Net assetsLn 32$9.5M$9.6M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$102K$102K
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$39K$39K
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$155K$115K$28K$12K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$2.3M$1.7M$420K$192K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$64K$46K$12K$6K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$406K$299K$74K$34K
Payroll taxesLn 10$186K$137K$34K$15K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$54K$22K$31K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$427K$308K$119K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$5K$4K$793$400
Office expensesLn 13$158K$112K$23K$23K
Information technologyLn 14$0
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$168K$123K$30K$14K
TravelLn 17$57K$48K$6K$3K
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$76K$45K$8K$23K
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$32K$25K$5K$3K
InsuranceLn 23$23K$17K$4K$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$808K$708K$49K$51K
All other expensesLn 24e$8K$6K$1K$625
Total functional expensesLn 25$5.1M$3.9M$726K$498K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $2.7M$5.3M−$2.6M$7.4M 990 PDF
FY2024 Viewing $5.3M$5.1M$257K$9.6M 990 PDF
FY2023 $9.4M$5.1M$4.3M$9.5M 990 PDF
FY2022 $6.4M$4.5M$1.9M$5.2M 990 PDF
FY2021 $3.6M$4.4M−$785K$3.3M 990 PDF
FY2020 $6.9M$3.9M$3.0M$4.1M 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 $5,338,275 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $9,044,014$4,850,686
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $307,007$251,789
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $30,781$227,290
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $25,803$8,510
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $9,407,605$5,338,275
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $269,500$141,116
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $2,736,771$3,125,210
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $2,108,311$1,815,119
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $5,114,582$5,081,445
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $4,293,023$256,830
Part VI · Governance 13 of 13 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body13
VI-1b Independent voting members13
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
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 $5,338,275 across 12 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$39,725
VIII-1e Government grants$741,884
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$4,069,077
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$4,850,686
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $251,789$251,789
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $227,290$227,290
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or loss$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assets$0
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $0$0
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $8,510$8,510
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $260,299 · Excluded from tax $227,290$5,338,275
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $5,081,445 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $102,450$102,450
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $38,666$38,666
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $114,702 · Management $28,236 · Fundraising $12,485$155,423
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,701,400 · Management $420,379 · Fundraising $192,252$2,314,031
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $46,387 · Management $11,567 · Fundraising $5,718$63,672
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $298,681 · Management $73,797 · Fundraising $33,749$406,227
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $136,652 · Management $33,764 · Fundraising $15,441$185,857
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal fees$0
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $22,466 · Management $31,063$53,529
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $307,771 · Fundraising $119,351$427,122
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $3,960 · Management $793 · Fundraising $400$5,153
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $112,149 · Management $22,861 · Fundraising $22,897$157,907
IX-14 Information technology$0
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $123,227 · Management $30,441 · Fundraising $13,927$167,595
IX-17 TravelPrograms $47,901 · Management $6,063 · Fundraising $2,988$56,952
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $45,434 · Management $7,863 · Fundraising $23,040$76,337
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $24,761 · Management $4,955 · Fundraising $2,501$32,217
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $16,793 · Management $4,149 · Fundraising $1,898$22,840
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $708,166 · Management $49,173 · Fundraising $50,603$807,942
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $5,533 · Management $1,367 · Fundraising $625$7,525
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $3,857,099 · Management $726,471 · Fundraising $497,875$5,081,445
Part X · Balance sheet $10,545,000 assets, 24 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,268,705$1,254,028
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $6,149,832$117,438
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $2,057,885$3,940,312
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $34,551$28,662
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $0$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $17,869$5,000
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $47,203$14,986
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $397,489$4,668,409
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $0$0
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $0$0
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $0$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $625,194$516,165
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $10,598,728$10,545,000
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $486,209$405,276
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $0$0
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $0$0
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $0$0
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $658,430$532,485
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,144,639$937,761
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $5,549,148$4,682,012
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $3,904,941$4,925,227
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $9,454,089$9,607,239
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $10,598,728$10,545,000
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $9,607,239 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$5,338,275
XI-2 Total expenses$5,081,445
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$256,830
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$9,454,089
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$10,802
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$92,878
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$9,607,239

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

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