Operation Better Block INC FY2023 filing

Tax-deductible

Pittsburgh, PA501(c)(3)Since 1971 EIN 23-7157433Revenue $1.9M in FY2023Latest return filed May 15, 2026

On file with the IRS801 North Homewood Avenue, 15208-1444 · Pittsburgh, PATax-exempt since Jan 1972Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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We strategize, organize and mobilize, Block by Block, to benefit the homewood community.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
80¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

Before you give

FY2023 · 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
5 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $358K a year · 17% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 5 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
80%
of spending
Looks good: 80% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
3
named funders · $105K
Looks good: 3 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$2.3M
42% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 42% 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
$1.9M
-24% vs prior year
Spent
$1.4M
To programs
80%
Net assets
$3.2M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$1.9M
FY2023▼ -24%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.9M
FY2021$1.6M
FY2022$2.5M
FY2023$1.9M
FY2024$2.1M
FY2025$2.5M
Expenses
$1.4M
FY2023▼ -19%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$1.3M
FY2021$1.4M
FY2022$1.7M
FY2023$1.4M
FY2024$2.2M
FY2025$2.3M
Net assets
$3.2M
FY2023▲ +12%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$1.9M
FY2021$2.1M
FY2022$2.8M
FY2023$3.2M
FY2024$2.3M
FY2025$2.6M

From the FY2023 Form 990 (year ending June 2023) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

990 PDF Claim
You’re viewing the FY2023 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 Jan 1972.

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

Where the money goes

80 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 80% · $1.1M Management & general 19% · $255K Fundraising 1% · $13K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

10 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2022); the FY2023 filing did not itemize Part VII
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2022FY2021FY2020
Jerome Jackson—$93,750$93,750$93,750
Jay Gilmer$16,875———

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 Operation Better Block INC executive salaries →

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

Mobilizing residents block by block to improve the Homewood community.

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3 programs · $1.0M · in their own filed words · FY2022
01

Resident Services Initiatives

Provides motivation, finances and neighborhood activities for residents to improve housing and develop new housing. Performs periodic surveys on community needs and changes. Assists in planning for new improvements in the community.

$431Kprogram expense
02

Green Initiatives (junior Green Corps)

The primary objective of the junior green corps is to provide homewood youth, ages 14-19, with structured activities that impact their physical environment, equip them for leadership roles in the community, and provide them with an opportunity to explore green collar jobs and careers.

$387Kprogram expense
03

Community Development Activities

Obb participated in the development of homewood comprehensive pla. Obb CREATED/DEVELOPED the land use plan that is in the homewood comprehensive plan.

$188Kprogram 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
Total grants receivedfrom 3 funders$105K
See all 3 funders →
Grants paid · 2 grants · $158K · 2021–2021
Unitemized GrantFY2021$86,842
Unitemized GrantFY2021$70,877

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.9M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.6M
Other incomeLn 4–11$150K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$87K
Money outPt IX
$1.4M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.1M
Managementcol C$255K
Fundraisingcol D$13K
Owns and owesPt X
$3.2M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$502K
Total assetsLn 16$5.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.3M
PeoplePt VI, VII
10
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b9
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.6M
Government grantsLn 1e$734K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$87K
Investment incomeLn 3$87
Other incomeLn 4–11$150K
Total revenueLn 12$1.9M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
SavingsLn 2$502K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$502K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$748K
Other assetsLn 15$4.2M
Total assetsLn 16$5.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.3M
Net assetsLn 32$3.2M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 553
VolunteersI 66
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
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 FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$629K$502K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$781K$748K
Total assetsLn 16$4.2M$5.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.6M$2.3M
Net assetsLn 32$2.7M$3.2M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$286K$229K$54K$3K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$33K$26K$6K$328
Payroll taxesLn 10$32K$26K$6K$320
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$338K$270K$64K$3K
Information technologyLn 14$10K$8K$2K$99
OccupancyLn 16$156K$124K$30K$2K
TravelLn 17$14K$11K$3K$140
InterestLn 20$30K$24K$6K$303
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$33K$27K$6K$333
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$442K$360K$78K$4K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.4M$1.1M$255K$13K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 LatestFiled with the IRS May 15, 2026 $2.5M$2.3M$270K$2.6M 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS May 15, 2025 $2.1M$2.2M−$132K$2.3M 990 PDF
FY2023 ViewingFiled with the IRS May 15, 2024 $1.9M$1.4M$494K$3.2M 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS May 15, 2023 $2.5M$1.7M$761K$2.8M 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Jul 10, 2022 $1.6M$1.4M$195K$2.1M 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS May 17, 2021 $1.9M$1.3M$559K$1.9M 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,868,367 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $2,085,339$1,631,494
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $93,606$86,786
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $84$87
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $81,964$150,000
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $2,260,993$1,868,367
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $163,596$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $807,119$351,104
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $672,706$1,023,388
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,643,421$1,374,492
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $617,572$493,875
Part VI · Governance 9 of 9 board members independent, 2 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body9
VI-1b Independent voting members9
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
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-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,868,367 across 7 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$734,119
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$897,375
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,631,494
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $86,786$86,786
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $87$87
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $150,000$150,000
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $236,873 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$1,868,367
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,374,492 across 10 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $229,054 · Management $54,400 · Fundraising $2,863$286,317
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $26,235 · Management $6,231 · Fundraising $328$32,794
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $25,594 · Management $6,079 · Fundraising $320$31,993
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $270,386 · Management $64,217 · Fundraising $3,380$337,983
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $7,913 · Management $1,879 · Fundraising $99$9,891
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $124,456 · Management $29,559 · Fundraising $1,556$155,571
IX-17 TravelPrograms $11,210 · Management $2,662 · Fundraising $140$14,012
IX-20 InterestPrograms $24,233 · Management $5,755 · Fundraising $303$30,291
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $26,633 · Management $6,325 · Fundraising $333$33,291
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $359,904 · Management $78,323 · Fundraising $4,122$442,349
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,105,618 · Management $255,430 · Fundraising $13,444$1,374,492
Part X · Balance sheet $5,497,680 assets, 13 lines filed
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $628,955$502,058
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $251,119$37,183
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $6,785$13,831
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $781,227$747,936
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $2,579,720$4,196,672
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $4,247,806$5,497,680
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $395,081$69,489
X-19 Deferred revenue$7,952
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,577,018$2,333,017
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $2,353,938$2,847,813
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $316,850$316,850
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $2,670,788$3,164,663
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $4,247,806$5,497,680
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $3,164,663 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,868,367
XI-2 Total expenses$1,374,492
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$493,875
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$2,670,788
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$3,164,663

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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