Toward Independence INC FY2021 filing

Claim this org

(tell your story, add context, and more) Claim it free, then get the verified mark for $5,000 a year, plus $10 a year for the ID check.

How does your 990 look to donors? Take the 10-Question Audit

To empower people with developmental disabilities to experience the fullest life possible by providing person-centered supports which enable them to integrate into a variety of settings within their community

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
84¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$331K 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

FY2021 · 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 $1.6M a year · 8% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 5 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
84%
of spending
Looks good: 84% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$331K
to officers and key staff · 2% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 2% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $6.1M 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
1
named funder · $11K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$2.2M
14% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 14% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
10
of 10 voting members
Looks good: 10 of 10 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$18.8M
-4% vs prior year
Spent
$16.2M
To programs
84%
Net assets
$14.2M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$18.8M
FY2021▼ -4%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$19.5M
FY2021$18.8M
FY2022$18.4M
FY2023$17.3M
FY2024$20.9M
FY2025$23.0M
Expenses
$16.2M
FY2021▲ +2%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$15.9M
FY2021$16.2M
FY2022$16.7M
FY2023$18.1M
FY2024$19.6M
FY2025$21.6M
Net assets
$14.2M
FY2021▲ +21%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$11.7M
FY2021$14.2M
FY2022$15.2M
FY2023$14.4M
FY2024$16.1M
FY2025$17.3M

From the FY2021 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim
You’re viewing the FY2021 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 Jun 1976.

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

Where the money goes

84 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 84% · $13.7M Management & general 15% · $2.5M Fundraising 0% · $39K

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

13 people listed on the 990; $331K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Chief Executive
$221,250Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Operations Officer
$109,808Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member Emeritus
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Joseph Harmon’s $155K as Chief Executive is at the 22nd percentile of top reported officer pay among 3122 $10–100M 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 · 4 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Mark Schlater—$98,003$276,014$212,132$221,250$194,189
Joseph Harmon$154,636$136,702$134,667$117,939$109,808$110,653
Runette Wilson——$100,832———
Dianne Anderson-Brown——$100,351———

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 Toward Independence 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

Provides person-centered support to empower people with developmental disabilities to live fulfilling lives in their communities.

Questions for Toward Independence INC

Tap to ask. Toward Independence INC sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Toward Independence INC answers here, for everyone.

1 program · $13.7M · in their own filed words · FY2021
01

We currently serve over 192 individuals in darke, greene, hamilton, butler, miami and montgomery counties providing a full range of services and support programs for individuals with developmental disabilities.

$13.7Mprogram 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$11K

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$18.8M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$15.4M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.9M
Investment incomeLn 3$295K
Money outPt IX
$16.2M
Ln 25
Programscol B$13.7M
Managementcol C$2.5M
Fundraisingcol D$39K
Owns and owesPt X
$14.2M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$4.3M
Total assetsLn 16$16.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.2M
PeoplePt VI, VII
13
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a10
IndependentVI 1b10
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.9M
Government grantsLn 1e$2.0M
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$11K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$15.4M
Investment incomeLn 3$295K
Other incomeLn 4–11$174K
Gains on assetsLn 7$95K
Total revenueLn 12$18.8M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$3.4M
SavingsLn 2$922K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$4.3M
Pledges and grants receivableLn 3$1.2M
Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesLn 9$161K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$4.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$6.1M
Intangible assetsLn 14$833
Other assetsLn 15$234K
Total assetsLn 16$16.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.2M
Net assetsLn 32$14.2M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5524
VolunteersI 60
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
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 FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$5.7M$4.3M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$3.5M$6.1M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$3.8M$4.4M
Total assetsLn 16$16.1M$16.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$4.4M$2.2M
Net assetsLn 32$11.7M$14.2M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$385K$385K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$10.7M$10.0M$618K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$1.1M$858K$218K
Payroll taxesLn 10$1.1M$1.0M$68K
Legal feesLn 11b$13K$13K
Accounting feesLn 11c$177K$15K$162K
Investment management feesLn 11f$53K$53K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$400K$181K$218K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$41K$41K
Office expensesLn 13$76K$12K$63K$178
OccupancyLn 16$421K$316K$106K
TravelLn 17$128K$98K$31K$195
InterestLn 20$43K$3K$40K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$377K$231K$145K$752
InsuranceLn 23$120K$120K$571
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$725K$608K$118K$67
All other expensesLn 24e$425K$271K$116K$37K
Total functional expensesLn 25$16.2M$13.7M$2.5M$39K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 LatestFiled with the IRS Aug 18, 2026 $23.0M$21.6M$1.4M$17.3M 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS Oct 28, 2025 $20.9M$19.6M$1.2M$16.1M 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Nov 15, 2024 $17.3M$18.1M−$860K$14.4M 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Jul 18, 2023 $18.4M$16.7M$1.7M$15.2M 990 PDF
FY2021 ViewingFiled with the IRS Sep 12, 2022 $18.8M$16.2M$2.5M$14.2M 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS Aug 30, 2021 $19.5M$15.9M$3.6M$11.7M 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $18,762,995 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,054,448$2,902,693
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $16,257,083$15,391,924
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $142,055$294,563
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $2,060,066$173,815
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $19,513,652$18,762,995
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 $13,059,248$13,237,141
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $2,825,949$2,999,130
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $15,885,197$16,236,271
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $3,628,455$2,526,724
Part VI · Governance 10 of 10 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body10
VI-1b Independent voting members10
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 $18,762,995 across 10 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$10,931
VIII-1e Government grants$1,981,600
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$910,162
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$2,902,693
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $15,391,924$15,391,924
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $199,809$199,809
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission $94,754$94,754
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $14,323$14,323
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $159,492$159,492
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $15,646,170 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $214,132$18,762,995
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $16,236,271 across 17 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffManagement $384,610$384,610
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $10,048,896 · Management $617,529$10,666,425
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $857,647 · Management $217,764$1,075,411
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $1,043,080 · Management $67,615$1,110,695
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $13,304$13,304
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $14,700 · Management $162,134$176,834
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $53,150$53,150
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $181,286 · Management $218,357$399,643
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $40,752$40,752
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $11,941 · Management $63,388 · Fundraising $178$75,507
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $315,820 · Management $105,530$421,350
IX-17 TravelPrograms $97,520 · Management $30,685 · Fundraising $195$128,400
IX-20 InterestPrograms $2,745 · Management $40,285$43,030
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $231,148 · Management $145,064 · Fundraising $752$376,964
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $119,759 · Fundraising $571$120,330
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $607,540 · Management $117,710 · Fundraising $67$725,317
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $270,905 · Management $116,482 · Fundraising $37,162$424,549
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $13,683,228 · Management $2,514,118 · Fundraising $38,925$16,236,271
Part X · Balance sheet $16,397,880 assets, 17 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $5,742,158$3,421,175
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investments$921,936
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $2,327,910$1,169,044
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $149,418$161,223
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $3,782,060$4,381,976
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $3,505,493$6,107,554
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $1,111$833
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $564,351$234,139
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $16,072,501$16,397,880
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,171,042$1,262,497
X-21 Escrow or custodial accountsStart of year $277,262$211,192
X-23 Secured mortgages and notes payableStart of year $2,936,684$741,033
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $4,384,988$2,214,722
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $11,401,806$13,835,679
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $285,707$347,479
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $11,687,513$14,183,158
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $16,072,501$16,397,880
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $14,183,158 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$18,762,995
XI-2 Total expenses$16,236,271
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$2,526,724
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$11,687,513
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$31,079
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$14,183,158

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.