To engage, empower and employ individuals affected by brain injury and stroke

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
77¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$60K 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

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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $3K a year · under 1% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
77%
of spending
Looks good: 77% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$60K
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
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 3.5 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
6
named funders · $102K
Looks good: 6 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$597K
70% of total assets
Worth a look: liabilities are 70% of assets; over 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
8
of 8 voting members
Looks good: 8 of 8 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$656K
+6% vs prior year
Spent
$598K
To programs
77%
Net assets
$255K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$656K
FY2023▲ +6%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$344K
FY2021$467K
FY2022$621K
FY2023$656K
FY2024$656K
Expenses
$598K
FY2023▲ +5%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$387K
FY2021$491K
FY2022$573K
FY2023$598K
FY2024$679K
Net assets
$255K
FY2023▲ +29%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$173K
FY2021$149K
FY2022$198K
FY2023$255K
FY2024$231K

From the FY2023 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2023 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Feb 2012.

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

Where the money goes

77 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 77% · $458K Management & general 22% · $134K Fundraising 1% · $6K

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

9 people listed on the 990; $60K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$59,546Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Deborah Giesler’s $72K as Executive Director is at the 57th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1043 $100K–1M public & societal benefit 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

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Deborah Giesler$71,758$59,546$63,900$60,845$72,853

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 Synapse House 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 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Helps people with brain injuries and strokes find jobs and gain independence.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $435K · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

Clubhouse Day

The clubhouse day program is the main program based upon the clubhouse model that provides real work opportunities for members to regain skills, improve self esteem and enhance quality of life. The clubhouse program serves 8-15 people daily for a 5 hour day.

$299Kprogram expense
02

Community Support Services

Synapse house provides in home and community based services to veterans. This program focuses on improving independence, household and family engagement, recreational activities and building a network of support.

$78Kprogram expense
03

Employment Services

Synapse house provides assistance with work readiness, job searches, job placement, retention and supports employment needs. Synapse house has a contract with the dept of rehabilitation services for the state of illinois to provide supported employment and job coaching services.

$58Kprogram 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
See all 6 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$656K
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$379K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$271K
Other incomeLn 4–11$6K
Money outPt IX
$598K
Ln 25
Programscol B$458K
Managementcol C$134K
Fundraisingcol D$6K
Owns and owesPt X
$255K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$173K
Total assetsLn 16$852K
LiabilitiesLn 26$597K
PeoplePt VI, VII
9
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b8
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$271K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$6K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$115K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$379K
Other incomeLn 4–11$6K
Total revenueLn 12$656K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$121K
SavingsLn 2$52K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$173K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$29K
Other assetsLn 15$33K
Total assetsLn 16$852K
LiabilitiesLn 26$597K
Net assetsLn 32$255K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 516
VolunteersI 68
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 FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$96K$173K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$40K$29K
Total assetsLn 16$877K$852K
LiabilitiesLn 26$679K$597K
Net assetsLn 32$198K$255K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$64K$52K$12K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$234K$190K$44K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$6K$4K$2K
Payroll taxesLn 10$23K$19K$4K
Legal feesLn 11b$211$211
Accounting feesLn 11c$10K$3K$6K$418
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$7K$2K$5K$382
Advertising and promotionLn 12$2K$334$1K
Office expensesLn 13$39K$15K$19K$5K
Information technologyLn 14$10K$3K$7K
OccupancyLn 16$120K$114K$6K
TravelLn 17$32K$32K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$11K$11K
InsuranceLn 23$12K$8K$4K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$30K$6K$24K
Total functional expensesLn 25$598K$458K$134K$6K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $656K$679K−$24K$231K 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $656K$598K$57K$255K 990 PDF
FY2022 $621K$573K$49K$198K 990 PDF
FY2021 $467K$491K−$24K$149K 990 PDF
FY2020 $344K$387K−$43K$173K 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 FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $655,628 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $303,288$270,521
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $327,693$378,645
I-10 Investment incomePrior year −$1,855$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$7,801$6,462
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $621,325$655,628
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 $324,368$325,945
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $248,340$272,535
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $572,708$598,480
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $48,617$57,148
Part VI · Governance 8 of 8 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body8
VI-1b Independent voting members8
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 $655,628 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$115,075
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$155,446
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$5,677
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$270,521
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $378,645$378,645
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$2,041−$2,041
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $8,503$8,503
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $387,148 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax −$2,041$655,628
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $598,480 across 15 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $51,527 · Management $12,086$63,613
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $189,833 · Management $43,792$233,625
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $4,272 · Management $1,536$5,808
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $18,886 · Management $4,013$22,899
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $211$211
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $2,661 · Management $6,421 · Fundraising $418$9,500
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $2,142 · Management $4,914 · Fundraising $382$7,438
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $334 · Management $1,319$1,653
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $14,821 · Management $19,367 · Fundraising $4,790$38,978
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $2,791 · Management $7,062$9,853
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $114,024 · Management $6,043$120,067
IX-17 TravelPrograms $31,589$31,589
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $11,236$11,236
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $8,029 · Management $3,771$11,800
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $6,275 · Management $23,935$30,210
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $458,420 · Management $134,470 · Fundraising $5,590$598,480
Part X · Balance sheet $851,801 assets, 14 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $96,178$121,431
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investments$51,693
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $48,308$52,768
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $40,394$29,158
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $658,599$563,380
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $33,371$33,371
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $876,850$851,801
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $19,027$22,936
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $660,159$574,053
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $679,186$596,989
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $152,621$175,018
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $45,043$79,794
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $197,664$254,812
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $876,850$851,801
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $254,812 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$655,628
XI-2 Total expenses$598,480
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$57,148
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$197,664
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$254,812

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

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