The mission of the Fairy Godmother Project is to ease the burden of day to day life for families facing all phases of a pediatric cancer diagnosis.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
72¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 116 volunteers and 7 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

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
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
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $11K a year · 3% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
72%
of spending
Fine: 72% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$80K
to officers and key staff · 16% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 16% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
16 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 16.1 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $76K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$9K
1% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 1% 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
$462K
+17% vs prior year
Spent
$505K
To programs
72%
Net assets
$668K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$462K
FY2024▲ +17%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$317K
FY2021$382K
FY2022$418K
FY2023$396K
FY2024$462K
Expenses
$505K
FY2024▲ +11%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$265K
FY2021$314K
FY2022$384K
FY2023$455K
FY2024$505K
Net assets
$668K
FY2024▼ -6%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$663K
FY2021$731K
FY2022$770K
FY2023$711K
FY2024$668K

From the FY2024 Form 990 · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

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

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

Where the money goes

72 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 72% · $362K Management & general 14% · $71K Fundraising 14% · $72K

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; $80K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$80,066Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Cathleen Passolano’s $80K as Executive Director is at the 71st percentile of top reported officer pay among 2168 $100K–1M 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 · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Cathleen Passolano$80,066$42,171———
Andrea McConnell——$74,280$75,780$73,675
Karen Webb——$12,500——

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 Fairy Godmother Project 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 families with children battling cancer manage daily life challenges.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $225K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Family services and financial relief program- this comprehensive program provides both emotional and practical support to families facing pediatric cancer. Financial relief includes bill payment assistance offered twice per year, with a maximum amount of $1,000 per family.

$212Kprogram expense
02

Stargazer program- the stargazer program provides compassionate emotional and financial support to families during the end-of-life state and in the months and years that follow. Through this program, fairy godmother project offers hospice support, assistance with funeral planning, annual bereavement retreats, and memorial events that…

$13Kprogram expense
03

Hope Link Program

The hope link program offers monthly psycho-social support groups for families navigating pediatric cancer. These sessions are facilitated by a certified dougy center model professional and are designed to provide a safe, compassionate space for families to express their thoughts, process emotions, and receive grief support.

Pt IX · col B

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 2 funders$76K
Grants paid · 15 grants · $466K · 2020–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$127,427
Unitemized GrantFY2024$26,252
Unitemized GrantFY2024$20,950
Unitemized GrantFY2024$1,080
Unitemized GrantFY2022$57,569
Unitemized GrantFY2022$34,454
Unitemized GrantFY2022$15,036
Unitemized GrantFY2022$6,910
Unitemized GrantFY2022$1,457
Unitemized GrantFY2021$76,975
Unitemized GrantFY2021$3,421
Unitemized GrantFY2021$2,161
Unitemized GrantFY2021$300
Unitemized GrantFY2021$240
Unitemized GrantFY2020$92,189

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$462K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$449K
Investment incomeLn 3$16K
Money outPt IX
$505K
Ln 25
Programscol B$362K
Managementcol C$71K
Fundraisingcol D$72K
Owns and owesPt X
$668K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$677K
Total assetsLn 16$677K
LiabilitiesLn 26$9K
PeoplePt VI, VII
11
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a10
IndependentVI 1b10
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$449K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$65K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$269K
Investment incomeLn 3$16K
Total revenueLn 12$462K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$82K
SavingsLn 2$594K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$677K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Total assetsLn 16$677K
LiabilitiesLn 26$9K
Net assetsLn 32$668K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 57
VolunteersI 6116
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14Yes
3More from this return
Abroad and in kindSch F, M
Noncash gifts receivedSch M Pt I$65K
4Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$719K$677K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$523$0
Total assetsLn 16$720K$677K
LiabilitiesLn 26$9K$9K
Net assetsLn 32$711K$668K
5Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$233K$233K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$76K$57K$4K$15K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$104K$41K$26K$37K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$4K$3K$186$745
Payroll taxesLn 10$16K$8K$4K$4K
Legal feesLn 11b$20$20
Advertising and promotionLn 12$2K$106$2K
Office expensesLn 13$9K$226$8K$262
Information technologyLn 14$2K$2K
OccupancyLn 16$29K$18K$6K$4K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$738$738
InsuranceLn 23$10K$10K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$20K$1K$9K$10K
Total functional expensesLn 25$505K$362K$71K$72K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS Jul 23, 2025 $462K$505K−$43K$668K 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Nov 13, 2024 $396K$455K−$59K$711K 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Nov 13, 2023 $418K$384K$34K$770K 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Nov 14, 2022 $382K$314K$68K$731K 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS Nov 3, 2021 $317K$265K$52K$663K 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 M · Noncash O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $462,410 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $411,037$449,197
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $3,579$15,912
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$18,338−$2,699
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $396,278$462,410
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $187,832$233,225
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $214,780$200,204
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $52,214$71,867
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $454,826$505,296
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$58,548−$42,886
Part VI · Governance 10 of 10 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body10
VI-1b Independent voting members10
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $462,410 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$269,070
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$180,127
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$65,393
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$449,197
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $15,912$15,912
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$4,916−$4,916
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $2,217$2,217
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $13,213$462,410
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $505,296 across 13 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $233,225$233,225
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $57,256 · Management $3,817 · Fundraising $15,268$76,341
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $40,941 · Management $26,096 · Fundraising $37,323$104,360
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $2,794 · Management $186 · Fundraising $745$3,725
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $7,625 · Management $4,063 · Fundraising $4,090$15,778
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $20$20
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $106 · Management $1,609$1,715
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $226 · Management $8,235 · Fundraising $262$8,723
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $1,540$1,540
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $18,410 · Management $6,190 · Fundraising $4,249$28,849
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsManagement $738$738
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $10,271$10,271
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,109 · Management $8,606 · Fundraising $10,296$20,011
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $361,692 · Management $71,371 · Fundraising $72,233$505,296
Part X · Balance sheet $676,746 assets, 10 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $140,094$82,446
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $579,080$594,300
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $523$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $719,697$676,746
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $8,635$8,570
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $8,635$8,570
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $663,318$621,545
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $47,744$46,631
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $711,062$668,176
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $719,697$676,746
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $668,176 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$462,410
XI-2 Total expenses$505,296
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$42,886
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$711,062
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$668,176

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

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