Sober house for women

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
58¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 10 volunteers and 4 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2026 · 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
FY2026
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2026, this tax year; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
1 of 3
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $11K a year · 4% of revenue · last 3 filings
Concern: a surplus in 1 of the last 3 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 3 filings
Spent on programs
58%
of spending
Worth a look: 58% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$65K
to officers and key staff · 19% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 19% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Concern: -1.5 months of spending in cash; under 2 weeks.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $17K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$0
-0% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are -0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
0
of 2 voting members
Concern: none of 2 voting members are independent.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$325K
-19% vs prior year
Spent
$341K
To programs
58%
Net assets
−$42K
By yearFY2021–FY2026
Revenue
$325K
FY2026▼ -19%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$77K
FY2022$114K
FY2023$117K
FY2024$204K
FY2025$403K
FY2026$325K
Expenses
$341K
FY2026▼ -10%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021Not on file
FY2022Not on file
FY2023Not on file
FY2024$243K
FY2025$381K
FY2026$341K
Net assets
−$42K
FY2026▲ +28%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$5K
FY2022$21K
FY2023−$42K
FY2024−$80K
FY2025−$59K
FY2026−$42K

From the FY2026 Form 990 (year ending June 2026) · see the original

990 PDF Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2026. IRS ruling in Oct 2016.

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

Where the money goes

58 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 58% · $199K Management & general 42% · $143K

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

3 people listed on the 990; $65K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2025); the FY2026 filing did not itemize Part VII
$53,552Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$11,564Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Nicole Lawrence Obrien’s $54K as Director is at the 50th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1264 $100K–1M philanthropy & grantmaking 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

NameFY2026FY2025FY2024
Nicole Lawrence Obrien$53,552$45,500—
Nicole Lawrence O'Brien——$31,720
Linda Febles$11,564$13,000—

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 Ruth's Way INC 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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Ruth's Way INC is a public foundation based in East Boston, MA, formed in 2014.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $199K · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

Sober house for women

$199Kprogram 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 · FY2021
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$17K

By the numbers

The FY2026 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$325K
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$255K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$43K
Other incomeLn 4–11$27K
Money outPt IX
$341K
Ln 25
Programscol B$199K
Managementcol C$143K
Owns and owesPt X
−$42K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2−$42K
Total assetsLn 16−$42K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
3
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a2
IndependentVI 1b0
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$43K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$255K
Investment incomeLn 3$1
Other incomeLn 4–11$27K
Total revenueLn 12$325K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1−$76K
SavingsLn 2$34K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2−$42K
Total assetsLn 16−$42K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32−$42K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 54
VolunteersI 610
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aNo
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY26End FY26
Cash and savingsLn 1–2−$59K−$42K
Total assetsLn 16−$59K−$42K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$0
Net assetsLn 32−$59K−$42K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0
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$79K$79K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$0
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$0
Payroll taxesLn 10$32K$32K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$450$450
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$0
Advertising and promotionLn 12$7K$7K
Office expensesLn 13$1K$1K
Information technologyLn 14$2K$2K
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$186K$186K
TravelLn 17$0
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$0
InterestLn 20$2K$2K
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$0
InsuranceLn 23$3K$3K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$22K$3K$18K
All other expensesLn 24e$6K$6K
Total functional expensesLn 25$341K$199K$143K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2026 Latest Viewing $325K$341K−$16K−$42K 990 PDF
FY2025 $403K$381K$22K−$59K 990 PDF
FY2024 $204K$243K−$39K−$80K 990 PDF
FY2023 $117K−$42K 990 PDF
FY2022 $114K$21K 990 PDF
FY2021 $77K$5K 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 FY2026 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $325,152 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $114,635$43,166
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $246,264$255,285
I-10 Investment income$1
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $41,856$26,700
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $402,755$325,152
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $80,526$110,992
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $300,359$230,273
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $380,885$341,265
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $21,870−$16,113
Part VI · Governance 0 of 2 board members independent, 4 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body2
VI-1b Independent voting members0
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyNo
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $325,152 across 7 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$43,166
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$43,166
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $255,285$255,285
VIII-3 Investment income$1
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$9,864
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $16,177$16,836
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $271,462$325,152
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $341,265 across 30 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizations$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
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 staffManagement $78,941$78,941
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wages$0
IX-8 Pension plan contributions$0
IX-9 Other employee benefits$0
IX-10 Payroll taxesManagement $32,051$32,051
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal fees$0
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $450$450
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $7,353$7,353
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $1,486$1,486
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $1,500$1,500
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $186,249$186,249
IX-17 Travel$0
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetings$0
IX-20 InterestManagement $2,430$2,430
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortization$0
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $3,049$3,049
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $3,466 · Management $18,109$21,575
IX-24e All other expensesManagement $6,181$6,181
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $198,568 · Management $142,697 · Fundraising $0$341,265
Part X · Balance sheet −$42,313 assets, 6 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year −$89,742−$76,289
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $31,214$33,976
X-16 Total assetsStart of year −$58,528−$42,313
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year −$58,528−$42,313
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year −$58,528−$42,313
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets −$42,313 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$325,152
XI-2 Total expenses$341,265
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$16,113
XI-4 Net assets at start of year−$58,528
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$32,328
XI-10 Net assets at end of year−$42,313

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2026 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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