Is it real?
Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Nov 2017.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File
Where the money goes
78 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.
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; $213K paid to officers and key staff (Part VII, Section A).
Kevin James’s $213K as Founder & CEO is at the 85th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3395 $1–10M education 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 · 5 named individuals · Part VII
| Name | FY2025 | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | FY2021 | FY2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin James | $212,619 | $160,900 | $160,900 | $169,194 | $149,500 | $118,000 |
| Barry Cynamon | — | — | — | — | $57,959 | $150,008 |
| Lee Hart | — | — | — | — | $135,000 | $130,833 |
| Barbara Weber | — | — | — | — | — | $107,833 |
| Courtney Criswell | — | $31,044 | — | — | — | — |
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 Better Future Forward 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
Ensures equitable access to high-quality postsecondary education for all.
Questions for Better Future Forward INC
Your first name shows with your question. Better Future Forward INC answers here, for everyone.
Implemented community funds designed to help students with limited financial means access and complete a bachelor's degree at higher rates.
Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2024. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 81-4772781) · Dispute this lineFunders
Who pays for it.
From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.
Grants
By the numbers
The FY2025 990, line by line.
Download 990
| Line | Start FY25 | End FY25 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and savingsLn 1–2 | $272K | $609K |
| InvestmentsLn 11–13 | $0 | $0 |
| Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c | $7K | $6K |
| Total assetsLn 16 | $2.8M | $3.4M |
| LiabilitiesLn 26 | $3.0M | $3.1M |
| Net assetsLn 32 | −$165K | $244K |
| Line | Total | Programs | Management | Fundraising |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Ln 5 | $213K | $181K | $11K | $21K |
| Pay of disqualified personsLn 6 | $0 | |||
| Other salaries and wagesLn 7 | $169K | $159K | $10K | |
| Pension plan contributionsLn 8 | $11K | $10K | $425 | $850 |
| Other employee benefitsLn 9 | $20K | $16K | $4K | |
| Payroll taxesLn 10 | $29K | $26K | $813 | $2K |
| Management feesLn 11a | $0 | |||
| Legal feesLn 11b | $28K | $26K | $1K | |
| Accounting feesLn 11c | $52K | $52K | ||
| Lobbying feesLn 11d | $96K | $96K | ||
| Professional fundraising feesLn 11e | $0 | |||
| Investment management feesLn 11f | $0 | |||
| Other fees for servicesLn 11g | $0 | |||
| Advertising and promotionLn 12 | $0 | |||
| Office expensesLn 13 | $55K | $47K | $6K | $2K |
| Information technologyLn 14 | $0 | |||
| RoyaltiesLn 15 | $0 | |||
| OccupancyLn 16 | $0 | |||
| TravelLn 17 | $48K | $43K | $1K | $4K |
| Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18 | $0 | |||
| Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19 | $0 | |||
| InterestLn 20 | $71K | $71K | ||
| Payments to affiliatesLn 21 | $0 | |||
| Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22 | $1K | $323 | $899 | $30 |
| InsuranceLn 23 | $2K | $2K | ||
| Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24 | $400K | $252K | $60K | $89K |
| All other expensesLn 24e | $17K | $17K | $131 | $382 |
| Total functional expensesLn 25 | $1.2M | $943K | $136K | $134K |
Filing history
| Year | Money in | Money out | In minus out | Net assets | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS May 15, 2026 | $1.7M | $1.2M | $441K | $244K | 990 PDF |
| FY2024Filed with the IRS May 15, 2025 | $528K | $975K | −$448K | −$165K | 990 PDF |
| FY2023Filed with the IRS May 15, 2024 | $1.0M | $754K | $295K | $113 | 990 PDF |
| FY2022Filed with the IRS May 15, 2023 | $723K | $1.1M | −$391K | −$295K | 990 PDF |
| FY2021Filed with the IRS May 25, 2022 | $1.1M | $1.2M | −$70K | $96K | 990 PDF |
| FY2020Filed with the IRS May 13, 2021 | $1.0M | $947K | $78K | $166K | 990 PDF |
Schedules filed Part IV
See the full FY2025 990
Part I · Summary $1,654,364 revenue, 12 lines filed
Part VI · Governance 9 of 10 board members independent, 2 to look at
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,654,364 across 10 lines filed
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,213,162 across 31 lines filed
Part X · Balance sheet $3,353,984 assets, 31 lines filed
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $243,994 net assets at year end
Form 990 e-file FY2025 from the IRS (about our sources) · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File
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