Better Future Forward INC FY2020 filing

Alexandria, VA · Public charity (501(c)(3)) · Since 2016 · Education

✓ Tax-deductible
Revenue
$1.0M
Spent
$947K
To programs
81%
Net assets
$166K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$1.0M
FY2020
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.0M
FY2021$1.1M
FY2022$723K
FY2023$1.0M
FY2024$528K
FY2024$1.7M
Expenses
$947K
FY2020
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$947K
FY2021$1.2M
FY2022$1.1M
FY2023$754K
FY2024$975K
FY2024$1.2M
Net assets
$166K
FY2020
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$166K
FY2021$96K
FY2022−$295K
FY2023$113
FY2024−$165K
FY2024$244K

From the FY2020 Form 990 (year ending June 2020) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Status and standing

Is it real, and can you give to it?

Tax-deductible?
Yes
Per the IRS master file.
Can I give now?
No revocation on IRS record
Not on the IRS revocation list.
Filing up to date?
Filed FY2024 (typical filing lag)
Legal name (IRS)Hdr · item CBetter Future Forward INC
EINHdr · item D81-4772781
Exempt statusHdr · item I501(c)(3) · active
Ruling yearIRS BMFNov 2017
Year of formationHdr · item L2016
Latest filingForm 990FY2024 · Form 990
Principal addressHdr · item CAlexandria, VA
NTEE classificationIRS BMFEducation (B82)
WebsiteHdr · item Jwww.betterfutureforward.org

Where the money goes

What each dollar paid for.

Statement of Functional Expenses

Part IX · allocated across program, management, and fundraising
Allocation · columns B–D
Program services $0.81 Management & general $0.19
Program services81%$766K
Management & general19%$181K
Total functional expensesLn 25$947K

Financial health

Is it on solid ground?

Program efficiency
81%
of spending reaches programs
Operating runway
15.1mo
months of highly liquid reserves at operating expense rate
Surplus margin
+8%
revenue over expenses, this year

Summary of the Filing

Part I · fiscal year 2020 · Form 990
Total assets
$2.5M
FY2020
Total assets by fiscal year
FY2020$2.5M
FY2021$2.5M
FY2022$2.5M
FY2023$3.4M
FY2024$2.8M
FY2024$3.4M
Total liabilities
$2.3M
FY2020
Total liabilities by fiscal year
FY2020$2.3M
FY2021$2.4M
FY2022$2.8M
FY2023$3.4M
FY2024$3.0M
FY2024$3.1M
Revenue less expensesPt I · Ln 19$78K
Total assetsPt X · Ln 16$2.5M
Program-expense ratioPt IX · col B81%
Voting members of governing bodyPt I · Ln 35
Independent voting membersPt I · Ln 44

Balance Sheet

Part X · end of year
CashLn 1$1.2M
Total assetsLn 16$2.5M
Total liabilitiesLn 26$2.3M
Total net assetsLn 32$166K
Months of cash on handcomputed15.1

Statement of Revenue

Part VIII
Contributions & grants$1.0M · 99%
Other revenue$5K · 1%
Contributions & grants99%$1.0M
Other revenue1%$5K
Program service revenue$3K
Investment income$959
Total revenueLn 12$1.0M

Financial Metrics

Form 990 · FY2020 · each ratio shown with the dollars behind it
Liquidity & Payout
Operating runway
Highly liquid reserves $1.2M · Operating expenses/yr $947K
15.1 months
Where the money goes
Program services
Program services $766K · Total expenses $947K
81%
Management & General
Management & general $181K · Total expenses $947K
19%
Fundraising
Fundraising $0 · Total expenses $947K
0%
Cost to raise $1
Fundraising expense $0 · Solicited contributions $1.0M
Solicited contributions below reporting floor
Where the money comes from
Contribution dependence
Contributions & grants $1.0M · Total revenue $1.0M
99%
Government reliance
Government grants — · Total revenue $1.0M
—
Earned-income share
Program service revenue $3K · Total revenue $1.0M
0.3%
Investment reliance
Investment income $959 · Total revenue $1.0M
+0.09%
Program self-sufficiency
Program service revenue $3K · Total expenses $947K
0.3%
Growth & trend
Revenue growth (YoY)
This year $1.0M · Prior year —
No prior year on file
Net-asset trend (YoY)
End of year $166K · Beginning of year —
Beginning net assets not meaningfully positive — showing dollar change
Balance sheet
Surplus Margin
Revenue $1.0M · Expenses $947K
+8%
Liabilities-to-Assets
Total liabilities — · Total assets $2.5M
—
Net-asset ratio
Net assets $166K · Total assets $2.5M
7%
Marketable Investment Share
Publicly traded securities (Pt X, ln 11) $0 · Other securities (Pt X, ln 12) $0 · Total assets (Pt X, ln 16) $2.5M
0%
People & payroll
Highest Reported Total Compensation
Individual Barry Cynamon · Reported title EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT & CFO · Highest reported compensation $150K · Total expenses $947K
16%
Personnel share
Salaries, benefits & payroll (Pt IX 5-10) $717K · Total expenses $947K
76%
Peer comparison

Same NTEE category, revenue band, and state where available. Descriptive — not a grade.

MetricThis orgPeer medianPercentile
Program ratio 81%——
Overhead ratio 19%——
Fundraising cost ratio 0%——
Investment management fee ratio 0%——
Legal fee ratio 4%——
Accounting fee ratio 3%——
Fundraising fee ratio 0%——

Straight from the Form 990 — descriptive, not an evaluation. A ratio is hidden when its base is zero or too small to be meaningful; the dollars are always shown.

Leadership and pay

Who runs it, and what are they paid?

Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2019); the FY2020 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Vice President & CFO
$150,008Pt VII · Sec A
VP of Development & Community
$130,833Pt VII · Sec A
Founder & CEO
$118,000Pt VII · Sec A
VP of Ops & School Ptrships
$107,833Pt VII · Sec A
Chair of the Board & Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary & Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec 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 · 7 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Kevin James$212,619$160,900$160,900$169,194$149,500—
Barry Cynamon—————$150,008
Lee Hart————$135,000$130,833
Kevin James—————$118,000
Barbara Weber—————$107,833
Barry Cynamon————$57,959—
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.

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Governance & Policies

Part VI
  • 5Voting board membersPt VI · Ln 1a
  • 4Independent board membersPt VI · Ln 1b
  • Conflict-of-interest policyPt VI · Ln 12aYes
  • Whistleblower policyPt VI · Ln 13No
  • Document retention policyPt VI · Ln 14No
  • Top official’s pay independently reviewedPt VI · Ln 15aYes
  • Family or business ties among leadersPt VI · Ln 2No

Mission and programs

What it does.

Ensures equitable access to high-quality postsecondary education for all.

Provided by the organization

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Mission & Programs · Part III

Where the work happens

2 program services account for $766K of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2019.
01

Implemented community funds designed to help students with limited financial means access and complete a bachelor's degree at higher rates.

$728Kprogram expense
02

Built pilot programs with Opportunity@Work focused on helping low-income working adults enroll in information technology training courses.

$38Kprogram expense

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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 3 funders$375K
See all 3 funders →

Filing history

Every return on file.

YearRevenueExpensesChangeFiling
FY2024 $528K$975K-50% 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.0M$754K+45% 990 PDF
FY2022 $723K$1.1M-35% 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.1M$1.2M+9% 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $1.0M$947K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash

Not shown yet: ratings, outcomes, and peer benchmarks. A Form 990 doesn’t report them.

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Sources

Every figure above is drawn from these filings
Form 990 e-file (XML) · FY2020IRS
Classification, formation year, addressIRS Business Master File
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