Connect Humanity works to expand digital access in rural, low and moderate-income, and historically underserved communities. The organization combines programmatic and financial tools - including grants, technical assistance, coalition building, workforce and digital skills initiatives, and investment capital - to support digital connectivity and access toward community economic development. Connect Humanity also convenes cross-sector collaborations to develop innovative funding and financing models for digital access and adoption programs.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
90¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 5 volunteers and 10 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · 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
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 3
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $2.0M a year · 30% of revenue · last 3 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 3 of the last 3 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 3 filings
Spent on programs
90%
of spending
Looks good: 90% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.3M
to officers and key staff · 36% of spending
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 36% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
11 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 10.9 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
4
named funders · $2.6M
Looks good: 4 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$95K
2% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 2% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
4
of 4 voting members
Looks good: 4 of 4 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$3.8M
-54% vs prior year
Spent
$3.6M
To programs
90%
Net assets
$5.8M
By yearFY2023–FY2025
Revenue
$3.8M
FY2025▼ -54%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2023$7.7M
FY2024$8.2M
FY2025$3.8M
Expenses
$3.6M
FY2025▼ -52%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2023$2.5M
FY2024$7.6M
FY2025$3.6M
Net assets
$5.8M
FY2025▲ +3%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2023$5.3M
FY2024$5.6M
FY2025$5.8M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jul 2022.

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

Where the money goes

90 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 90% · $3.3M Management & general 10% · $348K

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; $1.3M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Chief Executive Officer (left 11/24)
$294,914Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Investment Officer
$222,333Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Financial Officer
$200,414Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Dev and Ops Officer
$194,932Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Philanthropic Programs
$157,523Pt VII · Sec A
Operations Manager
$135,035Pt VII · Sec A
Community Engagement Manager
$114,939Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Jochai Ben-Avie’s $295K as Chief Executive Officer (left 11/24) is at the 95th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1690 $1–10M 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 · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024
Jochai Ben-Avie$294,914$189,792
Brian Vo$222,333$223,189
Marco Girish$200,414$200,014
Erica Mesker$194,932$163,241
Samantha Schartman$157,523$124,860
Rian Wanstreet$135,035—
Melissa Boagey—$127,256
Kenya Browning—$119,455

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 Connect Humanity 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

Connects underserved communities with affordable internet and digital skills.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $3.1M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Appalachia Digital Accelerator

Connect humanity operated the appalachia digital accelerator in partnership with the appalachian regional commission to support broadband planning and digital access strategies in historically unserved and underserved communities across appalachia.

$2.5Mprogram expense
02

Rio Grande Valley Broadband Coalition

Connect humanity coordinates the rio grande valley broadband coalition, a regional collaboration of public, nonprofit, and private stakeholders working to expand affordable broadband access and digital access in south texas.

$310Kprogram expense
03

Investment Program

Connect humanity manages a portfolio of investment capital to support community-focused broadband infrastructure and internet service providers serving low and moderate-income, rural, and underserved communities. Investments are structured to advance charitable purposes by increasing access to affordable, reliable broadband service.

$286Kprogram expense

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
Tides FoundationFY2024$100K
Total grants receivedfrom 4 funders$2.6M
See all 4 funders →
Grants paid · 35 grants · $1.4M · 2022–2024
Generation West Virginia INCWV · FY2024$78,000
Foothills Regional CommissionNC · FY2024$60,000
Trumbull County CommissionersFY2024$30,000
Garrett CountyFY2024$30,000
City of PittsburghFY2024$30,000
Ashtabula County Board of CommissionersFY2024$30,000
Whitfield County Board of CommissionersFY2024$24,807
Southern Tier 8 Regional BoardFY2024$21,000
DriveFY2024$6,000
Bradley CountyFY2024$5,805
Generation West Virginia INCWV · FY2023$292,500
Foothills Regional CommissionNC · FY2023$60,000
DriveFY2023$54,000
Individual RecipientFY2023$27,000
See all 35 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$3.8M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$3.4M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$191K
Investment incomeLn 3$159K
Money outPt IX
$3.6M
Ln 25
Programscol B$3.3M
Managementcol C$348K
Owns and owesPt X
$5.8M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$3.3M
Total assetsLn 16$5.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$95K
PeoplePt VI, VII
11
listed · VII A
PaidVII A7
Voting boardVI 1a4
IndependentVI 1b4
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$3.4M
Government grantsLn 1e$2.2M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$8K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$191K
Investment incomeLn 3$159K
Other incomeLn 4–11$20K
Total revenueLn 12$3.8M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$2.8M
SavingsLn 2$500K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$3.3M
Total assetsLn 16$5.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$95K
Net assetsLn 32$5.8M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 510
VolunteersI 65
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$4.4M$3.3M
Total assetsLn 16$6.3M$5.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$670K$95K
Net assetsLn 32$5.6M$5.8M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$419K$419K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$412K$390K$22K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.2M$1.1M$56K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$210K$186K$24K
Payroll taxesLn 10$100K$96K$4K
Legal feesLn 11b$16K$14K$3K
Accounting feesLn 11c$132K$56K$76K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$979K$885K$94K
Office expensesLn 13$3K$2K$1K
Information technologyLn 14$50K$17K$33K
TravelLn 17$30K$27K$3K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$8K$8K
InsuranceLn 23$29K$29K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$72K$70K$2K
All other expensesLn 24e$434$60$374
Total functional expensesLn 25$3.6M$3.3M$348K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $3.8M$3.6M$150K$5.8M 990 PDF
FY2024 $8.2M$7.6M$600K$5.6M 990 PDF
FY2023 $7.7M$2.5M$5.2M$5.3M 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 J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $3,779,298 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $8,082,855$3,409,837
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $15,000$190,594
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $116,480$158,867
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $114$20,000
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $8,214,449$3,779,298
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $1,018,820$418,576
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $2,151,622$1,892,349
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $4,444,106$1,318,871
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $7,614,548$3,629,796
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $599,901$149,502
Part VI · Governance 4 of 4 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body4
VI-1b Independent voting members4
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 $3,779,298 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$2,227,992
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,181,845
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$7,976
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$3,409,837
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $190,594$190,594
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $158,867$158,867
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $20,000$20,000
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $190,594 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $178,867$3,779,298
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $3,629,796 across 15 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $418,576$418,576
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $389,576 · Management $22,366$411,942
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,114,438 · Management $55,915$1,170,353
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $185,584 · Management $24,425$210,009
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $95,942 · Management $4,103$100,045
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $13,572 · Management $2,679$16,251
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $56,181 · Management $76,101$132,282
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $885,114 · Management $93,577$978,691
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $1,622 · Management $1,128$2,750
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $17,112 · Management $32,634$49,746
IX-17 TravelPrograms $26,858 · Management $3,266$30,124
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $7,658$7,658
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $29,263$29,263
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $69,653 · Management $2,019$71,672
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $60 · Management $374$434
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $3,281,946 · Management $347,850 · Fundraising $0$3,629,796
Part X · Balance sheet $5,866,316 assets, 12 lines filed
Asset lines not itemized here account for $2,034,768; see the IRS return.
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $3,845,986$2,807,419
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $601,116$500,009
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $243,968$355,000
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $32,777$169,120
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $6,291,450$5,866,316
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $363,895$89,327
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $238,455$6,095
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $670,058$95,422
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,266,774$1,429,343
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $4,354,618$4,341,551
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $5,621,392$5,770,894
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $6,291,450$5,866,316
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $5,770,894 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$3,779,298
XI-2 Total expenses$3,629,796
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$149,502
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$5,621,392
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$5,770,894

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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