The mission of the Mount Vernon Downtown Association is to cultivate a vibrant and prosperous downtown while honoring its historic character, to preserve and grow the place where community connection happens. Our vision is of a thriving historic downtown Mount Vernon, where all are welcome in the clean, safe, and appealing heart of commerce and culture; a place where the community comes together with pride.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
80¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$79K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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
2 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $20K a year · 7% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
80%
of spending
Looks good: 80% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$79K
to officers and key staff · 21% of spending
Worth a look: pay to officers and key staff is 21% of spending; over 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.5 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $10K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$133K
80% of total assets
Worth a look: liabilities are 80% of assets; over 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
10
of 8 voting members
Looks good: 10 of 8 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$342K
+22% vs prior year
Spent
$378K
To programs
80%
Net assets
$33K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$342K
FY2024▲ +22%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$240K
FY2021$224K
FY2022$318K
FY2023$280K
FY2024$342K
Expenses
$378K
FY2024▼ -4%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$199K
FY2021$214K
FY2022$323K
FY2023$392K
FY2024$378K
Net assets
$33K
FY2024▼ -52%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$173K
FY2021$184K
FY2022$180K
FY2023$68K
FY2024$33K

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 Jul 2014.

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

Where the money goes

80 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 80% · $301K Management & general 20% · $77K

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

13 people listed on the 990; $79K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Dir.
$78,678Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Ellen Gamson’s $79K as Executive Dir. is at the 55th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1709 $100K–1M community development 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 · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Ellen Gamson$78,678$64,200$65,783$58,967$57,550

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 Mount Vernon Downtown Association executive salaries →

On this list? Claim this org

Something off? Claim to add context

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

Revitalizes historic downtown to foster community connection and economic prosperity.

Questions for Mount Vernon Downtown Association

Tap to ask. Mount Vernon Downtown Association sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Mount Vernon Downtown Association answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

Know this org? Add your story

1 program · $301K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

In 2023, the MVDA continued its ongoing work of supporting our community by providing opportunities for social connection and generating civic pride through a robust calendar of events in the district that we either solely produced or partnered in production.

$301Kprogram 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 · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$10K

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$342K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$163K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$127K
Other incomeLn 4–11$50K
Money outPt IX
$378K
Ln 25
Programscol B$301K
Managementcol C$77K
Owns and owesPt X
$33K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$140K
Total assetsLn 16$166K
LiabilitiesLn 26$133K
PeoplePt VI, VII
13
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b10
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$163K
Government grantsLn 1e$133K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$127K
Investment incomeLn 3$2K
Other incomeLn 4–11$50K
Gains on assetsLn 7$0
Total revenueLn 12$342K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$140K
SavingsLn 2$0
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$140K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$4K
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$166K
LiabilitiesLn 26$133K
Net assetsLn 32$33K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 53
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$159K$140K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$4K$4K
Total assetsLn 16$180K$166K
LiabilitiesLn 26$111K$133K
Net assetsLn 32$68K$33K
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$55K$24K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$125K$125K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$0
Payroll taxesLn 10$21K$19K$2K
Management feesLn 11a$940$940
Legal feesLn 11b$72$72
Accounting feesLn 11c$6K$6K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$7K$7K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$15K$15K
Office expensesLn 13$23K$11K$11K
Information technologyLn 14$0
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$43K$22K$22K
TravelLn 17$5K$5K
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$16K$16K
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$247$247
InsuranceLn 23$5K$5K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$28K$21K$7K
All other expensesLn 24e$3K$3K$120
Total functional expensesLn 25$378K$301K$77K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $342K$378K−$36K$33K 990 PDF
FY2023 $280K$392K−$111K$68K 990 PDF
FY2022 $318K$323K−$4K$180K 990 PDF
FY2021 $224K$214K$11K$184K 990 PDF
FY2020 $240K$199K$41K$173K 990 PDF

More to add? Claim this org

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $342,231 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $126,145$162,957
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $96,473$127,260
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $2,493$1,824
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $55,277$50,190
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $280,388$342,231
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $193,572$224,896
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $198,204$152,880
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $391,776$377,776
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$111,388−$35,545
Part VI · Governance 10 of 8 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body8
VI-1b Independent voting members10
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
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $342,231 across 11 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $43,109 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1e Government grants$132,901
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$30,056
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$162,957
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $127,260$127,260
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $1,824$1,824
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossRelated to mission $3,600$3,600
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assets$0
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $3,481$3,481
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $179,274$342,231
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $377,776 across 31 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 staffPrograms $55,075 · Management $23,603$78,678
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $125,030$125,030
IX-8 Pension plan contributions$0
IX-9 Other employee benefits$0
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $19,069 · Management $2,119$21,188
IX-11a Management feesManagement $940$940
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $72$72
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $5,667$5,667
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $7,172$7,172
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $15,437$15,437
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $11,449 · Management $11,449$22,898
IX-14 Information technology$0
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $21,581 · Management $21,581$43,162
IX-17 TravelManagement $4,605$4,605
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $16,172$16,172
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $247$247
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $5,377$5,377
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $21,358 · Management $6,772$28,130
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $2,881 · Management $120$3,001
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $300,601 · Management $77,175 · Fundraising $0$377,776
Part X · Balance sheet $165,751 assets, 19 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $159,296$140,390
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investments$0
X-3 Pledges and grants receivable$0
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $16,275$21,500
X-8 Inventories for sale or use$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$0
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $4,108$3,861
X-11 Publicly traded securities$0
X-12 Other securities$0
X-13 Program-related investments$0
X-14 Intangible assets$0
X-15 Other assets$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $179,679$165,751
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $4,266$168
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $88,460$83,300
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $18,756$49,631
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $111,482$133,099
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $68,197$32,652
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $179,679$165,751
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $32,652 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$342,231
XI-2 Total expenses$377,776
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$35,545
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$68,197
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$32,652

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

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

Your org? Add context

Made it to the end? Claim this org

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.