Connections for Children

Tax-deductible

Los Angeles, CA501(c)(3)Since 1976Human ServicesEIN 95-3839796Revenue $30.2M in FY2024

On file with the IRSconnectionsforchildren.org5901 W Century Blvd Ste 400, 90045-5414 · Los Angeles, CATax-exempt since Jun 1983Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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Connections for children's mission is to build a stronger future for Children, families, and the early care and education community by connecting them to resources, education, and economic support.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
96¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 50 volunteers and 58 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

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
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $51K a year · under 1% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
96%
of spending
Looks good: 96% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$395K
to officers and key staff · 1% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 59% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 1% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 2.2 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $100K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$10.8M
84% of total assets
Concern: liabilities are 84% of assets; over 80%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
13
of 13 voting members
Looks good: 13 of 13 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$30.2M
+24% vs prior year
Spent
$30.0M
To programs
96%
Net assets
$2.0M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$30.2M
FY2024▲ +24%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$13.3M
FY2021$17.9M
FY2022$16.7M
FY2023$20.6M
FY2024$24.4M
FY2024$30.2M
Expenses
$30.0M
FY2024▲ +24%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$13.4M
FY2021$17.7M
FY2022$16.7M
FY2023$20.6M
FY2024$24.2M
FY2024$30.0M
Net assets
$2.0M
FY2024▲ +17%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$1.2M
FY2021$1.4M
FY2022$1.3M
FY2023$1.4M
FY2024$1.7M
FY2024$2.0M

From the FY2024 Form 990 · 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: FY2024. IRS ruling in Jun 1983.

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

Where the money goes

96 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 96% · $28.7M Management & general 4% · $1.3M Fundraising 0% · $34K

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

17 people listed on the 990; $395K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Chief Executive Officer
$238,082Pt VII · Sec A
Past Deputy Director
$157,269Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Immediate Past President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Jennifer Cowan’s $238K as Chief Executive Officer is at the 59th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3122 $10–100M human services 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

NameFY2024FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Jennifer Cowan$238,082$227,240$203,942$176,742$176,742$144,662
Chante Bernard$157,269$144,702$141,288$127,020$124,193$100,568
Jessica Reynaga—$118,331————

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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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

Supports children, families, and communities with childcare, education, and economic aid.

Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $23.1M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Subsidy Programs

Connections for children administers subsidyprograms to assist low-income families in our communities, includingthose moving from welfare to work, to achieve financial INDEPENDENCE.PARTIAL or full payment towards child care enables parents to work,attend school or receive job training with the assurance that theirchildren, up to age 12…

$21.0Mprogram expense
02

Santa Monica Program

Connections for children provides a variety ofservices to residents of santa monica under a contract with the city'shuman services division. Staff worked with 465 families to provide child care referrals for child care programs in santa monica that meet their needs.

$1.5Mprogram expense
03

Quality Start

This program provides training and coaching services toassist child care providers with the skills to build expertise in bestpractices for child care. It provides one to one mentoring andtechnical assistance to child care professionals and early childhoodeducators.

$602Kprogram 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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$100K

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$30.2M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$30.1M
Investment incomeLn 3$55K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$9K
Money outPt IX
$30.0M
Ln 25
Programscol B$28.7M
Managementcol C$1.3M
Fundraisingcol D$34K
Owns and owesPt X
$2.0M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$5.4M
Total assetsLn 16$12.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$10.8M
PeoplePt VI, VII
17
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a13
IndependentVI 1b13
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$30.1M
Government grantsLn 1e$29.8M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$9K
Investment incomeLn 3$55K
Other incomeLn 4–11$8K
Gains on assetsLn 7$23K
Total revenueLn 12$30.2M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$300
SavingsLn 2$5.4M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$5.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$170K
Other assetsLn 15$1.1M
Total assetsLn 16$12.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$10.8M
Net assetsLn 32$2.0M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 558
VolunteersI 650
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$3.7M$5.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.1M$1.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$165K$170K
Total assetsLn 16$10.0M$12.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$8.3M$10.8M
Net assetsLn 32$1.7M$2.0M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$282K$10K$272K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$3.2M$2.9M$263K$14K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$176K$151K$25K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$373K$348K$24K$2K
Payroll taxesLn 10$272K$235K$36K$1K
Legal feesLn 11b$4K$4K
Accounting feesLn 11c$106K$106K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$691K$516K$175K$165
OccupancyLn 16$455K$388K$65K$2K
TravelLn 17$18K$17K$849$167
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$41K$19K$21K$502
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$61K$60K$827
InsuranceLn 23$95K$95K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$24.1M$23.9M$120K$13K
All other expensesLn 24e$191K$133K$57K$369
Total functional expensesLn 25$30.0M$28.7M$1.3M$34K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 $24.4M$24.2M$218K$1.7M 990 PDF
FY2023 $20.6M$20.6M−$13K$1.4M 990 PDF
FY2022 $16.7M$16.7M$19K$1.3M 990 PDF
FY2021 $17.9M$17.7M$129K$1.4M 990 PDF
FY2020 $13.3M$13.4M−$101K$1.2M 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
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $30,183,761 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $24,357,530$30,111,539
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $5,159$9,152
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $25,702$55,441
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $28,859$7,629
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $24,417,250$30,183,761
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $3,820,215$4,271,798
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $20,378,835$25,722,557
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $24,199,050$29,994,355
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $218,200$189,406
Part VI · Governance 13 of 13 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body13
VI-1b Independent voting members13
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 $30,183,761 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$29,752,967
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$358,572
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$30,111,539
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $9,152$9,152
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $32,646$32,646
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $22,795$22,795
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $7,629$7,629
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $16,781 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $55,441$30,183,761
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $29,994,355 across 15 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $9,789 · Management $271,934$281,723
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $2,891,546 · Management $263,108 · Fundraising $14,418$3,169,072
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $151,220 · Management $24,983$176,203
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $347,628 · Management $23,941 · Fundraising $1,678$373,247
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $234,810 · Management $35,554 · Fundraising $1,189$271,553
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $3,544$3,544
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $106,493$106,493
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $516,045 · Management $175,239 · Fundraising $165$691,449
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $387,522 · Management $64,900 · Fundraising $2,371$454,793
IX-17 TravelPrograms $16,894 · Management $849 · Fundraising $167$17,910
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $19,464 · Management $21,339 · Fundraising $502$41,305
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $59,831 · Management $827$60,658
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $94,642$94,642
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $23,927,445 · Management $120,305 · Fundraising $12,967$24,060,717
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $133,263 · Management $57,414 · Fundraising $369$191,046
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $28,695,457 · Management $1,265,072 · Fundraising $33,826$29,994,355
Part X · Balance sheet $12,757,600 assets, 18 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $300$300
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $3,708,137$5,401,746
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $3,530,062$4,561,352
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $16,828$32,321
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $138,239$186,284
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $164,711$170,267
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $1,144,636$1,313,349
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $1,341,217$1,091,981
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $10,044,130$12,757,600
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $2,743,134$3,148,853
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $431,457$371,971
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $3,596,539$5,918,916
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $1,577,873$1,331,991
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $8,349,003$10,771,731
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,634,607$1,892,558
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $60,520$93,311
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,695,127$1,985,869
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $10,044,130$12,757,600
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,985,869 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$30,183,761
XI-2 Total expenses$29,994,355
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$189,406
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,695,127
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$101,336
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,985,869

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

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