Action for Boston Community Development
Action for Boston Community Development reported $446.1 million in revenue and $410.0 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $97.83 went to program services, $2.17 to management and general costs and $0.00 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 98.1% of the total. Government grants made up 46.4%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $403,788 (PRESIDENT/CEO). Revenue rose 138% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $410MFor context, the median across 3,614 covered human services charities: $88.27 programs, $11.52 management, $0.21 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $446M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$51.75 $231M
- Government grants$46.32 $207M
- Program service revenue$0.07 $295K
- Investment income$1.86 $8.3M
Other revenue was negative: −$330K. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 97.8% | 87.2% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 2.2% | 11.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.00 | $0.02 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 98.1% | 20.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 46.4% | 2.4% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.1% | 70.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $403,788 | $274,992 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.10% | 1.18% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | Not reported | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 1.6 | 6.9 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 43 of 43 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseAbcd's child care choices of boston (cccb) serves as the child care resource and referral agency for arlington, boston, brookline, cambridge, chelsea, everett, revere, somerville and winthrop. Cccb plays a key role in making child care work for everyone by providing support, resources, technical assistance, training and child care expertise to a very diverse community. In fy2025, cccb distributed approximately $137 million in state-funded child care vouchers to nearly 7,990 families with more than 11,628 children. (continued on schedule o)
Abcd's head start and early head start programs helped over 1,902 children prepare for success in school and life by providing high-quality early education and care. Head start serves as a model for early education initiatives nationally, providing comprehensive services - education, health, nutrition, family services and intensive parent engagement, and advocates for the needs of young children from low-income families
Abcd's energy program made payments to local vendors to keep more than 15,000 households warm this year. The abcd energy conservation services provide vulnerable boston households with heating system and appliance repairs and replacements, weatherization, lighting, and more. As one of the co-founders of lean (low-income energy affordability network) and the lead vendor for eversource, abcd helped to design and implement statewide programs for 45,000 low-income households under the massachusetts green communities act. (continued on schedule o)
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT/CEO Officer, 35.0 hrs/week | $331,148 | $0 | $72,640 | $403,788 |
| COO Officer, 35.0 hrs/week | $227,200 | $0 | $59,928 | $287,128 |
| VP REAL ESTATE & ENERGY SERVICES Highest compensated employee, 35.0 hrs/week | $223,758 | $0 | $38,695 | $262,453 |
| CFO Officer, 35.0 hrs/week | $188,642 | $0 | $58,921 | $247,563 |
| ASSISTANT CLERK & GENERAL COUNSEL Officer, 35.0 hrs/week | $177,149 | $0 | $51,813 | $228,962 |
| VP HEAD START & CHILDREN SERVICES Highest compensated employee, 35.0 hrs/week | $174,096 | $0 | $54,273 | $228,369 |
| DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS Highest compensated employee, 35.0 hrs/week | $154,684 | $0 | $50,114 | $204,798 |
| VP INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT & STRATEGIC PLANNING Highest compensated employee, 35.0 hrs/week | $157,725 | $0 | $30,206 | $187,931 |
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b43 · 43 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 51,402
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| HOMEWORKS ENERGY Energy consultants | $25,014,940 |
| COMMUNITY ENERGY SERVICES INC Energy consultants | $3,811,619 |
| DUGGAN MECHANICAL SERVICES INC Mechanical contractor services | $1,383,054 |
| DOUGLAS LAMM DBA BUILDING ENVELOPE MATERIALS LLC Insulation services | $1,319,930 |
| NATIONAL GRID Energy services | $948,136 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 41 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
17 private foundations reported grants to Action for Boston Community Development totaling $427K on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Action for Boston Community Development's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Action for Boston Community Development, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Action for Boston Community Development spent in FY2025, $97.83 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Lutheran Services FloridaTampa, FL · revenue $444M · programs 97.0% · FY2025
- Compass ConnectionsSan Antonio, TX · revenue $449M · programs 89.1% · FY2025
- BarnardosUnited Kingdom, · revenue $435M · programs 66.6% · FY2025
- Rush Medical GroupChicago, IL · revenue $475M · programs 96.5% · FY2025
- Wounded Warrior ProjectJacksonville, FL · revenue $432M · programs 70.4% · FY2025
All human services charities · Largest charities in Massachusetts
Questions people ask
How much of Action for Boston Community Development's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, Action for Boston Community Development reported that 97.8% of its $410.0 million in expenses went to program services, 2.2% to management and general and 0.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Action for Boston Community Development pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Action for Boston Community Development reported for one person in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 was $403,788, for the role of PRESIDENT/CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Action for Boston Community Development get its money?
Of $446.1 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, 98.1% came from contributions and grants (including 46.4% from government grants) and 0.1% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Action for Boston Community Development a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 04-2304133 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, object 202631969349302438 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2024, object 202541969349302554 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2023, object 202441979349301244 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022, object 202341809349300404 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2021, object 202211729349300306 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2020, object 202101959349300825 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 04-2304133: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.