Community Action Agency of Somerville
Also known as Caas
Community Action Agency of Somerville reported $10.6 million in revenue and $10.3 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending November 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $92.30 went to program services, $7.60 to management and general costs and $0.10 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 99.4% of the total. Government grants made up 97.4%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $171,479 (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). 4 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 55% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending November 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $10MFor context, the median across 2,433 covered unclassified charities: $88.27 programs, $11.68 management, $0.05 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending November 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $11MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 92.3% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 7.6% | 11.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.00 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 99.4% | 29.9% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 97.4% | 3.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 58.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $171,479 | $301,601 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.66% | 1.38% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 3.2 | 6.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 14 of 14 | 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 expenseHead start is a comprehensive developmental preschool program that provides wrap-around services to over 200 low-income children and their families each year, including extensive supports in the economic, social, health, nutritional and psychological domains. Head start serves low-income residents of somerville and cambridge
The housing advocacy program (hap) provides eviction prevention services to approximately 450 low-income individuals at risk of homelessness each year. Hap serves low-income residents of somerville only. Community organizing and advocacy takes a systematic approach to reducing poverty by engaging low-income residents of somerville in collectively pushing for social change. Finally, we also provide a robust referral network to help to direct our low-income neighbors to other service providers and resources
Volunteer income tax assistance (vita) offers free federal & state tax return preparation for low income families in the somerville area provided by trained volunteers. The program increases the capacity for low-income families to file returns, and improves the accuracy of the returns
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $138,357 | $0 | $33,122 | $171,479 |
| DIRECTOR OF FINANCE Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $153,597 | $0 | $1,413 | $155,010 |
| HEAD START DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $116,985 | $0 | $32,077 | $149,062 |
| DEPUTY DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $119,613 | $0 | $275 | $119,888 |
4 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Community Action Agency of Somerville (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $292K (Part IX, line 5).
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–1b14 · 14 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 4No
- 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 5113
- Volunteers Part I, line 677
Private foundation grants it received
5 private foundations reported grants to Community Action Agency of Somerville totaling $48,535 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 Community Action Agency of Somerville's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Community Action Agency of Somerville, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Community Action Agency of Somerville spent in FY2025, $92.30 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All unclassified charities · Largest charities in Massachusetts
Questions people ask
How much of Community Action Agency of Somerville's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending November 30, 2025, Community Action Agency of Somerville reported that 92.3% of its $10.3 million in expenses went to program services, 7.6% to management and general and 0.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Community Action Agency of Somerville pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Community Action Agency of Somerville reported for one person in the fiscal year ending November 30, 2025 was $171,479, for the role of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Community Action Agency of Somerville get its money?
Of $10.6 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending November 30, 2025, 99.4% came from contributions and grants (including 97.4% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Community Action Agency of Somerville a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 04-2740838 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 November 30, 2025, object 202621559349301107 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending November 30, 2024, object 202542829349301619 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending November 30, 2023, object 202432839349301618 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending November 30, 2022, object 202311609349300916 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending November 30, 2021, object 202201649349300980 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending November 30, 2020, object 202132469349300643 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 04-2740838: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.