More Than Words
More Than Words reported $12.9 million in revenue and $10.9 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $81.89 went to program services, $10.56 to management and general costs and $7.55 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 90.2% of the total. Government grants made up 33.5%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $170,275 (COO). 9 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 69% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $11MFor 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 June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $13MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 81.9% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 10.6% | 11.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 7.5% | 0.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.07 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 90.2% | 29.9% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 33.5% | 3.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 58.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $170,275 | $301,601 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.56% | 1.38% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 9 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 11.2 | 6.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 14 of 15 | 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 expenseMtw is a social enterprise that empowers system-involved youth to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business. We serve the boston area's most underserved young people who face compounding risk factors: 55% are involved in the foster care system, 41% are court-involved, and 25% face homelessness. Over the past 20+ years, mtw has developed and refined a model that consistently empowers youth to achieve measurable outcomes in education, work, and life.at mtw youth begin with intensive supportive services to help them get stabilized and ready for job training, including work on…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COO Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $156,321 | $0 | $13,954 | $170,275 |
| CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $139,312 | $0 | $30,401 | $169,713 |
| CEO Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $164,255 | $0 | $4,721 | $168,976 |
| CHIEF OF SOCIAL ENTERPRISE Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $160,442 | $0 | $4,630 | $165,072 |
| CFO Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $133,146 | $0 | $28,859 | $162,005 |
| CHIEF ADVOC & COM ENG OFF. Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $124,143 | $0 | $29,996 | $154,139 |
| CHIEF LEARNING OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $114,304 | $0 | $28,656 | $142,960 |
| DIRECTOR OF CAREER SERVICE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $108,913 | $0 | $3,205 | $112,118 |
9 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from More Than Words (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $523K (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–1b15 · 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 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 5333
- Volunteers Part I, line 6648
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| OSM WORLDWIDE Shipping | $1,158,446 |
| ECRATCHIT Accounting/cfoservices | $145,417 |
| INDABA SYSTEMS Customer service and hosting | $116,560 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 3 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
72 private foundations reported grants to More Than Words totaling $1.8M 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 More Than Words's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for More Than Words, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 More Than Words spent in FY2025, $81.89 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Tri-County Council for Child Development Inc. (D/B/A Flowers Early Learning)Paw Paw, MI · revenue $13M · programs 99.9% · FY2026
- The Center for AutismPhiladelphia, PA · revenue $13M · programs 85.5% · FY2025
- Competitive Enterprise InstituteWashington, DC · revenue $13M · programs 78.4% · FY2025
- Congressional Hispanic Caucus InstituteWashington, DC · revenue $13M · programs 67.1% · 2024
- Stbarnabas Health SystemincGibsonia, PA · revenue $13M · programs 83.8% · 2024
All unclassified charities · Largest charities in Massachusetts
Questions people ask
How much of More Than Words's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, More Than Words reported that 81.9% of its $10.9 million in expenses went to program services, 10.6% to management and general and 7.5% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does More Than Words pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation More Than Words reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $170,275, for the role of COO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does More Than Words get its money?
Of $12.9 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 90.2% came from contributions and grants (including 33.5% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is More Than Words a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 04-2784985 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 June 30, 2025, object 202631129349300648 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202541339349305904 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202441289349302459 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202341319349303489 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202201399349300005 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202101349349305480 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 04-2784985: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.