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The Bottom Line
The Bottom Line reported $20.2 million in revenue and $25.8 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $68.45 went to program services, $14.62 to management and general costs and $16.93 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 93.9% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $408,527 (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER). 36 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 60% 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 $26MFor context, the median across 479 covered community improvement & capacity building charities: $90.45 programs, $9.31 management, $0.24 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 $20MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 68.5% | 89.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 14.6% | 9.2% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 16.9% | 0.2% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.23 | $0.00 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 93.9% | 80.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.4% | 14.9% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.2% | 11.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $408,527 | $291,103 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.58% | 1.49% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 36 | 5 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 12.9 | 9.2 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 20 of 20 | 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 expenseIn fiscal year 2025, Bottom Line serverd more than 1080 high school students through the organization's highschool access program, of which 91% made a commitment to college by the end of their senior years. The organization supported approximately 4100 students in the college success program, across more than 40 campuses nationwide, celebrating 719 graduates! Bottomline supported more than 1900 students in the current year of the bluprint program, connecting degree-aspiring students all over the country with a virtual advisor
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $360,571 | $0 | $47,956 | $408,527 |
| CHIEF IMPACT OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $227,856 | $0 | $3,407 | $231,263 |
| CHIEF OPERATIONAL & FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $185,034 | $0 | $28,039 | $213,073 |
| CHIEF REGIONAL OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $199,940 | $0 | $11,886 | $211,826 |
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - IL Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $179,041 | $0 | $32,601 | $211,642 |
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - MA Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $187,901 | $0 | $12,764 | $200,665 |
| CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $185,692 | $0 | $2,742 | $188,434 |
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - OH Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $149,739 | $0 | $31,543 | $181,282 |
36 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Bottom Line (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.9M (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–1b20 · 20 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 5191
- Volunteers Part I, line 6250
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| PRODUCT RULES LLC Tech infrastructure/student database | $543,100 |
| SEYFARTH & SHAW Legal services | $180,052 |
| TASSANT PARTNERS Management consulting | $146,036 |
| CONTRAST & CO Website design consulting | $133,340 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 4 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
65 private foundations reported grants to The Bottom Line totaling $6.4M 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 The Bottom Line's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for The Bottom Line, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 The Bottom Line spent in FY2025, $68.45 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Embarras River Basin AgencyGreenup, IL · revenue $20M · programs 97.2% · FY2025
- Invest Puerto RicoSan Juan, PR · revenue $20M · programs 93.1% · FY2025
- Black Cultural Zone Community Development CorporationOakland, CA · revenue $20M · programs 71.1% · FY2025
- Manufacturing Advocacy & Growth NetworkCleveland, OH · revenue $20M · programs 80.0% · FY2025
- Columbia Community ConceptsFulton, MD · revenue $20M · programs 100.0% · 2024
All community improvement & capacity building charities · Largest charities in Massachusetts
Questions people ask
How much of The Bottom Line's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, The Bottom Line reported that 68.5% of its $25.8 million in expenses went to program services, 14.6% to management and general and 16.9% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Bottom Line pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Bottom Line reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $408,527, for the role of CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Bottom Line get its money?
Of $20.2 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 93.9% came from contributions and grants (including 0.4% from government grants) and 0.2% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Bottom Line a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 04-3351427 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 202601209349301320 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202541189349301839 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023 (amended), object 202432969349301168 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202321239349300407 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202211229349300916 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202130369349301508 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 04-3351427: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.