College Now Greater Cleveland
College Now Greater Cleveland reported $38.6 million in revenue and $36.8 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $94.41 went to program services, $3.10 to management and general costs and $2.49 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 60.7% of the total. Government grants made up 17.9%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $682,102 (CEO (THRU 12/2024)). 17 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 131% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending July 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $37MFor context, the median across 5,499 covered education charities: $85.56 programs, $13.59 management, $0.85 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending July 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $39M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$42.68 $17M
- Government grants$17.87 $6.9M
- Program service revenue$37.30 $14M
- Investment income$2.15 $832K
Other revenue was negative: −$93,161. 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) | 94.4% | 84.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 3.1% | 13.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 2.5% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.04 | $0.04 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 60.7% | 19.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 17.9% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 37.4% | 69.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $682,102 | $331,578 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.85% | 1.28% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 17 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 9.9 | 13.3 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 47 of 47 | 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 expenseFinancial aid: College Now Greater Cleveland awarded scholarships to nearly 3,400 traditional age and adult students from the northeast ohio area through its own scholarship program and through scholarship programs that it manages. Awarded scholarships totaled over $9.6 million in the 2024-2025 academic year. College Now helps to ensure successful transitions to and through the first year of postsecondary enrollment via scholarship and retention services and strengthens postsecondary persistence and completion for its traditional age students through its mentoring program. This program is…
Advisory services: College Now Greater Cleveland provided college and career access advising, student financial aid counseling, scholarship, and retention services to over 42,000 northeast ohio students and individuals in one-on-one and group sessions. During the 2024-2025 academic year, College Now served students and individuals virtually and in approximately 200 venues, including more than 100 middle and high schools in cuyahoga, geauga, lake, lorain, medina, richland, and summit counties. College Now provides virtual, in-school, need-based services throughout the school year, after…
Adult programs and services and the College Now resource centers: in cooperation with about 40 neighborhood-based community partners, at our resource centers in cleveland and akron, and virtually, College Now Greater Cleveland offered outreach, one-on-one sessions, and small group workshops to serve over 16,000 people from across northeast ohio with a concentration in cuyahoga and summit counties. The resource centers are free and open to the public. Virtual services are also free and open to the public. Core services to adults include college and career access advising, student financial aid…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEO (THRU 12/2024) Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $642,315 | $0 | $39,787 | $682,102 |
| CEO (BEG 1/2025) Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $334,070 | $0 | $32,432 | $366,502 |
| CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $316,368 | $0 | $24,580 | $340,948 |
| CHIEF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $276,293 | $0 | $32,486 | $308,779 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $199,564 | $0 | $19,949 | $219,513 |
| CHIEF SUCCESS OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $169,007 | $0 | $27,998 | $197,005 |
| CHIEF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $172,723 | $0 | $22,179 | $194,902 |
| CHIEF, HIGHER EDUCATION Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $166,220 | $0 | $25,393 | $191,613 |
17 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from College Now Greater Cleveland (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–1b47 · 47 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 26Yes
- 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 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5353
- Volunteers Part I, line 61,550
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| ELEVATE ACTUAL LLC Db maint/tech support | $158,944 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 1 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
60 private foundations reported grants to College Now Greater Cleveland totaling $6.0M 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 College Now Greater Cleveland's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for College Now Greater Cleveland, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 College Now Greater Cleveland spent in FY2025, $94.41 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Explore Charter Schools of BrooklynBrooklyn, NY · revenue $39M · programs 78.9% · FY2025
- Marion P Thomas Charter SchoolNewark, NJ · revenue $39M · programs 70.8% · FY2025
- Mid-America Christian UniversityOklahoma City, OK · revenue $39M · programs 76.9% · FY2025
- California State University San Marcos CorporationSan Marcos, CA · revenue $39M · programs 91.7% · FY2025
- Maine College of Art and DesignPortland, ME · revenue $39M · programs 77.4% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of College Now Greater Cleveland's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending July 31, 2025, College Now Greater Cleveland reported that 94.4% of its $36.8 million in expenses went to program services, 3.1% to management and general and 2.5% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does College Now Greater Cleveland pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation College Now Greater Cleveland reported for one person in the fiscal year ending July 31, 2025 was $682,102, for the role of CEO (THRU 12/2024) (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does College Now Greater Cleveland get its money?
Of $38.6 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending July 31, 2025, 60.7% came from contributions and grants (including 17.9% from government grants) and 37.4% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is College Now Greater Cleveland a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 34-6580096 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 July 31, 2025, object 202611669349301171 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2024, object 202531539349300758 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2023, object 202401569349301425 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2022, object 202301539349300305 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2021, object 202221469349300707 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2020, object 202141539349301129 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 34-6580096: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.