Starfish Family Services
Starfish Family Services reported $45.7 million in revenue and $47.5 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $86.75 went to program services, $11.41 to management and general costs and $1.84 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 75.2% of the total. Government grants made up 67.7%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $365,037 (PSYCHIATRIST). 12 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 8% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $48MFor 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 September 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $46MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 86.7% | 87.2% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 11.4% | 11.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 1.8% | 0.2% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.03 | $0.02 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 75.2% | 20.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 67.7% | 2.4% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 23.9% | 70.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $365,037 | $274,992 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.77% | 1.18% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 12 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 1.8 | 6.9 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 15 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 expenseEarly childhood services - programs to support healthy early childhood development through infant/toddler services and preschool centers, as well as programs to support parents in achieving their own family goals. Head start, early head start and state-funded great start readiness program form the core of Starfish Family Services early childhood services, offering free preschool and other supports to children aged 0-5
Starfish behavioral health services - resources to assist individuals and families through behavioral health services including outpatient therapy, home based therapy, case management, wraparound service, early childhood mental health home visiting, group services for parents and pregnant and parenting teens, and services for developmentally disabled children. Other areas of specialty include school based services, trauma-informed care, and integrated health care initiatives. We have outpatient locations in livonia, inkster, westland,and dearborn as well as at the homes of children across…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSYCHIATRIST Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $335,333 | $0 | $29,704 | $365,037 |
| CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $250,373 | $0 | $15,629 | $266,002 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $238,003 | $0 | $21,173 | $259,176 |
| CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $190,056 | $0 | $18,118 | $208,174 |
| CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $177,360 | $0 | $30,679 | $208,039 |
| CHIEF OF STAFF Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $163,093 | $0 | $19,998 | $183,091 |
| CHIEF PHILANTHROPY OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $163,930 | $0 | $12,377 | $176,307 |
| SR. DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $146,332 | $0 | $11,961 | $158,293 |
12 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Starfish Family Services (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.3M (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 · 15 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 5630
- Volunteers Part I, line 6200
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| JD ENGLE CONSTRUCTION LLC Construction services | $437,007 |
| CULINARY CREATIONS LLC Meal prep/food service for marygrove ear | $323,385 |
| GRID4 COMMUNICATIONS It services | $184,548 |
| GRG PLAYSCAPES LLC Playground equipment & services | $147,496 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 5 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
17 private foundations reported grants to Starfish Family Services totaling $833K 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 Starfish Family Services's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Starfish Family Services, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Starfish Family Services spent in FY2025, $86.75 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Children's Services of RoxburyRoxbury, MA · revenue $46M · programs 86.3% · FY2025
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All human services charities · Largest charities in Michigan
Questions people ask
How much of Starfish Family Services's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, Starfish Family Services reported that 86.7% of its $47.5 million in expenses went to program services, 11.4% to management and general and 1.8% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Starfish Family Services pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Starfish Family Services reported for one person in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 was $365,037, for the role of PSYCHIATRIST (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Starfish Family Services get its money?
Of $45.7 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, 75.2% came from contributions and grants (including 67.7% from government grants) and 23.9% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Starfish Family Services a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 38-2230416 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))), 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 September 30, 2025, object 202602259349300900 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, object 202532269349301318 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, object 202410169349304541 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, object 202310199349300711 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, object 202230249349301263 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, object 202130489349301018 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 38-2230416: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.