Ticket to Dream Foundation
Ticket to Dream Foundation reported $11.1 million in revenue and $12.0 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $94.86 went to program services, $3.87 to management and general costs and $1.27 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 98.3% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $160,029 (CEO). 2 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 5% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending March 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $12MFor context, the median across 212 covered youth development charities: $83.69 programs, $11.78 management, $4.53 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending March 31, 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) | 94.9% | 82.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 3.9% | 11.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 1.3% | 4.5% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.01 | $0.07 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 98.3% | 80.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 5.5% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 6.6% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $160,029 | $274,234 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.34% | 1.76% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 2 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 3.2 | 15.4 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 12 of 12 | 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 expenseEssentials - the essentials for kids program collects, purchases, and distributes essential items like clothing, hygiene items, shoes, school supplies and more to meet the everyday needs of foster youth. Cash support also funds the local purchase of specific essential needs and/or provides shopping experiences for children to shop for themselves
Take flight - the take flight program provides cash support to boost the reach of programming focused on improving graduation rates, and for youth aging out of care reducing homelessness, and/or increasing employment opportunities. Laptops are also provided to school-aged foster children to meet these same goals
Ally program - the ally program provides targeted cash support and essentials to fill the unmet needs facing black, hispanic and LGBTQ+ youth, while also helping recruit more foster/kinship parents, mentors and adoptive parents from these populations
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 Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $154,500 | $0 | $5,529 | $160,029 |
| PROGRAM DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $112,513 | $0 | $18,274 | $130,787 |
2 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Ticket to Dream Foundation (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $160K (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–1b12 · 12 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 2Yes
- 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 511
- Volunteers Part I, line 6364
Private foundation grants it received
3 private foundations reported grants to Ticket to Dream Foundation totaling $5,535 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 Ticket to Dream Foundation's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Ticket to Dream Foundation, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Ticket to Dream Foundation spent in FY2025, $94.86 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Junior Achievement USA FoundationColorado Springs, CO · revenue $11M · programs 97.5% · FY2025
- The Sanneh FoundationSaint Paul, MN · revenue $11M · programs 68.9% · FY2025
- Gulf Coast Children's Advocacy CenterPanama City, FL · revenue $11M · programs 89.1% · 2024
- Girl Scouts of Central IndianaIndianapolis, IN · revenue $11M · programs 77.7% · FY2025
- Jackie Joyner Kersee FoundationEast Saint Louis, IL · revenue $11M · programs 89.3% · 2025
All youth development charities · Largest charities in California
Questions people ask
How much of Ticket to Dream Foundation's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, Ticket to Dream Foundation reported that 94.9% of its $12.0 million in expenses went to program services, 3.9% to management and general and 1.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Ticket to Dream Foundation pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Ticket to Dream Foundation reported for one person in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025 was $160,029, for the role of CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Ticket to Dream Foundation get its money?
Of $11.1 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, 98.3% came from contributions and grants and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Ticket to Dream Foundation a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 90-0355853 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 March 31, 2025, object 202610309349300721 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024, object 202403459349301550 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2023, object 202323549349300432 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022, object 202310309349300441 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021, object 202230389349301143 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2020, object 202110419349301011 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 90-0355853: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.