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Crystal Stairs
Crystal Stairs reported $375.9 million in revenue and $375.2 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $97.22 went to program services, $2.78 to management and general costs and $0.00 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 99.9% of the total. Government grants made up 85.9%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $453,070 (CEO). 8 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 72% 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 $375MFor context, the median across 876 covered arts, culture & humanities charities: $79.98 programs, $13.89 management, $6.13 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 $376MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 97.2% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 2.8% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.0% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.00 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 99.9% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 85.9% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $453,070 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.12% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 0.5 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 9 of 9 | 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 expenseChild care assistance program - under contracts with the california department of social services (cdss) childcare and development division, we administer a child care payment program for low-income families who are cycling off welfare (calworks) as well as those who are not in the welfare system. The goal of the program is to promote and support family economic self-sufficiency by paying for child care so that parents can work, seek work or attend school/training. The program also provides child care payment assistance to families referred by public and private agencies because their…
Calworks stage 1 child care - under a contract with the los angeles county dept. Of public social services (dpss), we administer a child care payment program for cash-aided families starting the transition from welfare to work. The goal of the program is to promote a family's economic self-sufficiency through employment and/or education/training that will lead to employment. We certify the family's eligibility for child care, assist them to look for and select child care, and make monthly payments for services rendered by child care providers they select to care for their children. We…
Head start and state preschool: under three grants with the department of health and human services, administration for children and families we administer head start, early head start and child care partnership grants funded for 1,258 children ages 1 to 5 years old. Although the program was under enrolled every month it accumulatively serviced 1,586 children and 1,487 families this past year. There were 1,372 volunteers participating in class and at home learning. Of those children enrolled, 240 were students that were dually serviced in our california department of education's state…
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 | $420,643 | $0 | $32,427 | $453,070 |
| COO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $241,713 | $0 | $29,575 | $271,288 |
| CFO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $233,667 | $0 | $36,298 | $269,965 |
| CHIEF COMPLIANCE OFFICER & GEN COUNSEL Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $197,121 | $0 | $36,939 | $234,060 |
| SENIOR DIRECTOR, HUMAN RESOURCES Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $150,462 | $0 | $40,562 | $191,024 |
| HS DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $129,964 | $0 | $36,272 | $166,236 |
| DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $139,879 | $0 | $2,112 | $141,991 |
| HS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $117,147 | $0 | $23,286 | $140,433 |
8 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Crystal Stairs (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.5M (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–1b9 · 9 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 5612
- Volunteers Part I, line 61,372
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| FAIRVIEW CHRISTIAN ACADEMY & ENRICHMENT Childcare services | $1,766,762 |
| CREATIVE LEARNING ACADEMY INC Childcare services | $1,647,298 |
| GARDENA FIRST ASSEMBLY OF GOD Childcare services | $1,595,437 |
| COMMUNITY CHILD DEV CENTER OF LITTLE ANG Childcare services | $1,387,223 |
| NU BUILDING BLOCKS LLC Childcare services | $1,366,861 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 606 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
3 private foundations reported grants to Crystal Stairs totaling $50,706 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 Crystal Stairs's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Crystal Stairs, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Crystal Stairs spent in FY2025, $97.22 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Museum of Modern ArtNew York, NY · revenue $362M · programs 73.7% · FY2025
- National Gallery of ArtLandover, MD · revenue $383M · programs 71.1% · FY2025
- National Public RadioWashington, DC · revenue $354M · programs 65.0% · FY2025
- John F Kennedy Center for the Performing ArtsWashington, DC · revenue $517M · programs 87.9% · FY2025
- Trust for the National MallWashington, DC · revenue $322M · programs 99.3% · 2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in California
Questions people ask
How much of Crystal Stairs's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Crystal Stairs reported that 97.2% of its $375.2 million in expenses went to program services, 2.8% to management and general and 0.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Crystal Stairs pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Crystal Stairs reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $453,070, for the role of CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Crystal Stairs get its money?
Of $375.9 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 99.9% came from contributions and grants (including 85.9% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Crystal Stairs a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 95-3510046 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 202621319349306702 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202530849349300853 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202401369349317080 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202321089349301122 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202231309349302343 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202120839349300902 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 95-3510046: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.