Skip to content
Nonprofiteer
← HIGHER GROUND USA INC

Form 990 for tax year 2024

Filed by HIGHER GROUND USA INC.

Totals

Total revenue
$5,228,763
Total expenses
$5,324,425
Contributions and grants received
$5,339,599
Grants paid
$0
Program service revenue
$73,547
Investment income
$120,371
Other revenue
-$304,754
Total assets, end of year
$5,944,809
Total liabilities, end of year
$1,043,647
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$4,901,162
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$4,358,797
Management and general expenses
$343,592
Fundraising expenses
$622,036
Program service expenses (Part III)
$4,358,797

Program services were 81.9% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1c · Fundraising events

    $2,593,340

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $680,854

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $2,065,405

  • 1g · Noncash contributions included above

    $129,286

  • 2a · Program service revenue: ADAPTIVE SKI LESSONS

    total $62,422 · related or exempt $62,422

  • 2b · Program service revenue: SUMMER RECREATION

    total $10,625 · related or exempt $10,625

  • 2c · Program service revenue: WINTER RECREATION

    total $500 · related or exempt $500

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $74,176 · excluded $74,176

  • 6a · Gross rents

    real property $5,375

  • 6b · Less rental expenses

    real property $0

  • 6c · Rental income or loss

    real property $5,375

  • 6d · Net rental income or loss

    total $5,375 · excluded $5,375

  • 7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

    securities $2,987,411 · other assets $200

  • 7b · Less cost or other basis and sales expenses

    securities $2,941,416 · other assets $0

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities $45,995 · other assets $200

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total $46,195 · excluded $46,195

  • 8a · Fundraising events: gross income

    $138,017

  • 8a · Fundraising events: contributions included on line 1c

    $2,593,340

  • 8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

    $448,146

  • 8c · Net income from fundraising events

    total -$310,129 · excluded -$310,129

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $278,865 · program services $107,881 · management and general $149,408 · fundraising $21,576

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $1,908,089 · program services $1,496,151 · management and general $73,528 · fundraising $338,410

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $44,730 · program services $35,300 · management and general $1,428 · fundraising $8,002

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $226,513 · program services $173,058 · management and general $14,409 · fundraising $39,046

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $184,949 · program services $136,360 · management and general $17,965 · fundraising $30,624

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $11,070 · program services $8,038 · management and general $932 · fundraising $2,100

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $23,632 · program services $17,160 · management and general $1,989 · fundraising $4,483

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $174,719 · program services $104,635 · management and general $21,535 · fundraising $48,549

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $75,558 · program services $55,323 · management and general $1,858 · fundraising $18,377

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $59,719 · program services $35,323 · management and general $10,090 · fundraising $14,306

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $67,228 · program services $43,476 · management and general $10,751 · fundraising $13,001

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $307,303 · program services $289,369 · management and general $10,496 · fundraising $7,438

  • 17 · Travel

    total $56,264 · program services $27,619 · management and general $512 · fundraising $28,133

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $110,153 · program services $98,036 · management and general $3,305 · fundraising $8,812

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $167,065 · program services $118,025 · management and general $20,760 · fundraising $28,280

  • 24a · Other expenses: PROGRAM EXPENSES

    total $1,467,093 · program services $1,465,057 · management and general $523 · fundraising $1,513

  • 24b · Other expenses: IMPAIRMENT LOSS ON CIP

    total $82,108 · program services $73,076 · management and general $2,463 · fundraising $6,569

  • 24c · Other expenses: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMEN

    total $37,760 · program services $36,647 · management and general $771 · fundraising $342

  • 24d · Other expenses: FACILITY CAMPAIGN EXPEN

    total $26,437 · program services $23,529 · management and general $793 · fundraising $2,115

  • 24e · All other expenses

    total $15,170 · program services $14,734 · management and general $76 · fundraising $360

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $305,517 · end of year $438,723

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $230,393 · end of year $234,486

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $678,616 · end of year $0

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $304,676 · end of year $565,185

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $61,381 · end of year $41,088

  • 10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

    $1,314,204

  • 10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

    $629,689

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $575,310 · end of year $684,515

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $3,223,561 · end of year $3,239,110

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $175,418 · end of year $741,702

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $297,420 · end of year $261,245

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $180,712 · end of year $782,402

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $4,861,984 · end of year $4,793,418

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $214,756 · end of year $107,744

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

ENHANCING QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGH THERAPEUTIC RECREATION AND EDUCATION.

  • SEE SCHEDULE O FOR PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

    Expenses $4,358,797 · Revenue $73,547

As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • Katherine Dobbie

    CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $172,037
    From this org
    $141,397
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $30,640
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $141,397
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $4,050
    Nontaxable benefits
    $26,590
    Filer's total
    $172,037
  • Alyssa Eagan

    CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $159,325
    From this org
    $121,063
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $38,262
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $121,063
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $3,510
    Nontaxable benefits
    $34,752
    Filer's total
    $159,325
  • Brian Von Herbulis

    CHIEF OPERATION OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $146,189
    From this org
    $119,667
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $26,522
    Hours/week
    40
  • Erin Rheinschild

    DIRECTOR OF PHILANTHROPY

    Total calculated
    $144,412
    From this org
    $116,520
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $27,892
    Hours/week
    40
  • Thomas Mistele

    CHAIRMAN

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    6
  • Erin Pfaeffle

    VICE CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Michael Spachman

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Rick Bruder

    SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Spike Booth

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Rick Emsiek

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Mike Gilman

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Dave Hennessey

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Michael Lanahan

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Jim Laski

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Jeff Rust

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3
  • Amanda O'Grady

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Answered yes

  • 3 · Compensation committee
  • 3 · Form 990 of other organizations
  • 3 · Compensation survey or study

Answered no

  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
  • 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
  • 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
  • 5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
  • 6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
  • 6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

The filer's explanations (Part III)

PART I, LINE 3
A FINANCE COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS CONDUCTS RESEARCH TO DETERMINE FAIR MARKET COMPENSATION. THE COMMITTEE CALLS NONPROFITS OF SIMILAR SIZE, MISSION, AND BUDGETS AS HG. THEY ALSO CONDUCT ADDITIONAL RESEARCH TO COMPARE EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION THAT TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION COST OF LIVING, EXPERIENCE, AND JOB RESPONSIBILITIES, THE BOARD DISCUSSES THE COMMITTEE'S FINDINGS AND VOTE TO RATIFY A DECISION. THE COMMITTEE ALSO REVIEWS NATIONAL NON-PROFIT COMPENSATION SURVEYS

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2024
Filed
16 March 2026
IRS schema version
2024v5.5
Source object
202620759349301117

Check it against the return as filed: the GivingTuesday Data Lake hosts a public copy of the original XML.

The source document this was parsed from is served over the API, which is where bulk and document access live.