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Nonprofiteer
← BOSTON BAR FOUNDATION INC

Form 990 for tax year 2023

Filed by BOSTON BAR FOUNDATION INC.

Totals

Total revenue
$3,381,995
Total expenses
$2,266,803
Contributions and grants received
$3,401,701
Grants paid
$1,832,347
Program service revenue
$0
Investment income
$74,334
Other revenue
-$94,040
Total assets, end of year
$15,510,433
Total liabilities, end of year
$1,518,978
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$13,991,455
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$1,897,723
Management and general expenses
$255,264
Fundraising expenses
$113,816
Program service expenses (Part III)
$1,897,723

Program services were 83.7% 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

    $788,738

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $2,612,963

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $73,501 · excluded $73,501

  • 6a · Gross rents

    real property $140,000

  • 6b · Less rental expenses

    real property $7,350

  • 6c · Rental income or loss

    real property $132,650

  • 6d · Net rental income or loss

    total $132,650 · excluded $132,650

  • 7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

    securities $2,673

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

    securities $1,840

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities $833

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total $833 · excluded $833

  • 8a · Fundraising events: gross income

    $117,362

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

    $788,738

  • 8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

    $344,052

  • 8c · Net income from fundraising events

    total -$226,690 · excluded -$226,690

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments

    total $1,832,347 · program services $1,832,347

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $29,300 · management and general $29,300

  • 11f · Fees: investment management

    total $2,672 · management and general $2,672

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $2,015 · program services $1,763 · management and general $252

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $32,043 · management and general $32,043

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $7,120 · program services $1,424 · management and general $3,489 · fundraising $2,207

  • 24a · Other expenses: CONTRACTED LABOR

    total $359,272 · program services $61,076 · management and general $186,822 · fundraising $111,374

  • 24b · Other expenses: OTHER

    total $1,736 · program services $1,113 · management and general $623

  • 24c · Other expenses: PRINTED MATERIALS AND M

    total $235 · fundraising $235

  • 24d · Other expenses: OTHER PERSONNEL EXPENSE

    total $63 · management and general $63

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $94,574 · end of year $35,228

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $2,025,022 · end of year $3,131,419

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $337,741 · end of year $297,763

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $190,825 · end of year $219,376

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $42,673 · end of year $85,010

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

    $3,223,800

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

    $2,902,329

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $328,686 · end of year $321,471

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $9,549,075 · end of year $11,393,156

  • 14 · Intangible assets

    beginning of year $40,651 · end of year $27,010

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $3,343 · end of year $20,978

  • 18 · Grants payable

    beginning of year $1,390,000 · end of year $1,498,000

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $157,155 · end of year $0

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $3,889,835 · end of year $5,246,907

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $7,168,914 · end of year $8,744,548

Mission and programs · 2023

Mission

THE MISSION OF THE BOSTON BAR FOUNDATION (BBF) IS TO PROMOTE JUSTICE BY FUNDING AND PROMOTING INNOVATION IN LEGAL SERVICES, ENHANCING ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR THE UNDERSERVED, AND SUPPORTING THE PUBLIC INTEREST ACTIVITIES OF THE BAR. AS THE INDEPENDENT, CHARITABLE ARM OF THE BOSTON BAR ASSOCIATION, THE BBF'S MISSION IS INSPIRED BY THE VALUES OF PROFESSIONALISM, SERVICE, COMPASSION, AND RESPONSIBILITY, VALUES THAT ALL ATTORNEYS OWE TO THEMSELVES, TO THEIR PEERS, AND TO THEIR COMMUNITY.

Activities or mission (Part I)

THE MISSION OF BOSTON BAR FOUNDATION IS TO PROMOTE JUSTICE BY FUNDING AND PROMOTING INNOVATION IN LEGAL SERVICES, ENHANCING ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR THE UNDERSERVED, AND SUPPORTING THE PUBLIC INTEREST ACTIVITIES OF THE BAR.

  • THE BBF MAKES GRANTS, PRIMARILY TO PROVIDE LEGAL SERVICES FOR LOW INCOME INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN THE GREATER BOSTON AREA.

    Expenses $1,556,625 · Grants $1,503,000

  • THE BBF ALSO MAKES GRANTS THAT SUPPORT PRO BONO AND PUBLIC SERVICE PROJECTS THAT ENGAGE LAWYERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

    Expenses $235,461 · Grants $227,349

  • SCHOLARSHIPS THROUGH THE VOLUNTARY LAWYERS PROJECT AND BOSTON FOUNDATION FOR ASIAN COMMUNITY FUND

    Expenses $52,143 · Grants $50,347

  • THE BFF FUNDS PROJECTS OR STUDIES THAT FOCUS ON UNMET NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY, INCREASING ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS, MENTORING YOUNG PEOPLE AND PHILANTHROPY.

    Expenses $53,494 · Grants $51,651

As filed on the 2023 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • Megan Gates

    PRESIDENT ELECT

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Stephen P Hall

    PRESIDENT

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • John Affuso

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Krietta Bowens Jones

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Esme Caramello

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Mark R Fitzgerald

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Scott A Faust

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • David L Ferrera

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Martha J Nahill Frahm

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Hannah L Kilson

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Kathleen C Henry

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Shiva Kavimi

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Joseph L Bierwirth Jr

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Martin F Murphy

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Nigel Long

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Edward H Seksay

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Christopher G Clark

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Melissa McMorrow

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Angela Gomes

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Rene Inomata

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Chinh H Pham

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Manleen Singh

    SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Matthew V P McTygue

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Marc A Rubenstein

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Nancy R Wilsker

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Richard M Page Jr

    ASST. SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $373,747
    From this org
    $0
    From related orgs
    $353,284
    Other
    $20,463
    Hours/week
    1 + 35 related

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $0 + $353,284 related
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0 + $9,900 related
    Nontaxable benefits
    $0 + $10,563 related
    Filer's total
    $0 + $373,747 related
  • James Parker

    TRUSTEE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Raquel Webster

    TRUSTEE

    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

None.

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)

SCH, J, LINE 3
THE RELATED ORGANIZATION SETS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S COMPENSATION THROUGH THE USE OF VARIOUS CHANNELS WHICH INCLUDE A COMPENSATION COMMITTEE, REVIEW OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS' FORMS 990,AND COMPENSATION SURVEYS/STUDIES. THE COMPENSATION IS APPROVED BY THEIR BOARD OR COMPENSATION COMMITTEE.

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

The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.

Related organizations on this return

Schedule R Part II: tax-exempt organizations related to the filer by control. It does not record shared board members or money.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2023
Filed
10 July 2025
IRS schema version
2023v6.0
Source object
202501919349301475

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

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