Disable all preview features
There was a problem enabling Giving Basket donations for this page. If you're looking to donate you can try refreshing the page.
If the problem perisists you can contact us or email: helpandsupport@charitynavigator.org.
You can include the Cart ID: Not assigned

Human Services : Youth Development, Shelter, and Crisis Services

More Than Words

Empowering youth to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business

96.58

56 Felton Street Waltham, MA 02453
tel: (781) 788-0035   Web Site
EIN: 04-2784985

Board Leadership
John Chory
Chair

CEO
Jodi Rosenbaum
Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Charity Navigator

Error attempting donation

You're too fast!

Your donation attempt encountered a problem. Please refresh the page to try again.

You're faster than our page! Give the page a little longer to finish loading and try your donation again.

 
 
  Score
(out of 100) 		Rating
Overall Score & Rating 96.58
  Financial 97.30
  Accountability & Transparency 96.00
This rating was published 12/23/2021 and includes data from FY2020, the most recent 990 received at that time.
Why isn't this based on more recent data?

Founded in 2004, More Than Words empowers youth who are in foster care, court-involved, homeless or out of school to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business. We believe that when system-involved young people are provided with high expectations, increasing responsibilities in a business setting, and relentless support to address systemic injustices, they can and will overcome barriers to success and create concrete action plans for their lives.

Founded in 2004, More Than Words empowers youth who are in foster care, court-involved, homeless or out of school to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business. We believe that when system-involved young people are provided with high expectations, increasing responsibilities in a business setting, and relentless support to address systemic injustices, they can and will overcome barriers to success and create concrete action plans for their lives.

Learn more about how we calculate the overall score and rating.

Financial

97.30

Accountability & Transparency

96.00

This rating was published 12/23/2021 and includes data from FY2020, the most recent 990 received at that time.
Why isn't this based on more recent data?
Overall Rating Chart
  Program Expenses
(Percent of the charity's total expenses spent on the programs
and services it delivers)		 84.3%
  Administrative Expenses 8.3%
  Fundraising Expenses 7.2%
  Fundraising Efficiency $0.07
  Working Capital Ratio (years) 1.38
  Program Expenses Growth 16.0%
  Liabilities to Assets 7.9%
All data for Financial Performance Metrics calculations was provided by More Than Words on recent 990s filed with the IRS.
All data for Financial Performance Metrics calculations was provided by More Than Words on recent 990s filed with the IRS.
Information Provided on the Form 990  
  Independent Voting Board Members
  No Material diversion of assets
  Audited financials prepared by independent accountant
  Does Not Provide Loan(s) to or Receive Loan(s) From related parties
  Documents Board Meeting Minutes
  Provided copy of Form 990 to organization's governing body in advance of filing
  Conflict of Interest Policy
  Whistleblower Policy
  Records Retention and Destruction Policy
  CEO listed with salary
  Process for determining CEO compensation
  Board Listed / Board Members Not Compensated
Is the following information easily accessible on the charity's website?  
  Donor Privacy Policy
  Board Members Listed
  Audited Financials
  Form 990
  Key staff listed

Highly Rated

Charity Name & State Overall Score Overall Rating
More Than Words (MA) 96.58
Rancho Cielo Youth Campus (CA) 87.83
The West End House Boys & Girls Clubs of Allston-Brighton (MA) 90.82
Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson (AZ) 92.85
Boys and Girls Clubs of Skagit County (WA) 90.37

Compare These Charities (Highly Rated)

REVENUE  
Contributions  
   Contributions, Gifts & Grants $4,434,186
   Federated Campaigns $0
   Membership Dues $0
   Fundraising Events $308,023
   Related Organizations $0
   Government Grants $1,516,297
Total Contributions $6,258,506
   Program Service Revenue $0
Total Primary Revenue $6,258,506
   Other Revenue $1,374,247
TOTAL REVENUE $7,632,753
   
EXPENSES  
   Program Expenses $5,423,855
   Administrative Expenses $526,014
   Fundraising Expenses $368,889
TOTAL FUNCTIONAL EXPENSES $6,318,758
   
Payments to Affiliates $0
Excess (or Deficit) for the year $1,313,995
   
Net Assets $7,819,631

Program names and associated costs are listed for the top programs as reported on the charity's most recently filed Form 990. The top programs displayed will include the largest three programs, or those programs covering at least 60% of the charity's total expenses, whichever comes first.

Due to an error on this organization's Form 990, we are unable to display program information.

Ratings History
More Than Words has received 6 consecutive 4-star ratings from Charity Navigator.

Form 990 FYE Date Published Overall Score Overall Rating
CN 2.1
2020-06 12/23/2021 96.58
2019-06 12/01/2020 92.62
2018-06 06/01/2020 93.86
2018-06 10/01/2019 90.50
2017-06 12/21/2018 90.58
2016-06 03/01/2018 90.94
2015-06 04/01/2017 93.32
2015-06 08/01/2016 88.81
2014-06 06/01/2016 83.35
 
CN 2.0
2014-06 10/01/2015 83.48
2013-06 04/01/2015 78.66

The data displayed on this tab is provided by the IRS in the form of Publication 78 and the Business Master File (BMF).

EIN 04-2784985
Name in IRS Master File MORE THAN WORDS INC
NTEE Code [Not Provided by IRS]
NTEE Classification [Not Provided by IRS]
NTEE Type [Not Provided by IRS]
Classification Charitable Organization
Subsection 501(c)(3)  (View the list of codes)
Activities (349) Other youth organization or activities
(408) Community service organization
(566) Job training, counseling, or assistance
Foundation Status Organization which receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or the general public   170(b)(1)(A)(vi)
Deductibility Contributions are deductible
Affiliation Independent - the organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations).
Group Name [Not Applicable]
Ruling Date October, 1983
Filing Requirement 990 (all other) or 990EZ return
Fiscal Year End June
IRS Forms 990
(provided courtesy of Foundation Center)		 (Log In or Register Now to View Forms 990!)
  • June, 2017
  • June, 2016
  • June, 2015
  • June, 2014
  • June, 2013
Compensation % of Expenses Paid to Title
$109,354 1.73% Jodi Rosenbaum Tillinger Chief Executive Officer

Highly Rated

Charity Name & State Overall Score Overall Rating
More Than Words (MA) 96.58
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County and the Inland Empire (CA) 92.95
Youth Empowerment Project (LA) 88.95
DREAM (NY) 93.46
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago (IL) 89.08

Compare These Charities (Highly Rated)

This charity has an official representative registered with Charity Navigator.

Charity Contact Info

More Than Words
56 Felton Street
Waltham, MA 02453
tel: (781) 788-0035
EIN: 04-2784985

Visit Web Site

Board Leadership

John Chory
Chair

CEO

Jodi Rosenbaum
Founder and Chief Executive Officer

please wait...

    • I want to donate to More Than Words

      $
      next

    • Frequency

      back
      next

    • Would you like us to email someone and CC you?

      This email identifies you as the donor but does not specify the amount of your gift.
      back
    A donation of to has been added to your Giving Basket!

    Basket Total:
    Check Out Now or Continue Researching

Join Our Mailing List

Join over 400,000 other informed givers and get updates on charity ratings, new features, hot topics, and tips for donating.

As seen on