A Better City Inc
Public records raise at least one point you should look into before giving.
What it says it does
TO ENGAGE THE GREATER BOSTON BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND CIVIC INSTITUTIONS IN DEVELOPING SOLUTIONS AND INFLUENCING POLICY THROUGH RESEARCH AND COLLABORATION ON TRANSPORTATION, CLIMATE, AND LAND ISSUES.
- Income
- $2.6 million
- Spending
- $2.4 million
- Employees
- 14
- Volunteers
- 9
- Highest pay
- $354,452, president & ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Financial health
We do not score finances when yearly spending is very small or the return has too little detail. The ratios stop meaning much at that size.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Governance
This return does not answer enough of the governance questions to score.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $1.1 million spent. TRANSPORTATION & INFRASTRUCTURE:A BETTER CITY EXECUTED A MULTIFACETED CAMPAIGN INCLUDING PRODUCING AN EDUCATIONAL VIDEO TO HELP SECURE A $335 MILLION FEDERAL GRANT TO ADVANCE THE ONCE-IN-A-GENERATION I-90 ALLSTON MULTIMODAL PROJECT. A BETTER CITY ALSO DEVELOPED INNOVATIVE TRANSPORTATION FINANCE STRATEGIES, TOOK A LEADERSHIP ROLE ON THE GOVERNOR'S TRANSPORTATION FUNDING TASK FORCE, AND PROVIDED CRITICAL FEEDBACK TO MBTA LEADERSHIP TO SUPPORT THE COMPLETION OF THE TRACK IMPROVEMENT PLAN TO REMOVE ALL SLOW ZONES FROM THE SUBWAY SYSTEM FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 20 YEARS. ADDITIONALLY, A BETTER CITY CONTINUED TO EFFICIENTLY MANAGE TWO TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATIONS COMMITTED TO PROMISING MORE SUSTAINABLE COMMUTING.
- $103,734 spent. LAND USE & DEVELOPMENT:A BETTER CITY CONTINUED TO OVERSEE GREENWAY BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT OPERATIONS, ROLLING OUT NEW EFFORTS TO SUPPORT PUBLIC ART, ACTIVATION, AND TOURISM ON THE GREENWAY. ADDITIONALLY, A BETTER CITY INTENSIFIED EFFORTS TO SHAPE CITY OF BOSTON PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES AND STATE REGULATIONS TO SUPPORT HOUSING AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
- $523,783 spent. ENVIRONMENT & ENERGY:THROUGH RESEARCH, POLICY, PROGRAMMING AND EDUCATION, A BETTER CITY WORKS WITH MEMBERS TO GIVE VOICE TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY ON ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES. A BETTER CITY CONDUCTS RESEARCH AND BUILDS COALITIONS ON TOPICS RELEVANT TO ADVANCING CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT, INCLUDING BUILDINGS POLICY, EXTREME HEAT, AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
- $57,600 spent. MEMBERSHIP-SUPPORTED PROGRAM SERVICES:THE ORGANIZATION IS A MEMBERSHIP-BASED ORGANIZATION DESCRIBED IN SECTION 501(C)(6) OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE. ITS PRIMARY SOURCE OF PROGRAM SERVICE REVENUE IS MEMBERSHIP DUES, WHICH SUPPORT ALL PROGRAMMATIC ACTIVITIES ON AN INTEGRATED BASIS. MEMBERS RECEIVE ACCESS TO THE ORGANIZATION'S FULL PLATFORM OF POLICY DEVELOPMENT, RESEARCH, AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT ACROSS TRANSPORTATION, ENVIRONMENT, AND LAND USE INITIATIVES, RATHER THAN TO SEPARATELY PRICED PROGRAM SERVICES. BECAUSE THESE ACTIVITIES ARE DELIVERED COLLECTIVELY, MEMBERSHIP DUES CANNOT BE MEANINGFULLY ATTRIBUTED TO INDIVIDUAL PROGRAM SERVICE CATEGORIES. ACCORDINGLY, SUCH REVENUE IS REPORTED WITHIN MEMBERSHIP-SUPPORTED PROGRAM SERVICES IN PART III, WHICH REPRESENTS PROGRAMMATIC ACTIVITIES FUNDED BY GENERAL MEMBERSHIP DUES ACROSS ALL PROGRAM AREAS. THIS CATEGORY ALSO INCLUDES CERTAIN PROGRAM SERVICE EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH MEMBERSHIP ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING PERSONNEL, COMMUNICATIONS, AND OTHER COSTS RELATED TO MEMBER ENGAGEMENT, EDUCATION, AND SUPPORT, WHICH ARE SIMILARLY NOT ALLOCATED TO SPECIFIC PROGRAM SERVICE CATEGORIES.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(6) business league.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Caution.
The IRS master file records contributions to this 501(c)(6) business league as not deductible.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since September 1989.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.