What the filings actually disclose
On the Form 990 balance sheet, investments appear only as aggregate totals:
- Investments — publicly traded securities (one recent extract showed ~$2.46 million)
- Investments — program-related (one extract showed ~$1.79 million)
There is no required or voluntary schedule that itemizes the individual holdings (e.g., “X shares of Apple” or “Y Treasury notes”). Form 990 reporting for these categories is summary-level only.
More detail from audited financial statements (more useful than the 990)
Older audited financials (e.g., the 2019 consolidated audit of Growth Organization of Topeka/Shawnee County, Inc. & Subsidiary) provide clearer insight into the nature of the investments:
- The organization invests primarily in low-risk, highly liquid instruments:
- U.S. government securities money market funds
- Certificates of deposit (CDs)
- U.S. Treasury notes and bills
These are valued at fair value (or cost plus accrued interest for CDs). The audit notes describe them as Level 1 assets (quoted market prices) for the Treasuries and money market funds.
More recent internal financial statements presented to JEDO (e.g., year-end 2024) continue to show a sizable “Investments” line (around $6.5–$6.9 million in one presentation), consistent with ongoing holdings of similar conservative instruments rather than equity portfolios or alternative investments.
Program-related investments
The “Investments — program-related” line is typically used for investments that further the organization’s exempt purpose (economic development) rather than pure financial return. In GO Topeka’s case, this category most likely relates to:
- Support for related entities or initiatives (including the East Topeka Learning Center / ETLC Support Corporation structure)
- Or other economic-development-related financial instruments
It is not a portfolio of publicly traded stocks.
Summary
| Category | What it generally is | Detail disclosed publicly? | Typical composition (from audits) |
|---|
| Publicly traded securities | Marketable securities held for investment | Aggregate total only | Money market funds, U.S. Treasuries, CDs |
| Program-related investments | Investments that advance the mission | Aggregate total only | Related to economic development activities |
Bottom line: GO Topeka does not appear to hold a significant portfolio of individual publicly traded equities that are disclosed by name. The publicly traded securities line reflects conservative, liquid fixed-income and cash-equivalent investments (primarily government securities and CDs). The Form 990s and available audits do not provide a security-by-security listing.
What the Form 990s actually show
On the balance sheet (Part X of Form 990), real estate is reported only in highly aggregated form:
- “Land, buildings, and equipment” (net of accumulated depreciation) appears as a single line item.
- In the available extracts (e.g., the 2022 filing), this net amount is very small — around $42,783.
- The large total assets ($20M–$23M range in recent years) come mostly from:
- Cash and temporary cash investments (often $13M+)
- Investments (publicly traded securities and program-related investments)
- Other assets
- And a very large deferred revenue liability (often $15M+)
