Synergy Academies FY2024 filing

Tax-deductible

Los Angeles, CA501(c)(3)Since 2004EducationEIN 20-0672173Revenue $28.9M in FY2024

On file with the IRSwearesynergy.orgPo Box 78999, 90016-0999 · Los Angeles, CATax-exempt since Aug 2005School — 170(b)(1)(A)(ii)

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Synergy academies' mission is to create and share solutions that eliminate the achievement gap. Synergy creates and shares solutions through the operation of urban public charter schools in south los angeles that implement a holistic approach to education, believe in collective accountability, and share best practices through professional collaboration.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
90¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$1.0M paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2024 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
6 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $1.8M a year · 8% of revenue · last 6 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 6 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
90%
of spending
Looks good: 90% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.0M
to officers and key staff · 4% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 4% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
6 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 6.3 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
4
named funders · $46K
Looks good: 4 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$6.4M
22% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 22% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
9
of 9 voting members
Looks good: 9 of 9 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$28.9M
+12% vs prior year
Spent
$27.2M
To programs
90%
Net assets
$23.2M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$28.9M
FY2024▲ +12%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$18.7M
FY2021$19.8M
FY2022$21.6M
FY2023$25.8M
FY2024$28.9M
FY2025$28.0M
Expenses
$27.2M
FY2024▲ +13%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$17.2M
FY2021$17.2M
FY2022$19.9M
FY2023$24.0M
FY2024$27.2M
FY2025$26.5M
Net assets
$23.2M
FY2024▲ +7%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$15.6M
FY2021$18.2M
FY2022$19.9M
FY2023$21.6M
FY2024$23.2M
FY2025$24.7M

From the FY2024 Form 990 (year ending June 2024) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2024 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Aug 2005.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

90 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 90% · $24.5M Management & general 10% · $2.7M

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

16 people listed on the 990; $1.0M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2023); the FY2024 filing did not itemize Part VII
Chief Executive Officer/Superintendent
$170,503Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Academic Officer
$168,599Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Operating Officer
$165,463Pt VII · Sec A
$151,504Pt VII · Sec A
Principal, Ska
$142,513Pt VII · Sec A
Dir Special Ed and Student Services
$130,006Pt VII · Sec A
Principal, Sca
$118,357Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Rhonda Deomampo’s $193K as Chief Executive Officer/Superintendent is at the 34th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3683 $10–100M education nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Rhonda Deomampo$192,824$170,503$170,503$161,432$151,525$154,500
Jennifer Epps$178,699$168,599$168,599$163,777$151,722$150,710
Christina Vogel$167,843$165,463$154,758$136,980$135,603$132,249
Johanna Knight-Briseno$162,142$151,504$147,075———
Christine Bradford$137,000$142,513$136,582$131,872$118,772$113,953
Johana Knight———$138,218——
Sommer Jones$137,000$130,006$118,026—$103,663—
Maria Raffanti$132,044—————

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Operates urban public charter schools to eliminate the achievement gap through holistic education and collaboration.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $24.5M · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

Public charter schools servicing grades TK-5, 6-8, and 9-12. The schools offered 180 days of instruction and served approximately 1,320 students during the 2023-24 fiscal year.

$24.5Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
UnidosusFY2024$35K
Total grants receivedfrom 4 funders$46K
See all 4 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$28.9M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$27.7M
Investment incomeLn 3$1.1M
Other incomeLn 4–11$73K
Money outPt IX
$27.2M
Ln 25
Programscol B$24.5M
Managementcol C$2.7M
Owns and owesPt X
$23.2M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$14.4M
Total assetsLn 16$29.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$6.4M
PeoplePt VI, VII
16
listed · VII A
PaidVII A7
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b9
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$27.7M
Government grantsLn 1e$27.5M
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$4K
Investment incomeLn 3$1.1M
Other incomeLn 4–11$73K
Total revenueLn 12$28.9M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$5.6M
SavingsLn 2$8.8M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$14.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$10.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$21K
Other assetsLn 15$195K
Total assetsLn 16$29.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$6.4M
Net assetsLn 32$23.2M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5136
VolunteersI 614
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$20.2M$14.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$2.5M$10.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$8K$21K
Total assetsLn 16$28.6M$29.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$7.0M$6.4M
Net assetsLn 32$21.6M$23.2M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$469K$398K$70K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$13.4M$12.6M$767K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$2.4M$2.2M$160K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$1.7M$1.6M$172K
Payroll taxesLn 10$456K$417K$40K
Management feesLn 11a$194K$194K
Legal feesLn 11b$36K$3K$33K
Accounting feesLn 11c$45K$5K$40K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$3.3M$3.1M$210K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$57K$57K
Office expensesLn 13$153K$51K$102K
Information technologyLn 14$178K$178K
OccupancyLn 16$1.3M$1.1M$271K
TravelLn 17$396K$396K
InterestLn 20$7K$7K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$74K$23K$52K
InsuranceLn 23$236K$236K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$2.8M$2.5M$357K
Total functional expensesLn 25$27.2M$24.5M$2.7M$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $28.0M$26.5M$1.5M$24.7M 990 PDF
FY2024 Viewing $28.9M$27.2M$1.7M$23.2M 990 PDF
FY2023 $25.8M$24.0M$1.8M$21.6M 990 PDF
FY2022 $21.6M$19.9M$1.7M$19.9M 990 PDF
FY2021 $19.8M$17.2M$2.6M$18.2M 990 PDF
FY2020 $18.7M$17.2M$1.5M$15.6M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $28,862,511 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $24,994,542$27,663,815
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $642,165$1,125,260
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $160,520$73,436
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $25,797,227$28,862,511
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $15,629,988$18,408,493
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $8,350,700$8,796,865
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $23,980,688$27,205,358
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $1,816,539$1,657,153
Part VI · Governance 9 of 9 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body9
VI-1b Independent voting members9
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $28,862,511 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$4,000
VIII-1e Government grants$27,506,006
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$153,809
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$27,663,815
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $1,125,260$1,125,260
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$21,706−$21,706
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $3,328 · Excluded from tax $91,814$95,142
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $3,328 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $1,195,368$28,862,511
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $27,205,358 across 18 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $398,349 · Management $70,296$468,645
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $12,607,783 · Management $767,201$13,374,984
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $2,225,550 · Management $159,665$2,385,215
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $1,551,495 · Management $172,134$1,723,629
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $416,501 · Management $39,519$456,020
IX-11a Management feesManagement $194,306$194,306
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $2,860 · Management $32,886$35,746
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $5,392 · Management $39,536$44,928
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $3,055,773 · Management $209,894$3,265,667
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $57,319$57,319
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $50,936 · Management $101,984$152,920
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $178,134$178,134
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $1,067,371 · Management $270,936$1,338,307
IX-17 TravelPrograms $395,889$395,889
IX-20 InterestManagement $6,828$6,828
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $22,541 · Management $51,810$74,351
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $235,938$235,938
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $2,459,966 · Management $356,566$2,816,532
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $24,495,859 · Management $2,709,499 · Fundraising $0$27,205,358
Part X · Balance sheet $29,625,844 assets, 17 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $4,336,631$5,550,841
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $15,844,419$8,828,501
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $4,936,134$4,650,526
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $7,029$77,785
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $761,137$351,409
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $8,158$20,523
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $2,450,875$9,951,011
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $270,097$195,248
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $28,614,480$29,625,844
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $2,572,217$1,762,364
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $3,965,975$4,239,125
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $480,484$440,298
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $7,018,676$6,441,787
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $21,537,518$23,081,584
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $58,286$102,473
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $21,595,804$23,184,057
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $28,614,480$29,625,844
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $23,184,057 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$28,862,511
XI-2 Total expenses$27,205,358
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$1,657,153
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$21,595,804
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$68,900
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$23,184,057

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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