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The Bloomington Project School INC FY2020 filing

Tax-deductible

Bloomington, IN501(c)(3)Since 2009Education EIN 26-2228525Revenue $2.6M in FY2020Latest return filed May 11, 2026

On file with the IRStheprojectschool.orgBloomington, INTax-exempt since Sep 2008School — 170(b)(1)(A)(ii)

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The mission of the Project School is to uncover, recover, and discover the unique gifts and talents that each child brings to School every day. Our School works collaboratively with families, community members, and social service agencies to solve real problems, as well as create art for public spaces. Students graduate from the Project School as stewards of the environment with the will, skill, capacity, and knowledge to contribute to the greater good.

Form 990 Part I, line 1, FY2020. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 26-2228525) · Dispute this line
501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
68¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$103K 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

FY2020 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
The IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
The latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
5 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $145K a year · 4% of revenue · last 6 filings
A surplus in 5 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
68%
of spending
68% of spending went to programs.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$103K
to officers and key staff · 4% of spending
Pay to officers and key staff is 4% of spending.
Part VII, Section A
Cash reserves
3.5 mo
of spending, in cash
3.5 months of spending in cash.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $6K
2 funders name it on their filings.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$2.1M
92% of total assets
Liabilities are 92% of assets.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
8
of 8 voting members
8 of 8 voting members are independent.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
In line with peersDifferent from peersFar from peersNo peer rangeNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$2.6M
Spent
$2.5M
To programs
68%
Net assets
$197K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$2.6M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$2.6M
FY2021$3.5M
FY2022$3.4M
FY2023$3.6M
FY2024$3.9M
FY2025$3.6M
Expenses
$2.5M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$2.5M
FY2021$2.9M
FY2022$3.3M
FY2023$3.5M
FY2024$3.8M
FY2025$3.8M
Net assets
$197K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$197K
FY2021$867K
FY2022$953K
FY2023$1.1M
FY2024$1.1M
FY2025$945K

From the FY2020 Form 990 (year ending June 2020) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2020 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 Sep 2008.

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

Where the money goes

68 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 68% · $1.7M Management & general 32% · $805K

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

9 people listed on the 990; $103K paid to officers and key staff (Part VII, Section A).

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2019); the FY2020 filing did not itemize Part VII
Catherine Diersing
School Leader
$102,619Pt VII · Sec A
Mitzi Lewison
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Michael Horvath
Vice-President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Adam Wason
Member/Parent Representative
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Catherine Diersing’s $130K as School Leader is at the 53rd percentile of top reported officer pay among 3394 $1–10M 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 · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Catherine Diersing$130,099$118,834$112,761$122,326$107,414$102,619
Terri Burks———$54,266$57,637—
Elizabeth Lisa Jones$55,241$55,540$50,078———

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.

See The Bloomington Project School INC executive salaries →

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

Uncovers and nurtures children's unique talents, solving problems and creating art with families and communities.

Questions for The Bloomington Project School INC

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1 program · $1.7M · in their own filed words · FY2019
01

The organization is a public charter school providing education to students enrolled in grades kindergarten through eight. Over 280 students were enrolled in the 2019-20 academic year

Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2019. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 26-2228525) · Dispute this line
$1.7Mprogram 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
Donor Advised Charitable Giving INCFY2024$6K
Baird Foundation INCFY2024$250
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$6K

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$2.6M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.5M
Other incomeLn 4–11$49K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$31K
Money outPt IX
$2.5M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.7M
Managementcol C$805K
Owns and owesPt X
$197K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$723K
Total assetsLn 16$2.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.1M
PeoplePt VI, VII
9
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b8
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.5M
Government grantsLn 1e$2.5M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$31K
Other incomeLn 4–11$49K
Total revenueLn 12$2.6M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$723K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$723K
Pledges and grants receivableLn 3$40K
Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesLn 9$12K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.6M
Other assetsLn 15$12K
Total assetsLn 16$2.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.1M
Net assetsLn 32$197K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 571
VolunteersI 6100
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$279K$723K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.5M$1.6M
Total assetsLn 16$1.8M$2.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.8M$2.1M
Net assetsLn 32$72K$197K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Ln 5$114K$114K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.3M$1.2M$74K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$33K$25K$7K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$190K$164K$26K
Payroll taxesLn 10$112K$97K$15K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$169K$45K$124K
Office expensesLn 13$42K$27K$15K
OccupancyLn 16$165K$165K
TravelLn 17$70$70
InterestLn 20$93K$93K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$74K$74K
InsuranceLn 23$17K$17K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$181K$102K$79K
All other expensesLn 24e$1K$693$680
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.5M$1.7M$805K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 LatestFiled with the IRS May 11, 2026 $3.6M$3.8M−$192K$945K 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS Apr 22, 2025 $3.9M$3.8M$79K$1.1M 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Mar 6, 2024 $3.6M$3.5M$105K$1.1M 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Apr 6, 2023 $3.4M$3.3M$86K$953K 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Feb 28, 2022 $3.5M$2.9M$670K$867K 990 PDF
FY2020 ViewingFiled with the IRS May 14, 2021 $2.6M$2.5M$124K$197K 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

A · Public support I · Grants O · Explanations
See the full FY2020 990
Part I · Summary $2,609,809 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $2,334,683$2,530,307
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $83,521$30,791
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $27,502$48,711
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $2,445,706$2,609,809
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 $1,756,908$1,742,383
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $714,141$743,244
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $2,471,049$2,485,627
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$25,343$124,182
Part VI · Governance 8 of 8 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body8
VI-1b Independent voting members8
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $2,609,809 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$2,483,459
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$46,848
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$2,530,307
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $30,791$30,791
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $48,711$48,711
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $79,502 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$2,609,809
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $2,485,627 across 14 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Management $113,590$113,590
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,220,012 · Management $73,906$1,293,918
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $25,494 · Management $7,160$32,654
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $163,648 · Management $26,352$190,000
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $96,982 · Management $15,239$112,221
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $44,807 · Management $124,341$169,148
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $26,818 · Management $15,038$41,856
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $165,065$165,065
IX-17 TravelPrograms $70$70
IX-20 InterestManagement $93,465$93,465
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $74,439$74,439
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $16,773$16,773
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $102,287 · Management $78,768$181,055
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $693 · Management $680$1,373
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,680,811 · Management $804,816 · Fundraising $0$2,485,627
Part X · Balance sheet $2,343,842 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $279,223$723,149
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $42,893$39,963
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $3,577$12,023
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $1,510,315$1,556,207
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $10,000$12,500
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,846,008$2,343,842
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $188,305$305,475
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $60,760$65,184
X-23 Secured mortgages and notes payableStart of year $1,083,797$1,040,565
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $440,820$382,312
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $0$353,798
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,773,682$2,147,334
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $72,326$196,508
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $72,326$196,508
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,846,008$2,343,842
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $196,508 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$2,609,809
XI-2 Total expenses$2,485,627
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$124,182
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$72,326
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$196,508

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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