Mountain Education Foundation INC

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Our mission is to mobilize resources and support for strategic investment in educational excellence at signal Mountain, TN public schools.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
87¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 125 volunteers and 1 employee.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · 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
5 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $572K a year · 47% of revenue · last 5 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 5 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
87%
of spending
Looks good: 87% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$119K
to officers and key staff · 14% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 14% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
12 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $4.1M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Looks good: 12.5 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
6
named funders · $57K
Looks good: 6 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$102K
2% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 2% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
18
of 18 voting members
Looks good: 18 of 18 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$879K
-4% vs prior year
Spent
$871K
To programs
87%
Net assets
$4.9M
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$879K
FY2025▼ -4%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$1.7M
FY2022$743K
FY2023$1.9M
FY2024$917K
FY2025$879K
Expenses
$871K
FY2025▲ +16%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$466K
FY2022$476K
FY2023$681K
FY2024$753K
FY2025$871K
Net assets
$4.9M
FY2025▲ +9%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$2.8M
FY2022$2.8M
FY2023$4.0M
FY2024$4.5M
FY2025$4.9M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Oct 2008.

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

Where the money goes

87 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 87% · $758K Management & general 5% · $45K Fundraising 8% · $67K

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

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

21 people listed on the 990; $119K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Director
$118,893Pt VII · Sec A
At Large-Started May 2025
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Development
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Hilarie Robison’s $119K as Executive Director is at the 90th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1612 $100K–1M 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 · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Hilarie Robison$118,893$84,924$80,338$105,973$83,319

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 Mountain Education Foundation 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

Funds and resources are raised to invest in educational excellence at Signal Mountain public schools.

Questions for Mountain Education Foundation INC

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1 program · $758K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

The foundation was formed to provide ongoing financial support to achieve and maintain excellence in signal mountain k-12 public education.

$758Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
See all 6 funders →
Grants paid · 19 grants · $2.0M · 2020–2024
Hcde Signal Mountain Middle High SchoolFY2024$324,237
Hcde Nolan Elementary SchoolFY2024$168,108
Hcde Thrasher Elementary SchoolFY2024$125,388
Hcde Signal Mountain Middle High SchoolFY2023$229,040
Hcde Nolan Elementary SchoolFY2023$147,332
Hcde Thrasher Elementary SchoolFY2023$137,696
Hcde Signal Mountain Middle High SchoolFY2022$172,111
Hcde Nolan Elementary SchoolFY2022$136,773
Hcde Thrasher Elementary SchoolFY2022$100,300
Signal Mountain Middle High School PtsaTN · FY2022$18,269
Nolan Elementary School PTATN · FY2022$5,385
Hcde Signal Mountain Middle High SchoolFY2021$91,362
Hcde Nolan Elementary SchoolFY2021$87,215
Hcde Thrasher Elementary SchoolFY2021$57,807
Signal Mountain Middle High School PtsaTN · FY2021$15,890
Hcde Nolan Elementary SchoolFY2020$82,692
Hcde Thrasher Elementary SchoolFY2020$51,640
Hcde Signal Mountain Middle High SchoolFY2020$48,839
See all 19 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$879K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$812K
Other incomeLn 4–11$45K
Investment incomeLn 3$21K
Money outPt IX
$871K
Ln 25
Programscol B$758K
Managementcol C$45K
Fundraisingcol D$67K
Owns and owesPt X
$4.9M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$908K
Total assetsLn 16$5.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$102K
PeoplePt VI, VII
21
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a18
IndependentVI 1b18
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$812K
Government grantsLn 1e$8K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$38K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$65K
Investment incomeLn 3$21K
Other incomeLn 4–11$45K
Total revenueLn 12$879K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$193K
SavingsLn 2$714K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$908K
Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesLn 9$11K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$4.1M
Total assetsLn 16$5.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$102K
Net assetsLn 32$4.9M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 51
VolunteersI 6125
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3More from this return
Abroad and in kindSch F, M
Noncash gifts receivedSch M Pt I$38K
EndowmentSch D · Pt V
LineFY25FY24FY23FY22FY21
End of yearLn 1g$3.6M$3.5M$3.3M$2.1M$1.9M
Given inLn 1b$85K$199K$1.2M$166K$1.1M
SpentLn 1d–1f$180K$107K$313K
4Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$839K$908K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$3.8M$4.1M
Total assetsLn 16$4.6M$5.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$114K$102K
Net assetsLn 32$4.5M$4.9M
5Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$622K$622K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$110K$94K$11K$6K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$11K$9K$1K$549
Payroll taxesLn 10$9K$8K$932$466
Accounting feesLn 11c$20K$20K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$23K$23K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$4K$4K
Office expensesLn 13$7K$7K
Information technologyLn 14$6K$6K
TravelLn 17$896$896
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$540$540
InsuranceLn 23$3K$747$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$38K$38K
All other expensesLn 24e$16K$6K$10K
Total functional expensesLn 25$871K$758K$45K$67K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS Jan 30, 2026 $879K$871K$8K$4.9M 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS Nov 14, 2024 $917K$753K$163K$4.5M 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Nov 10, 2023 $1.9M$681K$1.2M$4.0M 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Nov 9, 2022 $743K$476K$267K$2.8M 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Nov 9, 2021 $1.7M$466K$1.2M$2.8M 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support M · Noncash O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $878,739 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $782,219$812,105
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $553$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $21,406$21,395
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $112,432$45,239
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $916,610$878,739
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $514,068$622,205
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $124,785$130,380
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $9,344$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $105,023$118,012
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $753,220$870,597
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $163,390$8,142
Part VI · Governance 18 of 18 board members independent, 2 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body18
VI-1b Independent voting members18
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
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-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $878,739 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$64,697
VIII-1e Government grants$7,500
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$739,908
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$37,508
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$812,105
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $21,395$21,395
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $45,239$45,239
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $66,634$878,739
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $870,597 across 14 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $622,205$622,205
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $93,570 · Management $11,008 · Fundraising $5,504$110,082
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $9,330 · Management $1,098 · Fundraising $549$10,977
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $7,923 · Management $932 · Fundraising $466$9,321
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $19,840$19,840
IX-11g Other fees for servicesFundraising $22,668$22,668
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $4,061$4,061
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $7,209$7,209
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $6,189$6,189
IX-17 TravelPrograms $896$896
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $540$540
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $747 · Management $2,299$3,046
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Fundraising $37,508$37,508
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $5,754 · Management $10,301$16,055
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $758,424 · Management $45,478 · Fundraising $66,695$870,597
Part X · Balance sheet $4,983,748 assets, 12 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $134,580$193,386
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $704,737$714,324
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$10,709
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $3,754,255$4,065,329
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $4,593,572$4,983,748
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $61,554$57,553
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $52,500$44,500
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $114,054$102,053
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $883,867$1,246,750
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $3,595,651$3,634,945
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $4,479,518$4,881,695
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $4,593,572$4,983,748
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $4,881,695 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$878,739
XI-2 Total expenses$870,597
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$8,142
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$4,479,518
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$394,035
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$4,881,695

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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