Lena helps communities boost school readiness and improve child outcomes through early talk. Lena works with a wide range of partner organizations to improve early language environments and boost kindergarten readiness.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
80¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 4 volunteers and 61 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $49K a year · under 1% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
80%
of spending
Looks good: 80% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.4M
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
9 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 9.2 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
6
named funders · $1.3M
Looks good: 6 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$5.5M
56% of total assets
Fine: liabilities are 56% of assets; 50% to 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
4
of 6 voting members
Looks good: 4 of 6 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$6.3M
-52% vs prior year
Spent
$10.3M
To programs
80%
Net assets
$4.4M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$6.3M
FY2024▼ -52%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$5.7M
FY2021$11.2M
FY2022$8.6M
FY2023$13.1M
FY2024$6.3M
Expenses
$10.3M
FY2024▲ +9%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$8.1M
FY2021$8.1M
FY2022$8.6M
FY2023$9.5M
FY2024$10.3M
Net assets
$4.4M
FY2024▼ -48%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$1.7M
FY2021$4.7M
FY2022$4.7M
FY2023$8.4M
FY2024$4.4M

From the FY2024 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Sep 2010.

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

Where the money goes

80 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 80% · $8.2M Management & general 13% · $1.3M Fundraising 7% · $733K

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

13 people listed on the 990; $1.4M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
President and CEO
$261,317Pt VII · Sec A
Head of Technology Innovatation
$241,691Pt VII · Sec A
$209,170Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Information & Operations Officer
$183,388Pt VII · Sec A
Director, Partnerships and Growth
$181,361Pt VII · Sec A
VP of Impact
$170,558Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Financial Officer
$161,322Pt VII · Sec A
$21,747Pt VII · Sec A

Stephen M Hannon PHD’s $261K as President and CEO is at the 92nd 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 · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Stephen M Hannon PHD$261,317$230,430$219,808$203,601$193,772
Sahar Bou-Ghazale Toukmaji$241,691$236,069$230,361——
Maria Rocio O'Keefe$209,170————
Jessica Simmons——$199,185$146,229$155,950
Vince Swartout$183,388$179,184$178,503$181,513$175,268
Jodi Whiteman$181,361$162,196———
Katharine Correll$170,558$152,855—$127,610—
Carole Brite$161,322$154,960$150,096——

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 Lena Foundation executive salaries →

On this list? Claim this org

Something off? Claim to add context

Questions the 990 asks

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

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Boosts school readiness and child outcomes by improving early language environments through talk.

Questions for Lena Foundation

Tap to ask. Lena Foundation sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Lena Foundation answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

Know this org? Add your story

1 program · $8.2M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Lena foundation (lena) transforms children's futures through early talk technology and data-driven programs. Lena's core technology is the lena system, the standard for automatically measuring talk with children, a critical factor in early brain development and predictive of both cognitive and social emotional development.

$8.2Mprogram 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 · 85 grants · $2.4M · 2020–2023
Birmingham TalksAL · FY2023$149,946
WhedcoNY · FY2023$44,600
Acelero LearningFY2023$32,768
Grand Street Settlement INCNY · FY2023$30,000
Little Einstein's AcademyFY2023$22,246
San Jose Public LibraryFY2023$20,000
Gunnison-Hinsdale Early Childhood CouncilFY2023$19,439
Early Childhood Partners INCCO · FY2023$11,003
New Deal Design LLCFY2023$6,079
University of MemphisFY2022$51,425
Northern Illinois UniversityFY2022$23,000
Jefferson CountyFY2022$22,628
See all 85 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$6.3M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$3.3M
Other incomeLn 4–11$2.6M
Investment incomeLn 3$381K
Money outPt IX
$10.3M
Ln 25
Programscol B$8.2M
Managementcol C$1.3M
Fundraisingcol D$733K
Owns and owesPt X
$4.4M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$7.9M
Total assetsLn 16$9.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$5.5M
PeoplePt VI, VII
13
listed · VII A
PaidVII A9
Voting boardVI 1a6
IndependentVI 1b4
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$3.3M
Investment incomeLn 3$381K
Other incomeLn 4–11$2.6M
Gains on assetsLn 7$347
Total revenueLn 12$6.3M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$158K
SavingsLn 2$7.8M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$7.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$238K
Other assetsLn 15$522K
Total assetsLn 16$9.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$5.5M
Net assetsLn 32$4.4M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 561
VolunteersI 64
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
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$6.8M$7.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$417K$238K
Total assetsLn 16$11.8M$9.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$3.4M$5.5M
Net assetsLn 32$8.4M$4.4M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$522K$522K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$490K$384K$68K$38K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$81K$63K$11K$6K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$5.3M$4.1M$726K$412K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$222K$174K$31K$17K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$661K$518K$91K$52K
Payroll taxesLn 10$435K$340K$60K$34K
Legal feesLn 11b$125K$37K$87K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$21K$21K
Investment management feesLn 11f$31K$24K$4K$2K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1.1M$933K$70K$60K
Office expensesLn 13$9K$7K$1K$736
Information technologyLn 14$429K$336K$59K$34K
OccupancyLn 16$461K$361K$64K$36K
TravelLn 17$110K$86K$15K$9K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$173K$135K$24K$14K
InterestLn 20$30K$23K$4K$2K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$107K$84K$15K$8K
InsuranceLn 23$52K$41K$7K$4K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$40K$32K$5K$3K
Total functional expensesLn 25$10.3M$8.2M$1.3M$733K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $6.3M$10.3M−$4.0M$4.4M 990 PDF
FY2023 $13.1M$9.5M$3.7M$8.4M 990 PDF
FY2022 $8.6M$8.6M$50K$4.7M 990 PDF
FY2021 $11.2M$8.1M$3.0M$4.7M 990 PDF
FY2020 $5.7M$8.1M−$2.5M$1.7M 990 PDF

More to add? Claim this org

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $6,281,048 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $10,157,766$3,281,385
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $291,586$380,984
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $2,674,418$2,618,679
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $13,123,770$6,281,048
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $499,047$522,206
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $6,884,319$7,146,437
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $2,075,278$2,650,554
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $9,458,644$10,319,197
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $3,665,126−$4,038,149
Part VI · Governance 4 of 6 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body6
VI-1b Independent voting members4
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
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 $6,281,048 across 5 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $2,618,679 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$3,281,385
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$3,281,385
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $380,637$380,637
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $347$347
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $2,618,679 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $380,984$6,281,048
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $10,319,197 across 20 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $522,206$522,206
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $383,977 · Management $67,783 · Fundraising $38,456$490,216
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $63,138 · Management $11,146 · Fundraising $6,323$80,607
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $4,120,213 · Management $726,188 · Fundraising $411,989$5,258,390
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $173,837 · Management $30,687 · Fundraising $17,410$221,934
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $517,550 · Management $91,363 · Fundraising $51,833$660,746
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $340,371 · Management $60,085 · Fundraising $34,088$434,544
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $37,405 · Management $87,277$124,682
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $20,833$20,833
IX-11f Investment management feesPrograms $24,199 · Management $4,268 · Fundraising $2,421$30,888
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $932,992 · Management $69,977 · Fundraising $60,259$1,063,228
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $7,358 · Management $1,298 · Fundraising $736$9,392
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $336,205 · Management $59,297 · Fundraising $33,641$429,143
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $360,816 · Management $63,637 · Fundraising $36,103$460,556
IX-17 TravelPrograms $86,203 · Management $15,468 · Fundraising $8,776$110,447
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $135,166 · Management $23,839 · Fundraising $13,525$172,530
IX-20 InterestPrograms $23,370 · Management $4,122 · Fundraising $2,338$29,830
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $83,591 · Management $14,743 · Fundraising $8,364$106,698
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $40,944 · Management $7,221 · Fundraising $4,097$52,262
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $32,380 · Management $4,903 · Fundraising $2,782$40,065
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $8,242,754 · Management $1,343,302 · Fundraising $733,141$10,319,197
Part X · Balance sheet $9,898,000 assets, 17 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $131,037$158,406
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $6,710,042$7,775,360
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $2,179,903$300,000
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $275,067$127,106
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $836,224$573,693
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $259,274$203,227
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $416,847$238,007
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $1,022,505$522,201
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $11,830,899$9,898,000
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $732,852$1,071,873
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $1,321,355$3,719,689
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $1,366,791$734,686
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $3,420,998$5,526,248
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $8,008,280$3,615,031
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $401,621$756,721
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $8,409,901$4,371,752
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $11,830,899$9,898,000
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $4,371,752 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$6,281,048
XI-2 Total expenses$10,319,197
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$4,038,149
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$8,409,901
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$4,371,752

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

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

Your org? Add context

Made it to the end? Claim this org

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.