Universal Bluford Charter School

IRS exemption revoked

Philadelphia, PAUnknown exempt organizationSince 2010EIN 27-2662701Revenue $9.4M in FY2022

On file with the IRSuniversalcompanies.org800 South 15th Street · Philadelphia, PA

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To operate a Charter School

72¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$407K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2022 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
Revoked
IRS exemption revoked
Concern: the IRS revoked its tax exemption.
IRS Auto-Revocation List
Latest return
FY2022
latest Form 990
Worth a look: the latest return is for FY2022, 4 tax years back; more than 3 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 3
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $1.9M a year · 22% of revenue · last 3 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 3 of the last 3 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 3 filings
Spent on programs
72%
of spending
Fine: 72% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$407K
to officers and key staff · 5% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 5% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
5 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 5.2 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $35K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$4.9M
109% of total assets
Concern: liabilities are 109% of assets; over 80%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
5
of 5 voting members
Looks good: 5 of 5 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$9.4M
+12% vs prior year
Spent
$8.1M
To programs
72%
Net assets
−$391K
By yearFY2020–FY2022
Revenue
$9.4M
FY2022▲ +12%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$8.7M
FY2021$8.4M
FY2022$9.4M
Expenses
$8.1M
FY2022▲ +19%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$5.8M
FY2021$6.8M
FY2022$8.1M
Net assets
−$391K
FY2022▲ +77%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020−$3.3M
FY2021−$1.7M
FY2022−$391K

From the FY2022 Form 990 (year ending June 2022) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Form 990 (PDF) Claim
IRS revoked this organization's tax-exempt status on November 15, 2025

Is it real?

No. The IRS revoked its tax exemption. Latest filing on record: FY2022.

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

Where the money goes

72 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 72% · $5.8M Management & general 28% · $2.3M

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

10 people listed on the 990; $407K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2021); the FY2022 filing did not itemize Part VII
$171,902Pt VII · Sec A
Employee
$123,441Pt VII · Sec A
$111,786Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary/ Human Resources
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Academic Committee Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2022FY2021FY2020
Crystal Gary-Nelson$171,902$174,858$174,858
Lisa Bellamy$123,441——
Cynthia Phifer$111,786——

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 Universal Bluford Charter School executive salaries →

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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 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Operates a charter school that partners with community resources to support students and families.

Provided by the organization

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1 program · $5.8M · in their own filed words · FY2021
01

The educational program utilizes community resources within bluford's immediate neighborhood through a variety of before, during, and after school partnerships with families, businesses, social agencies, civic groups and community organizations to enhance the academic program and to support students and their families.

$5.8Mprogram 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 · FY2020
Elevate 215FY2020$35K
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$35K

By the numbers

The FY2022 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$9.4M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$7.5M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.9M
Other incomeLn 4–11$76K
Money outPt IX
$8.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$5.8M
Managementcol C$2.3M
Owns and owesPt X
−$391K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$3.5M
Total assetsLn 16$4.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$4.9M
PeoplePt VI, VII
10
listed · VII A
PaidVII A3
Voting boardVI 1a5
IndependentVI 1b5
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.9M
Government grantsLn 1e$1.9M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$7.5M
Investment incomeLn 3$715
Other incomeLn 4–11$76K
Total revenueLn 12$9.4M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$3.5M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$3.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$39K
Other assetsLn 15$524K
Total assetsLn 16$4.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$4.9M
Net assetsLn 32−$391K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5134
VolunteersI 60
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 FY22End FY22
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$3.0M$3.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$18K$39K
Total assetsLn 16$3.8M$4.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$5.5M$4.9M
Net assetsLn 32−$1.7M−$391K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$3.9M$3.0M$931K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8−$563K−$280K−$282K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$695K$521K$174K
Payroll taxesLn 10$292K$223K$69K
Management feesLn 11a$488K$488K
Legal feesLn 11b$238K$238K
Accounting feesLn 11c$23K$23K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1.2M$990K$195K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$11K$11K
Office expensesLn 13$80K$26K$55K
Information technologyLn 14$262K$190K$72K
OccupancyLn 16$34K$26K$8K
TravelLn 17$126K$126K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$6K$5K$1K
InsuranceLn 23$150K$58K$92K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$1.1M$1.0M$83K
Total functional expensesLn 25$8.1M$5.8M$2.3M$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2022 Latest Viewing $9.4M$8.1M$1.3M−$391K 990 PDF
FY2021 $8.4M$6.8M$1.6M−$1.7M 990 PDF
FY2020 $8.7M$5.8M$2.8M−$3.3M 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 FY2022 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $9,402,097 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,058,501$1,859,109
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $7,257,363$7,466,145
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $3,017$715
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $43,357$76,128
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $8,362,238$9,402,097
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 $4,396,283$4,354,824
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $2,385,136$3,729,929
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $6,781,419$8,084,753
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $1,580,819$1,317,344
Part VI · Governance 5 of 5 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body5
VI-1b Independent voting members5
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 $9,402,097 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$1,859,109
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,859,109
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $7,466,145$7,466,145
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $715$715
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $76,128$76,128
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $7,542,988 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$9,402,097
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $8,084,753 across 16 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $2,999,680 · Management $930,621$3,930,301
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms −$280,490 · Management −$282,297−$562,787
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $520,972 · Management $173,899$694,871
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $223,287 · Management $69,152$292,439
IX-11a Management feesManagement $488,216$488,216
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $238,327$238,327
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $23,182$23,182
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $990,307 · Management $194,928$1,185,235
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $10,992$10,992
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $25,590 · Management $54,792$80,382
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $189,950 · Management $72,235$262,185
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $25,893 · Management $8,033$33,926
IX-17 TravelManagement $126,297$126,297
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $4,817 · Management $1,494$6,311
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $57,632 · Management $91,916$149,548
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,042,254 · Management $83,074$1,125,328
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $5,799,892 · Management $2,284,861 · Fundraising $0$8,084,753
Part X · Balance sheet $4,464,569 assets, 13 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $3,020,988$3,496,191
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $218,168$336,848
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $72,126$68,539
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $17,920$39,084
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $496,113$523,907
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $3,825,315$4,464,569
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $968,541$886,021
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $0$237,408
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $4,564,889$3,731,911
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $5,533,430$4,855,340
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year −$1,708,115−$390,771
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year −$1,708,115−$390,771
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $3,825,315$4,464,569
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets −$390,771 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$9,402,097
XI-2 Total expenses$8,084,753
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$1,317,344
XI-4 Net assets at start of year−$1,708,115
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year−$390,771

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2022 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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