Ex Fabula INC FY2023 filing

Tax-deductible

Milwaukee, WI501(c)(3)EducationEIN 27-2991916

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501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
75¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$62K 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

FY2023 · 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
3 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $6K a year · 2% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
75%
of spending
Looks good: 75% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$62K
to officers and key staff · 21% of spending
Worth a look: pay to officers and key staff is 21% of spending; over 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 2.6 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $14K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$8K
12% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 12% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
12
of 12 voting members
Looks good: 12 of 12 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$250K
-8% vs prior year
Spent
$300K
To programs
75%
Net assets
$58K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$250K
FY2023▼ -8%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$213K
FY2021$263K
FY2022$272K
FY2023$250K
FY2024$349K
FY2025$258K
Expenses
$300K
FY2023▲ +24%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$217K
FY2021$202K
FY2022$242K
FY2023$300K
FY2024$336K
FY2025$273K
Net assets
$58K
FY2023▼ -47%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$17K
FY2021$78K
FY2022$108K
FY2023$58K
FY2024$71K
FY2025$56K

From the FY2023 Form 990 (year ending June 2023) · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2023 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Exemption reinstated (2013-05-15). Per the IRS revocation list. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jun 2014.

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

Where the money goes

75 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 75% · $225K Management & general 19% · $57K Fundraising 6% · $18K

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

13 people listed on the 990; $62K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2022); the FY2023 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Director
$61,700Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Megan McGee’s $68K as Executive Director is at the 59th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1613 $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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Megan McGee$67,650$65,250$61,700$58,500$57,600$54,100

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 Ex Fabula INC 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 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Sharing Milwaukee's real stories to build community connections.

Provided by the organization

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2 programs · $225K · in their own filed words · FY2022
01

Organizing and marketing StorySlams and workshops where teens and adults craft and share true, personal stories in English, Spanish, and ASL. Included 175 StorySlams and workshops with 3937 participants and 60 first-time storytellers on stage.

$198Kprogram expense
02

Sharing audio, video, or written stories with the general public via media partnerships with organizations including CopyWrite Magazine and WUWM 89.7. This includes producing "Real Stories MKE" Radio show and podcast, which was voted "Best Local Podcast" in the Shepherd Express' Best of Milwaukee awards.

$27Kprogram 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 · FY2025
Afognak FundFY2025$12K
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$14K

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$250K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$166K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$83K
Other incomeLn 4–11$587
Money outPt IX
$300K
Ln 25
Programscol B$225K
Managementcol C$57K
Fundraisingcol D$18K
Owns and owesPt X
$58K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$65K
Total assetsLn 16$65K
LiabilitiesLn 26$8K
PeoplePt VI, VII
13
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a12
IndependentVI 1b12
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$166K
Government grantsLn 1e$54K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$0
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$0
Fees for servicesLn 2g$83K
Investment incomeLn 3$8
Other incomeLn 4–11$587
Total revenueLn 12$250K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$65K
SavingsLn 2$14
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$65K
Total assetsLn 16$65K
LiabilitiesLn 26$8K
Net assetsLn 32$58K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 55
VolunteersI 630
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$112K$65K
Total assetsLn 16$112K$65K
LiabilitiesLn 26$4K$8K
Net assetsLn 32$108K$58K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$64K$51K$10K$3K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$140K$112K$21K$7K
Payroll taxesLn 10$17K$14K$3K$848
Accounting feesLn 11c$7K$7K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$45K$45K$0$0
Advertising and promotionLn 12$6K$6K
Office expensesLn 13$10K$3K$7K$340
OccupancyLn 16$2K$400$1K
TravelLn 17$1K$68$1K
InsuranceLn 23$3K$3K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$4K$187$2K$1K
All other expensesLn 24e$2K$2K
Total functional expensesLn 25$300K$225K$57K$18K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $258K$273K−$15K$56K 990 PDF
FY2024 $349K$336K$13K$71K 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $250K$300K−$51K$58K 990 PDF
FY2022 $272K$242K$30K$108K 990 PDF
FY2021 $263K$202K$61K$78K 990 PDF
FY2020 $213K$217K−$4K$17K 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 FY2023 990 (5 parts)
Part I · Summary $249,740 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $191,488$166,199
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $79,994$82,946
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $13$8
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $96$587
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $271,591$249,740
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 $177,569$221,308
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $64,209$78,991
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $241,778$300,299
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $29,813−$50,559
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $249,740 across 13 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $53 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$0
VIII-1b Membership dues$0
VIII-1c Fundraising events$0
VIII-1d Related organizations$0
VIII-1e Government grants$54,377
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$111,822
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$0
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$166,199
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $82,946 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$82,946
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $8$8
VIII-5 RoyaltiesRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $534 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$534
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $83,533 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $8$249,740
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $300,299 across 16 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $0$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $0$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $0$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for membersPrograms $0$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $51,280 · Management $9,615 · Fundraising $3,205$64,100
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $112,190 · Management $21,036 · Fundraising $7,012$140,238
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $13,576 · Management $2,546 · Fundraising $848$16,970
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $7,431$7,431
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $45,010 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$45,010
IX-12 Advertising and promotionFundraising $5,547$5,547
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $2,704 · Management $6,693 · Fundraising $340$9,737
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $400 · Management $1,440$1,840
IX-17 TravelPrograms $68 · Management $1,338$1,406
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $2,625$2,625
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $187 · Management $2,337 · Fundraising $1,255$3,779
IX-24e All other expensesManagement $1,616$1,616
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $225,415 · Management $56,677 · Fundraising $18,207$300,299
Part X · Balance sheet $65,043 assets, 10 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $112,267$65,029
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $14$14
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $112,281$65,043
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $4,131$7,502
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $50$0
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $4,181$7,502
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $65,100$21,441
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $43,000$36,100
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $108,100$57,541
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $112,281$65,043
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $57,541 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$249,740
XI-2 Total expenses$300,299
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$50,559
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$108,100
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$0
XI-6 Donated services and use of facilities$0
XI-7 Investment expenses$0
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$0
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$57,541

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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