Foundation for Tacoma Students

Tax-deductible

Tacoma, WA501(c)(3)EducationEIN 27-3029219Revenue $4.3M in FY2024

On file with the IRSgraduatetacoma.org919 S 9th St, 98405-4520 · Tacoma, WATax-exempt since Aug 2010Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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To increase by 50% both the graduation rate of Tacoma public schools Students and those who complete a college degree or technical certificate. Success will require measuring and closing gaps in access, opportunities and achievement for all Students from cradle to college and career.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
73¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$367K 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

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
1 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $498K a year · 16% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 1 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
73%
of spending
Fine: 73% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$367K
to officers and key staff · 8% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 84% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 8% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
1 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.3 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $20K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$233K
28% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 28% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
15
of 16 voting members
Looks good: 15 of 16 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$4.3M
+51% vs prior year
Spent
$4.4M
To programs
73%
Net assets
$613K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$4.3M
FY2024▲ +51%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$3.6M
FY2021$3.0M
FY2022$1.4M
FY2023$2.8M
FY2024$4.3M
Expenses
$4.4M
FY2024▲ +6%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$3.2M
FY2021$3.1M
FY2022$2.9M
FY2023$4.2M
FY2024$4.4M
Net assets
$613K
FY2024▼ -16%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$3.5M
FY2021$3.4M
FY2022$2.0M
FY2023$729K
FY2024$613K

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

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Is it real?

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

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

Where the money goes

73 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 73% · $3.2M Management & general 18% · $798K Fundraising 9% · $389K

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

17 people listed on the 990; $367K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$209,866Pt VII · Sec A
Deputy Director
$156,686Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Tafona Ervin’s $210K as Executive Director is at the 84th 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

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Tafona Ervin$209,866$211,211$201,795$175,561$180,231
Gray Sterling$156,686$123,830———
Elvin Bucu———$115,327$112,577

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 Foundation for Tacoma Students 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

Coordinates community-wide strategies and uses data to boost Tacoma Public Schools' graduation rates and post-secondary completion while closing achievement gaps.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $3.2M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Foundation for tacoma students provides management and coordination of community-wide strategies designed to increase by 50% both the graduation rate of tacoma public schools students and those who complete a college degree or technical certificate.

$3.2Mprogram 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 · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$20K
Grants paid · 151 grants · $4.1M · 2020–2024
First Five FundamentalsWA · FY2024$351,453
Unitemized GrantFY2024$53,614
Franklin Pierce School Dist No 402FY2024$43,500
Peninsula School DistrictFY2024$33,700
Game Time WayWA · FY2024$30,000
Imagine JusticeFY2024$28,000
Brotherhood Rise CenterWA · FY2024$24,500
Northwest Education AccessWA · FY2024$23,500
Asia Pacific Cultural CenterWA · FY2024$22,500
Enhanced PrepFY2024$22,500
Kbtc AssociationWA · FY2024$20,000
Mi ChiantlaWA · FY2024$19,000
South Kitsap School Dist - (v)FY2024$17,500
See all 151 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$4.3M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$2.7M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.4M
Other incomeLn 4–11$119K
Money outPt IX
$4.4M
Ln 25
Programscol B$3.2M
Managementcol C$798K
Fundraisingcol D$389K
Owns and owesPt X
$613K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$480K
Total assetsLn 16$846K
LiabilitiesLn 26$233K
PeoplePt VI, VII
17
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a16
IndependentVI 1b15
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.4M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$2.7M
Other incomeLn 4–11$119K
Total revenueLn 12$4.3M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$480K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$480K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$10K
Other assetsLn 15$122K
Total assetsLn 16$846K
LiabilitiesLn 26$233K
Net assetsLn 32$613K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 517
VolunteersI 60
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$469K$480K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$20K$10K
Total assetsLn 16$1000K$846K
LiabilitiesLn 26$271K$233K
Net assetsLn 32$729K$613K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$1.1M$1.1M
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$54K$54K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$216K$110K$82K$24K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.5M$817K$504K$187K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$98K$53K$33K$12K
Payroll taxesLn 10$145K$78K$49K$18K
Accounting feesLn 11c$25K$25K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$37K$37K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$186K$169K$7K$10K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$54K$16K$11K$27K
Office expensesLn 13$32K$18K$7K$8K
Information technologyLn 14$89K$49K$19K$21K
OccupancyLn 16$126K$63K$38K$25K
TravelLn 17$3K$2K$699$1K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$677K$663K$14K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$10K$7K$2K$478
InsuranceLn 23$12K$12K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$28K$14K$8K$6K
Total functional expensesLn 25$4.4M$3.2M$798K$389K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $4.3M$4.4M−$116K$613K 990 PDF
FY2023 $2.8M$4.2M−$1.3M$729K 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.4M$2.9M−$1.4M$2.0M 990 PDF
FY2021 $3.0M$3.1M−$57K$3.4M 990 PDF
FY2020 $3.6M$3.2M$429K$3.5M 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 FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $4,286,080 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $2,707,412$1,439,229
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $63,736$2,727,943
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $59,042$118,908
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $2,830,190$4,286,080
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $991,009$1,155,842
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,692,427$1,967,218
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $38,019$37,153
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,442,641$1,241,787
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $4,164,096$4,402,000
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$1,333,906−$115,920
Part VI · Governance 15 of 16 board members independent, 2 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body16
VI-1b Independent voting members15
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 $4,286,080 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,439,229
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,439,229
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $2,727,943$2,727,943
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $118,908$118,908
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $2,846,851 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$4,286,080
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $4,402,000 across 18 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $1,102,228$1,102,228
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $53,614$53,614
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $110,103 · Management $82,036 · Fundraising $23,747$215,886
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $817,057 · Management $504,053 · Fundraising $187,170$1,508,280
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $52,924 · Management $33,455 · Fundraising $12,039$98,418
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $77,776 · Management $49,165 · Fundraising $17,693$144,634
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $24,820$24,820
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $37,153$37,153
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $168,858 · Management $7,461 · Fundraising $10,028$186,347
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $16,240 · Management $10,826 · Fundraising $27,066$54,132
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $17,751 · Management $6,967 · Fundraising $7,528$32,246
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $48,800 · Management $19,154 · Fundraising $20,694$88,648
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $62,884 · Management $37,731 · Fundraising $25,153$125,768
IX-17 TravelPrograms $1,746 · Management $699 · Fundraising $1,048$3,493
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $663,383 · Fundraising $13,538$676,921
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $7,167 · Management $1,911 · Fundraising $478$9,556
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $11,735$11,735
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $13,694 · Management $8,368 · Fundraising $6,059$28,121
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $3,214,225 · Management $798,381 · Fundraising $389,394$4,402,000
Part X · Balance sheet $845,842 assets, 13 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $468,686$479,790
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $322,506$220,845
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $0$13,212
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $19,577$10,021
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $189,213$121,974
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $999,982$845,842
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $70,702$104,809
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $200,640$128,313
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $271,342$233,122
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $642,195$490,775
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $86,445$121,945
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $728,640$612,720
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $999,982$845,842
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $612,720 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$4,286,080
XI-2 Total expenses$4,402,000
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$115,920
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$728,640
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$612,720

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

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