A C E Academy

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Ace Academy will equip students from all backgrounds to succeed in the college and career of their choice by driving academic excellence, developing a strong mindset, and instilling an entrepreneurial mindset.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
67¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 6 volunteers and 100 employees.
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
3 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $65K a year · 1% 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
67%
of spending
Fine: 67% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$255K
to officers and key staff · 4% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 4% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
8 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 7.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $15K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$8.7M
90% of total assets
Concern: liabilities are 90% of assets; over 80%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
6
of 6 voting members
Looks good: 6 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
$6.5M
+16% vs prior year
Spent
$7.1M
To programs
67%
Net assets
$935K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$6.5M
FY2025▲ +16%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$4.2M
FY2021$4.6M
FY2022$5.3M
FY2023$5.6M
FY2024$5.6M
FY2025$6.5M
Expenses
$7.1M
FY2025▲ +24%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$4.0M
FY2021$4.3M
FY2022$5.5M
FY2023$5.6M
FY2024$5.8M
FY2025$7.1M
Net assets
$935K
FY2025▲ +43%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$612K
FY2021$975K
FY2022$776K
FY2023$780K
FY2024$656K
FY2025$935K

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

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Exemption reinstated (2015-12-15). Per the IRS revocation list. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Apr 2017.

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

Where the money goes

67 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 67% · $4.8M Management & general 33% · $2.3M

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

8 people listed on the 990; $255K 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
$146,827Pt VII · Sec A
School Director
$107,701Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Laila Minott’s $147K as Executive Director is at the 62nd 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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Laila Minott$146,827$136,127$133,559$126,924$126,924$98,956
Shannon Martin$107,701—————

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 A C E Academy 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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Equips students for college and careers through academic excellence, strong mindset, and entrepreneurial spirit.

Questions for A C E Academy

Tap to ask. A C E Academy sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. A C E Academy answers here, for everyone.

1 program · $4.8M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

A.C.E. Academy is a public, tuition-free k-8 charter school dedicated to preparing students for success in high school and beyond.

$4.8Mprogram 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 · FY2023
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$15K

Federal money

Single Audit · Federal Audit Clearinghouse · money spent from federal programs
Year ending Jun 2025 · $1.0M federal money spent
Twenty-First Century Community Learning CentersDepartment of Education · ALN 84.287 · Through N.c. Department of Public Instruction$418K
School Breakfast ProgramDepartment of Agriculture · ALN 10.553 · Through N.c. Department of Public Instruction$240K
Title I Grants to Local Educational AgenciesDepartment of Education · ALN 84.010 · Through N.c. Department of Public Instruction$175K
Special Education Grants to StatesDepartment of Education · ALN 84.027 · Through N.c. Department of Public Instruction$135K
Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants (formerly Improving Teacher Quality State Grants)Department of Education · ALN 84.367 · Through N.c. Department of Public Instruction$20K

Plus 3 smaller programs.

The auditor reported no findings.

Year ending Jun 2024 · $756K federal money spent
Child Nutrition ProgramDepartment of Agriculture · ALN 10.553 · Through N.c. Department of Public Instruction$281K
21st Century Community Learning CentersDepartment of Education · ALN 84.287 · Through N.c. Department of Public Instruction$203K
Esser II - Supplemental K-12 Emergency FundsDepartment of Education · ALN 84.425 · Through N.c. Department of Public Instruction$104K
Idea Title Vi-B HandicappedDepartment of Education · ALN 84.027 · Through N.c. Department of Public Instruction$70K
Esea Title 1 - Lea Basic EducationDepartment of Education · ALN 84.010 · Through N.c. Department of Public Instruction$68K

Plus 3 smaller programs.

The auditor reported no findings.

Year ending Jun 2023 · $899K federal money spent
Education Stabilization FundDepartment of Education · ALN 84.425 · Through N.c. Department of Public Instruction$380K
Twenty-First Century Community Learning CentersDepartment of Education · ALN 84.287 · Through N.c. Department of Public Instruction$177K
Public Health Emergency PreparednessDepartment of Health and Human Services · ALN 93.069 · Direct$114K
School Breakfast ProgramDepartment of Agriculture · ALN 10.553 · Through N.c. Department of Public Instruction$104K
Special Education_grants to StatesDepartment of Education · ALN 84.027 · Through N.c. Department of Public Instruction$71K

Plus 4 smaller programs.

The auditor reported no findings.

Year ending Jun 2022 · $938K federal money spent
Education Stabilization FundDepartment of Education · ALN 84.425 · Through N.c. Department of Public Instruction$398K
Twenty-First Century Community Learning CentersDepartment of Education · ALN 84.287 · Through N.c. Department of Public Instruction$172K
School Breakfast ProgramDepartment of Agriculture · ALN 10.553 · Through N.c. Department of Public Instruction$166K
Special Education_grants to StatesDepartment of Education · ALN 84.027 · Through N.c. Department of Public Instruction$84K
Title I Grants to Local Educational AgenciesDepartment of Education · ALN 84.010 · Through N.c. Department of Public Instruction$61K

Plus 3 smaller programs.

The auditor reported no findings.

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$6.5M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$6.1M
Investment incomeLn 3$239K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$122K
Money outPt IX
$7.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$4.8M
Managementcol C$2.3M
Owns and owesPt X
$935K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$4.5M
Total assetsLn 16$9.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$8.7M
PeoplePt VI, VII
8
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a6
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$6.1M
Government grantsLn 1e$6.1M
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$952
Fees for servicesLn 2g$122K
Investment incomeLn 3$239K
Other incomeLn 4–11$95K
Total revenueLn 12$6.5M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$3.3M
SavingsLn 2$1.2M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$4.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$5.0M
Other assetsLn 15$4K
Total assetsLn 16$9.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$8.7M
Net assetsLn 32$935K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5100
VolunteersI 66
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3More from this return
BondsSch K, Pt X
Tax-exempt bond debt owedX 20$8.2M
Bond issues listedSch K Pt I1
Raised by those issuesSch K Pt I$9.8M
4Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.8M$4.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$5.1M$5.0M
Total assetsLn 16$7.1M$9.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$6.5M$8.7M
Net assetsLn 32$656K$935K
5Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$147K$99K$48K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$3.2M$2.1M$1.0M
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$23K$16K$8K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$327K$220K$107K
Payroll taxesLn 10$332K$223K$109K
Legal feesLn 11b$348K$234K$114K
Accounting feesLn 11c$126K$85K$41K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$453K$304K$149K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$75K$51K$25K
Office expensesLn 13$142K$95K$47K
Information technologyLn 14$36K$24K$12K
OccupancyLn 16$81K$54K$26K
TravelLn 17$29K$19K$9K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$67K$45K$22K
InterestLn 20$431K$290K$141K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$231K$155K$76K
InsuranceLn 23$56K$38K$18K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$803K$540K$263K
All other expensesLn 24e$236K$159K$78K
Total functional expensesLn 25$7.1M$4.8M$2.3M$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS May 11, 2026 $6.5M$7.1M−$584K$935K 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS May 7, 2025 $5.6M$5.8M−$124K$656K 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Jul 18, 2024 $5.6M$5.6M$5K$780K 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Apr 6, 2023 $5.3M$5.5M−$199K$776K 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS May 16, 2022 $4.6M$4.3M$363K$975K 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS May 17, 2021 $4.2M$4.0M$150K$612K 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $6,546,565 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $5,561,035$6,090,519
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $26,398$122,220
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $57,015$238,877
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $1,498$94,949
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $5,645,946$6,546,565
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 $3,592,787$4,015,328
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $2,177,318$3,114,862
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $5,770,105$7,130,190
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$124,159−$583,625
Part VI · Governance 6 of 6 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body6
VI-1b Independent voting members6
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $6,546,565 across 9 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$952
VIII-1e Government grants$6,081,467
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$8,100
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$6,090,519
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $122,220$122,220
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $238,877$238,877
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $94,949$94,949
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $217,169 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $238,877$6,546,565
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $7,130,190 across 19 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $98,682 · Management $48,145$146,827
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $2,141,480 · Management $1,044,800$3,186,280
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $15,786 · Management $7,702$23,488
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $219,859 · Management $107,266$327,125
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $222,872 · Management $108,736$331,608
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $233,966 · Management $114,149$348,115
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $84,744 · Management $41,346$126,090
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $304,492 · Management $148,557$453,049
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $50,701 · Management $24,736$75,437
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $95,371 · Management $46,530$141,901
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $24,246 · Management $11,829$36,075
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $54,183 · Management $26,435$80,618
IX-17 TravelPrograms $19,413 · Management $9,471$28,884
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $44,767 · Management $21,841$66,608
IX-20 InterestPrograms $289,786 · Management $141,383$431,169
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $155,219 · Management $75,730$230,949
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $37,902 · Management $18,492$56,394
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $539,781 · Management $263,353$803,134
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $158,909 · Management $77,530$236,439
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $4,792,159 · Management $2,338,031 · Fundraising $0$7,130,190
Part X · Balance sheet $9,598,951 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,725,522$3,344,603
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $95,372$1,178,937
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $144,636$46,218
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $45,612$21,417
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $5,127,810$5,004,076
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $3,700$3,700
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $7,142,652$9,598,951
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $27,048$34,221
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilities$8,170,000
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $6,460,000$0
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $6,487,048$8,664,221
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $655,604−$1,915,540
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictions$2,850,270
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $655,604$934,730
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $7,142,652$9,598,951
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $934,730 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$6,546,565
XI-2 Total expenses$7,130,190
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$583,625
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$655,604
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$862,751
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$934,730

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

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