Middle Cities Education Association

Tax-deductible

Lansing, MI501(c)(3)Since 1972EducationEIN 38-2052969Revenue $647K in FY2025

On file with the IRSmialliance.comPo Box 10007, 48901-0007 · Lansing, MITax-exempt since Mar 1975Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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To provide services to member organizations including professional development training for school administrators and teachers, research and program development support and conducting conferences on current issues in Education. To create a better understanding and support for urban school districts through professional development, task force meetings, enrollment projections and legislative impacts.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
84¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 6 volunteers and 7 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
2 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $16K a year · 2% of revenue · last 6 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
84%
of spending
Looks good: 84% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$471K
to officers and key staff · 60% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 99% of similar orgs
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 60% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
6 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 5.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Liabilities
$167K
19% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 19% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
6
of 7 voting members
Looks good: 6 of 7 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$647K
-34% vs prior year
Spent
$783K
To programs
84%
Net assets
$733K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$647K
FY2025▼ -34%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$784K
FY2021$772K
FY2022$913K
FY2023$1.2M
FY2024$980K
FY2025$647K
Expenses
$783K
FY2025▼ -14%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$796K
FY2021$731K
FY2022$941K
FY2023$1.2M
FY2024$912K
FY2025$783K
Net assets
$733K
FY2025▼ -16%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$815K
FY2021$856K
FY2022$827K
FY2023$800K
FY2024$868K
FY2025$733K

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Mar 1975.

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

Where the money goes

84 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 84% · $661K Management & general 16% · $122K

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

9 people listed on the 990; $471K 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
$224,200Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Operating Officer
$139,514Pt VII · Sec A
$107,634Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Past President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Peter Spadafore’s $224K as Executive Director is at the 99th 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 · 7 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Raymond S Telman——$131,600$226,541$219,943$217,668
Peter Spadafore$224,200$222,000$216,300———
Ryan McLeod$139,514$133,250————
James a Craig II———$119,909$116,417$114,721
Jessica Pantano$107,634—————
Amy Thurston—$107,625————
Mike Sawyer———$102,036——

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.

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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

Advocates for school districts to ensure quality education for urban students.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $661K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Executive director attendance at national conferences to keep updated on what is happening with other organizations. Consulting services by the executive director to other organizations that require expertise about issues similar to mcea.

$543Kprogram expense
02

1 superintendent meeting - one superintendent from each member district. State of affairs regarding operations and what's happening on a state-wide level of legislative affairs affecting k-12 institutions.

$107Kprogram expense
03

76 enrollment projections. Data driven program based on rate of birth, prior and current enrollments. Open to both members and non-members. Provides data to allow districts to forecast future enrollment trends and needs require to ask for funding to the general public.

$10Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$647K
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$792K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$30K
Investment incomeLn 3$7K
Money outPt IX
$783K
Ln 25
Programscol B$661K
Managementcol C$122K
Owns and owesPt X
$733K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$368K
Total assetsLn 16$899K
LiabilitiesLn 26$167K
PeoplePt VI, VII
9
listed · VII A
PaidVII A3
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$30K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$792K
Investment incomeLn 3$7K
Gains on assetsLn 7−$182K
Total revenueLn 12$647K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$8K
SavingsLn 2$360K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$368K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$3K
Other assetsLn 15$522K
Total assetsLn 16$899K
LiabilitiesLn 26$167K
Net assetsLn 32$733K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 57
VolunteersI 66
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$489K$368K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$496K$3K
Total assetsLn 16$1.2M$899K
LiabilitiesLn 26$372K$167K
Net assetsLn 32$868K$733K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$280K$252K$28K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$92K$83K$9K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$21K$19K$2K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$27K$24K$3K
Payroll taxesLn 10$49K$44K$5K
Legal feesLn 11b$4K$2K$2K
Accounting feesLn 11c$34K$34K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$24K$24K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$42K$42K
Office expensesLn 13$25K$18K$6K
Information technologyLn 14$13K$10K$3K
OccupancyLn 16$31K$23K$8K
TravelLn 17$20K$15K$5K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$78K$71K$8K
InterestLn 20$2K$2K$540
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$10K$7K$2K
InsuranceLn 23$23K$17K$6K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$7K$7K
Total functional expensesLn 25$783K$661K$122K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $647K$783K−$136K$733K 990 PDF
FY2024 $980K$912K$68K$868K 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.2M$1.2M−$27K$800K 990 PDF
FY2022 $913K$941K−$29K$827K 990 PDF
FY2021 $772K$731K$41K$856K 990 PDF
FY2020 $784K$796K−$12K$815K 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 FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $647,143 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $181,367$30,414
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $796,896$792,192
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $1,800−$175,463
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $980,063$647,143
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 $494,960$469,813
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $417,159$312,905
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $912,119$782,718
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $67,944−$135,575
Part VI · Governance 6 of 7 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members6
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
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 $647,143 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$30,414
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$30,414
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $792,192$792,192
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $6,617$6,617
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax −$182,080−$182,080
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $792,192 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax −$175,463$647,143
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $782,718 across 18 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $251,876 · Management $27,986$279,862
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $83,191 · Management $9,243$92,434
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $19,345 · Management $2,150$21,495
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $24,216 · Management $2,691$26,907
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $44,203 · Management $4,912$49,115
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $1,829 · Management $2,147$3,976
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $34,013$34,013
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $24,000$24,000
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $41,697$41,697
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $18,421 · Management $6,140$24,561
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $10,087 · Management $3,362$13,449
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $23,149 · Management $7,716$30,865
IX-17 TravelPrograms $15,019 · Management $5,007$20,026
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $70,551 · Management $7,839$78,390
IX-20 InterestPrograms $1,619 · Management $540$2,159
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $7,403 · Management $2,468$9,871
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $16,971 · Management $5,657$22,628
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $7,270$7,270
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $660,847 · Management $121,871 · Fundraising $0$782,718
Part X · Balance sheet $899,400 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $79,309$8,306
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $410,060$359,623
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $254,832$6,344
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $495,718$3,068
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $0$522,059
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,239,919$899,400
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $12,066$19,098
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $39,000$19,500
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $320,573$0
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $0$128,097
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $371,639$166,695
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $801,053$664,640
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $67,227$68,065
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $868,280$732,705
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,239,919$899,400
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $732,705 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$647,143
XI-2 Total expenses$782,718
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$135,575
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$868,280
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$732,705

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

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