The Learning Circle provides daycare and preschool services to enrollees ages six weeks through eleven years and provide creative opportunities for all children who attend.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
91¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX

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 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $14K a year · 2% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
91%
of spending
Looks good: 91% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
7 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 6.8 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Liabilities
$4K
1% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 1% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
0
of 7 voting members
Concern: none of 7 voting members are independent.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$697K
+7% vs prior year
Spent
$675K
To programs
91%
Net assets
$379K
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$697K
FY2023▲ +7%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$668K
FY2022$651K
FY2023$697K
FY2024$689K
FY2025$709K
Expenses
$675K
FY2023▲ +3%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$623K
FY2022$653K
FY2023$675K
FY2024$680K
FY2025$712K
Net assets
$379K
FY2023▲ +6%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$360K
FY2022$357K
FY2023$379K
FY2024$394K
FY2025$392K

From the FY2023 Form 990 (year ending June 2023) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Sep 1992.

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

Where the money goes

91 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 91% · $613K Management & general 9% · $62K

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

6 people listed on the 990.

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

Sara Strusz’s $52K as Director is at the 44th 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

NameFY2022FY2021
Sara Strusz$52,010$51,549

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 Learning Circle 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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Offers daycare and preschool for children six weeks to eleven years, fostering creative learning.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $613K · in their own filed words · FY2022
01

To provide daycare and preschool services to children residing in the red wing MN area. During this fiscal year the learning circle has provided services to an average of 80 children daily.

$613Kprogram expense

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$697K
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$621K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$76K
Investment incomeLn 3$336
Money outPt IX
$675K
Ln 25
Programscol B$613K
Managementcol C$62K
Owns and owesPt X
$379K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$380K
Total assetsLn 16$384K
LiabilitiesLn 26$4K
PeoplePt VI, VII
6
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b0
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$76K
Government grantsLn 1e$76K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$621K
Investment incomeLn 3$336
Total revenueLn 12$697K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$109K
SavingsLn 2$271K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$380K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$4K
Total assetsLn 16$384K
LiabilitiesLn 26$4K
Net assetsLn 32$379K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 523
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aNo
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$355K$380K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$6K$4K
Total assetsLn 16$361K$384K
LiabilitiesLn 26$3K$4K
Net assetsLn 32$357K$379K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$53K$53K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$487K$487K
Payroll taxesLn 10$33K$30K$4K
Management feesLn 11a$3K$3K
Accounting feesLn 11c$990$990
Office expensesLn 13$3K$2K$425
Information technologyLn 14$2K$2K$385
OccupancyLn 16$50K$48K$2K
TravelLn 17$496$496
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$2K$2K
InsuranceLn 23$5K$4K$726
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$33K$33K
All other expensesLn 24e$2K$692$840
Total functional expensesLn 25$675K$613K$62K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $709K$712K−$2K$392K 990 PDF
FY2024 $689K$680K$9K$394K 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $697K$675K$22K$379K 990 PDF
FY2022 $651K$653K−$3K$357K 990 PDF
FY2021 $668K$623K$45K$360K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $696,815 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $75,267$75,612
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $573,160$620,867
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $15$336
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $2,198$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $650,640$696,815
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $512,674$573,613
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $140,473$101,108
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $653,147$674,721
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$2,507$22,094
Part VI · Governance 0 of 7 board members independent, 4 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members0
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyNo
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
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $696,815 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$75,612
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$75,612
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $620,867$620,867
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $336$336
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $620,867 · Excluded from tax $336$696,815
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $674,721 across 13 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffManagement $52,850$52,850
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $487,438$487,438
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $29,693 · Management $3,632$33,325
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $3,363$3,363
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $990$990
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $2,257 · Management $425$2,682
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $1,539 · Management $385$1,924
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $47,676 · Management $2,161$49,837
IX-17 TravelPrograms $496$496
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $2,031$2,031
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $4,114 · Management $726$4,840
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $33,413$33,413
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $692 · Management $840$1,532
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $612,712 · Management $62,009 · Fundraising $0$674,721
Part X · Balance sheet $383,765 assets, 8 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $84,305$109,046
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $270,768$271,014
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $5,736$3,705
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $360,809$383,765
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $3,477$4,339
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $3,477$4,339
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $357,332$379,426
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $360,809$383,765
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $379,426 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$696,815
XI-2 Total expenses$674,721
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$22,094
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$357,332
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$379,426

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

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