Seeding Success

Tax-deductible

Memphis, TN501(c)(3)Since 2011Youth DevelopmentEIN 45-2464843Revenue $29.9M in FY2025

On file with the IRSseeding-success.org411 Monroe Ave Ste 200, 38103-3251 · Memphis, TNTax-exempt since Jan 2014Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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Seeding Success is an organization that supports and promotes a "cradle to career" education agenda in shelby county. IT serves as a facilitator advocate, and platform for collaboration around four goals: 1. Children enter kindegarten ready to learn. 2. Youth graduates high school "college ready". 3. Adults earn certifications and degrees that prepare them for local careers. 4. Talent is attracted to and retained in shelby county.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
87¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 14 volunteers and 40 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
4 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $2.2M a year · 10% of revenue · last 5 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
87%
of spending
Looks good: 87% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.1M
to officers and key staff · 5% of spending
Top officer’s pay lower than 56% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 5% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
8 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 8.2 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $2.5M
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$5.5M
29% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 29% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
11
of 11 voting members
Looks good: 11 of 11 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$29.9M
+29% vs prior year
Spent
$23.6M
To programs
87%
Net assets
$13.2M
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$29.9M
FY2025▲ +29%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$16.5M
FY2022$18.0M
FY2023$23.6M
FY2024$23.1M
FY2025$29.9M
Expenses
$23.6M
FY2025▲ +8%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$15.2M
FY2022$18.8M
FY2023$20.7M
FY2024$21.8M
FY2025$23.6M
Net assets
$13.2M
FY2025▲ +90%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$3.5M
FY2022$2.7M
FY2023$5.6M
FY2024$7.0M
FY2025$13.2M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · 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: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jan 2014.

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

Where the money goes

87 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 87% · $20.5M Management & general 13% · $3.0M Fundraising 0% · $102K

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

21 people listed on the 990; $1.1M 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
Chief Executive Officer
$237,011Pt VII · Sec A
$166,315Pt VII · Sec A
Data Architect
$120,538Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President of Communic
$119,244Pt VII · Sec A
VP of Public Policy
$118,716Pt VII · Sec A
VP of Strategy & Impact
$114,735Pt VII · Sec A
VP Data & Performance Management
$110,789Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Administrative Officer
$109,888Pt VII · Sec A

Mark Sturgis’s $237K as Chief Executive Officer is at the 44th percentile of top reported officer pay among 189 $10–100M youth development 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 · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Mark Sturgis$237,011$263,593$185,840$194,250$170,581
Kandace Thomas————$184,857
Jamilica Burke$166,315$159,749$135,755$143,407$125,967
Haley Simmons—$136,906$132,722$143,407$129,245
Catherine Joyce————$134,018
Reginald Davis———$124,373—
Charles Grayson$120,538$117,743$115,321$118,965$110,898
Lisa Williams$119,244$112,646$101,433$104,797—

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

Promotes education from kindergarten through career, preparing youth and adults for local jobs.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $20.5M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

To improve education outcomes and expand the talent base in memphis and shelby county.

$20.5Mprogram 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 2 funders$2.5M
Grants paid · 5 grants · $4.2M · 2021–2022
Individual RecipientFY2022$750,000
Tennesseans for Quality Early EducationFY2022$700,000
Individual RecipientFY2021$1,000,000
Individual RecipientFY2021$1,000,000
Tennesseans for Quality Early EducationFY2021$800,000

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$29.9M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$29.2M
Investment incomeLn 3$478K
Other incomeLn 4–11$190K
Money outPt IX
$23.6M
Ln 25
Programscol B$20.5M
Managementcol C$3.0M
Fundraisingcol D$102K
Owns and owesPt X
$13.2M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$16.2M
Total assetsLn 16$18.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$5.5M
PeoplePt VI, VII
21
listed · VII A
PaidVII A8
Voting boardVI 1a11
IndependentVI 1b11
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$29.2M
Investment incomeLn 3$478K
Other incomeLn 4–11$190K
Total revenueLn 12$29.9M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$16.2M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$16.2M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$10K
Other assetsLn 15$35K
Total assetsLn 16$18.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$5.5M
Net assetsLn 32$13.2M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 540
VolunteersI 614
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$12.8M$16.2M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$39K$10K
Total assetsLn 16$14.3M$18.7M
LiabilitiesLn 26$7.3M$5.5M
Net assetsLn 32$7.0M$13.2M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$3.0M$3.0M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$452K$235K$204K$14K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$3.6M$1.9M$1.6M$89K
Legal feesLn 11b$28K$14K$15K
Accounting feesLn 11c$446K$446K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1.2M$1.1M$168K
Office expensesLn 13$365K$94K$272K
OccupancyLn 16$323K$173K$150K
TravelLn 17$307K$204K$102K
InterestLn 20$189K$189K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$29K$27K$2K
InsuranceLn 23$49K$1K$48K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$13.6M$13.6M
Total functional expensesLn 25$23.6M$20.5M$3.0M$102K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $29.9M$23.6M$6.3M$13.2M 990 PDF
FY2024 $23.1M$21.8M$1.4M$7.0M 990 PDF
FY2023 $23.6M$20.7M$2.9M$5.6M 990 PDF
FY2022 $18.0M$18.8M−$773K$2.7M 990 PDF
FY2021 $16.5M$15.2M$1.2M$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 FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $29,876,086 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $22,439,802$29,207,895
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $521,150$478,103
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $181,077$190,088
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $23,142,029$29,876,086
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $2,579,038$2,955,362
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $3,383,496$4,064,755
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $15,814,151$16,587,971
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $21,776,685$23,608,088
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $1,365,344$6,267,998
Part VI · Governance 11 of 11 board members independent, 2 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body11
VI-1b Independent voting members11
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 $29,876,086 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$29,207,895
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$29,207,895
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $478,103$478,103
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $190,088$190,088
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $190,088 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $478,103$29,876,086
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $23,608,088 across 13 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $2,955,362$2,955,362
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $235,188 · Management $203,528 · Fundraising $13,568$452,284
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,880,361 · Management $1,643,410 · Fundraising $88,700$3,612,471
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $13,587 · Management $14,656$28,243
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $446,240$446,240
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $1,075,617 · Management $168,149$1,243,766
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $93,805 · Management $271,520$365,325
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $172,692 · Management $150,056$322,748
IX-17 TravelPrograms $204,140 · Management $102,484$306,624
IX-20 InterestPrograms $189,389$189,389
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $27,054 · Management $2,020$29,074
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $1,007 · Management $47,880$48,887
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $13,607,675$13,607,675
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $20,455,877 · Management $3,049,943 · Fundraising $102,268$23,608,088
Part X · Balance sheet $18,718,892 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $12,787,401$16,179,831
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $1,303,676$2,404,911
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $80,053$89,130
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $38,767$9,693
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $47,968$35,327
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $14,257,865$18,718,892
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $2,995,340$3,679,855
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $90,000$38,462
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $4,177,907$1,750,632
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $12,673$0
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $7,275,920$5,468,949
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $6,282,098$12,760,936
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $699,847$489,007
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $6,981,945$13,249,943
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $14,257,865$18,718,892
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $13,249,943 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$29,876,086
XI-2 Total expenses$23,608,088
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$6,267,998
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$6,981,945
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$13,249,943

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

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