Helping students thrive through academic instruction, support and mentoring that is accessible to everyone regardless of life circumstances.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
81¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$78K 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
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 $42K a year · 6% 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
81%
of spending
Looks good: 81% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$78K
to officers and key staff · 11% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 11% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
6 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 5.9 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $29K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$72K
16% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 16% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
2
of 4 voting members
Fine: 2 of 4 voting members are independent, half.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$677K
-33% vs prior year
Spent
$730K
To programs
81%
Net assets
$386K
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$677K
FY2024▼ -33%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$355K
FY2022$665K
FY2023$1.0M
FY2024$677K
FY2025$798K
Expenses
$730K
FY2024▼ -6%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$340K
FY2022$581K
FY2023$776K
FY2024$730K
FY2025$872K
Net assets
$386K
FY2024▼ -12%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$116K
FY2022$200K
FY2023$439K
FY2024$386K
FY2025$312K

From the FY2024 Form 990 (year ending June 2024) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2024 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 Jan 2013.

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

Where the money goes

81 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 81% · $590K Management & general 19% · $140K

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

7 people listed on the 990; $78K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2023); the FY2024 filing did not itemize Part VII
Education Director
$53,956Pt VII · Sec A
Board Treasurer
$12,000Pt VII · Sec A
Finance Director
$12,000Pt VII · Sec A
Board President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Bod Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Bod Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Jessann Blas’s $105K as Executive Director is at the 88th percentile of top reported officer pay among 2168 $100K–1M human services 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 · 5 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Jessann Blas$105,000————
Marilyn Sullivan————$58,825
Michelle Luellen—$53,956$53,205$50,000$31,720
Honore M Fila$12,000$12,000$12,769$12,000$12,000
Jeff Fila$12,000$12,000$12,769$9,000$2,000

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 The Ed Ladder 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 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo
  • Loans to or from officersSch L · Pt II1 listed

Programs and updates

Provides academic instruction and mentoring to help struggling students succeed.

Questions for The Ed Ladder

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $590K · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

The Ed Ladder partnered with various school districts, private and charter schools, and other non-profit organizations to work with students who need supplemental academic support due to their life circumstances.

$590Kprogram 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 2 funders$29K

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$677K
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$676K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1K
Money outPt IX
$730K
Ln 25
Programscol B$590K
Managementcol C$140K
Owns and owesPt X
$386K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$357K
Total assetsLn 16$458K
LiabilitiesLn 26$72K
PeoplePt VI, VII
7
listed · VII A
PaidVII A3
Voting boardVI 1a4
IndependentVI 1b2
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1K
Government grantsLn 1e$0
Noncash giftsLn 1g$0
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$0
Fees for servicesLn 2g$676K
Total revenueLn 12$677K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$357K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$357K
Total assetsLn 16$458K
LiabilitiesLn 26$72K
Net assetsLn 32$386K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 580
VolunteersI 60
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$355K$357K
Total assetsLn 16$526K$458K
LiabilitiesLn 26$87K$72K
Net assetsLn 32$439K$386K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$104K$80K$24K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$459K$419K$40K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$13K$13K
Payroll taxesLn 10$51K$48K$2K
Accounting feesLn 11c$7K$7K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$22K$22K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$1K$1K
Office expensesLn 13$20K$12K$8K
Information technologyLn 14$10K$10K$602
OccupancyLn 16$8K$8K
TravelLn 17$2K$2K
InsuranceLn 23$11K$8K$3K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$21K$0$21K$0
All other expensesLn 24e$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$730K$590K$140K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $798K$872K−$74K$312K 990 PDF
FY2024 Viewing $677K$730K−$53K$386K 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.0M$776K$239K$439K 990 PDF
FY2022 $665K$581K$84K$200K 990 PDF
FY2021 $355K$340K$15K$116K 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 FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $676,956 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $34$1,079
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $1,014,556$675,877
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,014,590$676,956
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 $698,118$626,635
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $77,776$103,348
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $775,894$729,983
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $238,696−$53,027
Part VI · Governance 2 of 4 board members independent, 4 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body4
VI-1b Independent voting members2
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $676,956 across 10 lines filed
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$0
VIII-1b Membership dues$0
VIII-1c Fundraising events$0
VIII-1d Related organizations$0
VIII-1e Government grants$0
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,079
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$0
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,079
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $675,877 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$675,877
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $675,877 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$676,956
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $729,983 across 14 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $79,591 · Management $24,000$103,591
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $419,473 · Management $39,692$459,165
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $13,222$13,222
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $48,401 · Management $2,256$50,657
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $7,164$7,164
IX-11g Other fees for servicesManagement $22,243$22,243
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $1,453$1,453
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $12,322 · Management $8,042$20,364
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $9,580 · Management $602$10,182
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $7,709$7,709
IX-17 TravelManagement $2,462$2,462
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $7,751 · Management $2,948$10,699
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $0 · Management $21,072 · Fundraising $0$21,072
IX-24e All other expenses$0
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $590,340 · Management $139,643 · Fundraising $0$729,983
Part X · Balance sheet $457,501 assets, 10 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $355,406$357,003
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $170,755$100,498
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $526,161$457,501
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $35,123$38,813
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $48,596$29,273
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $87,421$71,788
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $438,740$385,713
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $0$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $438,740$385,713
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $526,161$457,501
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $385,713 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$676,956
XI-2 Total expenses$729,983
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$53,027
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$438,740
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$0
XI-6 Donated services and use of facilities$0
XI-7 Investment expenses$0
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$0
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$385,713

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

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