Hess Academy INC FY2021 filing

Tax-deductible

Decatur, GA501(c)(3)Since 2012EducationEIN 45-5464970Revenue $1.2M in FY2021

On file with the IRS611 Medlock Rd, 30033-5510 · Decatur, GATax-exempt since Jun 2020School — 170(b)(1)(A)(ii)

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The academic and personal growth and development of children.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
82¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$63K 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

FY2021 · 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 $128K a year · 10% of revenue · last 6 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
82%
of spending
Looks good: 82% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$63K
to officers and key staff · 8% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 8% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
8 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 7.5 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $5K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$135K
26% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 26% 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
$1.2M
+55% vs prior year
Spent
$800K
To programs
82%
Net assets
$390K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$1.2M
FY2021▲ +55%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$742K
FY2021$1.2M
FY2022$1.4M
FY2023$1.3M
FY2024$1.3M
FY2025$1.6M
Expenses
$800K
FY2021▼ -6%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$850K
FY2021$800K
FY2022$1.3M
FY2023$1.7M
FY2024$1.7M
FY2025$1.9M
Net assets
$390K
FY2021▲ ×18
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020−$25K
FY2021$390K
FY2022$696K
FY2023$520K
FY2024$411K
FY2025$786K

From the FY2021 Form 990 (year ending June 2021) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

990 PDF Claim
You’re viewing the FY2021 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Exemption reinstated (2018-11-15). Per the IRS revocation list. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jun 2020.

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

Where the money goes

82 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 82% · $653K Management & general 14% · $115K Fundraising 4% · $32K

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; $63K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2020); the FY2021 filing did not itemize Part VII
$63,439Pt VII · Sec A
Chairperson
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Trustee
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice-Chairpe
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Kristen Hess’s $70K as Founder is at the 13th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3395 $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 · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Kristen Hess$69,582$77,233$105,083$81,152$63,439$66,995

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

Nurtures children's academic and personal growth.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $653K · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Elementary and middle school education provided to students from preschool to grade 8 for 181 instructional days. Hess academy takes a holistic approach to student education tailoring teaching to the individual and incorporating best practices in education and child development.

$653Kprogram 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 · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$5K
Grants paid · 2 grants · $477K · 2019–2023
Unitemized GrantFY2023$303,350
Unitemized GrantFY2019$173,255

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.2M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.2M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$242
Other incomeLn 4–11$225
Money outPt IX
$800K
Ln 25
Programscol B$653K
Managementcol C$115K
Fundraisingcol D$32K
Owns and owesPt X
$390K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$500K
Total assetsLn 16$525K
LiabilitiesLn 26$135K
PeoplePt VI, VII
7
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$242
Fees for servicesLn 2g$1.2M
Other incomeLn 4–11$225
Total revenueLn 12$1.2M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$500K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$500K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$25K
Total assetsLn 16$525K
LiabilitiesLn 26$135K
Net assetsLn 32$390K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 519
VolunteersI 65
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 FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$161K$500K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$25K
Total assetsLn 16$161K$525K
LiabilitiesLn 26$186K$135K
Net assetsLn 32−$25K$390K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$63K$51K$10K$3K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$500K$400K$75K$25K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$34K$27K$5K$2K
Payroll taxesLn 10$45K$36K$7K$2K
Accounting feesLn 11c$6K$3K$3K
Office expensesLn 13$12K$12K
OccupancyLn 16$50K$50K
TravelLn 17$187$187
InsuranceLn 23$14K$14K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$57K$46K$10K
All other expensesLn 24e$18K$13K$5K
Total functional expensesLn 25$800K$653K$115K$32K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $1.6M$1.9M−$315K$786K 990 PDF
FY2024 $1.3M$1.7M−$430K$411K 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.3M$1.7M−$405K$520K 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.4M$1.3M$136K$696K 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $1.2M$800K$352K$390K 990 PDF
FY2020 $742K$850K−$108K−$25K 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 FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,151,584 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,312$242
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $740,691$1,151,117
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenue$225
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $742,003$1,151,584
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $698,168$642,461
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $151,602$157,513
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $849,770$799,974
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$107,767$351,610
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 $1,151,584 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$242
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$242
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $1,151,117$1,151,117
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $225$225
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $1,151,342$1,151,584
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $799,974 across 11 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $50,751 · Management $9,516 · Fundraising $3,172$63,439
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $399,928 · Management $74,986 · Fundraising $24,995$499,909
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $26,980 · Management $5,059 · Fundraising $1,686$33,725
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $36,311 · Management $6,808 · Fundraising $2,269$45,388
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $3,160 · Management $3,160$6,320
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $11,769$11,769
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $50,000$50,000
IX-17 TravelPrograms $187$187
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $14,411$14,411
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $46,065 · Management $10,484$56,549
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $12,959 · Management $5,318$18,277
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $652,521 · Management $115,331 · Fundraising $32,122$799,974
Part X · Balance sheet $525,245 assets, 10 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $160,859$500,100
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $132$132
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, net$25,013
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $160,991$525,245
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $15,955$19,059
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $115,900$115,900
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $185,755$134,959
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year −$24,764$390,286
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year −$24,764$390,286
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $160,991$525,245
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $390,286 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,151,584
XI-2 Total expenses$799,974
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$351,610
XI-4 Net assets at start of year−$24,764
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$63,439
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$1
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$390,286

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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