Forwords INC FY2020 filing

IRS exemption revoked

San Rafael, CAUnknown exempt organizationEIN 46-3333037Revenue $239K in FY2020

On file with the IRSforwords.org361 Third St Suite 1 · San Rafael, CA

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The organization provides literacy programs for low-income, under-served students in the greater san francisco bay area, many of whom are english language learners. IT is their belief that every student should have the chance to accomplish their dreams, go to college and be fully and effectively employed. They believe that students, particularly those who live in under-resourced communities, deserve educational opportunities to match their drive, intelligence and hopes so they can become proud and accomplished members of our democracy.

70¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$22K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2020 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
Revoked
IRS exemption revoked
Concern: the IRS revoked its tax exemption.
IRS Auto-Revocation List
Latest return
FY2022
latest Form 990
Worth a look: the latest return is for FY2022, 4 tax years back; more than 3 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 3
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $62K a year · 19% of revenue · last 3 filings
Fine: a surplus in 2 of the last 3 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 3 filings
Spent on programs
70%
of spending
Fine: 70% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$22K
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
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
Named funders
1
named funder · $20K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$22K
14% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 14% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
3
of 3 voting members
Looks good: 3 of 3 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$239K
Spent
$284K
To programs
70%
Net assets
$141K
By yearFY2020–FY2022
Revenue
$239K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$239K
FY2021$400K
FY2022$316K
Expenses
$284K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$284K
FY2021$267K
FY2022$219K
Net assets
$141K
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$141K
FY2021$274K
FY2022$347K

From the FY2020 Form 990 · see the original

Form 990 (PDF) Claim
IRS revoked this organization's tax-exempt status on May 15, 2026
You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2022) →

Is it real?

No. The IRS revoked its tax exemption. Latest filing on record: FY2022.

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

Where the money goes

70 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 70% · $200K Management & general 28% · $79K Fundraising 2% · $5K

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

3 people listed on the 990; $22K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
President
$22,000Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2022FY2020
Gail Siegel$12,700$22,000

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.

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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

Programs and updates

Offers literacy programs to help low-income Bay Area students succeed in school and careers.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $200K · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

The organization provides instruction and resources to help students develop the ability to write, speak, and read effectively and publish their work in print, video and digital media. The organization works with students to foster self-awareness, confidence, personal voice and pride in community and culture.

$200Kprogram 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 · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$20K

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$239K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$238K
Investment incomeLn 3$947
Money outPt IX
$284K
Ln 25
Programscol B$200K
Managementcol C$79K
Fundraisingcol D$5K
Owns and owesPt X
$141K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$162K
Total assetsLn 16$163K
LiabilitiesLn 26$22K
PeoplePt VI, VII
3
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a3
IndependentVI 1b3
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$238K
Investment incomeLn 3$947
Total revenueLn 12$239K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$162K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$162K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$727
Total assetsLn 16$163K
LiabilitiesLn 26$22K
Net assetsLn 32$141K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 610
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
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 FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$173K$162K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2K$727
Total assetsLn 16$186K$163K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$22K
Net assetsLn 32$186K$141K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$145K$97K$49K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$10K$9K$921
Payroll taxesLn 10$11K$7K$4K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1K$1K
Office expensesLn 13$4K$1K$1K$1K
Information technologyLn 14$1K$1K
OccupancyLn 16$8K$8K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$2K$565$566$566
InsuranceLn 23$6K$6K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$96K$77K$16K$3K
All other expensesLn 24e$40$40
Total functional expensesLn 25$284K$200K$79K$5K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2022 Latest $316K$219K$97K$347K 990 PDF
FY2021 $400K$267K$133K$274K 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $239K$284K−$45K$141K 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 FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $239,257 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $250,286$238,310
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $58$947
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $250,344$239,257
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 $51,268$166,036
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $180,886$118,289
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $232,154$284,325
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $18,190−$45,068
Part VI · Governance 3 of 3 board members independent, 4 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body3
VI-1b Independent voting members3
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 $239,257 across 4 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$238,310
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$238,310
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $947$947
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $947 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$239,257
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $284,325 across 11 lines filed
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $96,525 · Management $48,504$145,029
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $9,213 · Management $921$10,134
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $7,235 · Management $3,638$10,873
IX-11g Other fees for servicesManagement $1,240$1,240
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $1,408 · Management $1,421 · Fundraising $1,212$4,041
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $1,197$1,197
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $7,850$7,850
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $565 · Management $566 · Fundraising $566$1,697
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $6,038$6,038
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $77,473 · Management $15,530 · Fundraising $3,183$96,186
IX-24e All other expensesManagement $40$40
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $200,269 · Management $79,095 · Fundraising $4,961$284,325
Part X · Balance sheet $162,914 assets, 7 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $172,883$162,187
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $2,424$727
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $185,797$162,914
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $0$22,185
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$22,185
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $185,797$140,729
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $185,797$162,914
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $140,729 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$239,257
XI-2 Total expenses$284,325
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$45,068
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$185,797
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$140,729

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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