Cary Academy

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Cary Academy is a coeducational day school that provides an independent school education for students in grades six through twelve.

Form 990 Part I, line 1, FY2025. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 56-1934619) · Dispute this line
501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
83¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 715 volunteers and 280 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
Listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
The IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
The latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
5 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $960K a year · 3% of revenue · last 6 filings
A surplus in 5 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
83%
of spending
83% of spending went to programs.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.7M
to officers and key staff · 5% of spending
Pay to officers and key staff is 5% of spending.
Part VII, Section A
0.5 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $56.8M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
0.5 months of spending in cash.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $1K
1 funder names it on their filings.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$3.2M
3% of total assets
Liabilities are 3% of assets.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
22
of 22 voting members
22 of 22 voting members are independent.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Revenue
$33.6M
+10% vs prior year
Spent
$32.3M
To programs
83%
Net assets
$94.6M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$33.6M
FY2025▲ +10%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$23.3M
FY2021$26.2M
FY2022$28.8M
FY2023$29.0M
FY2024$30.5M
FY2025$33.6M
Expenses
$32.3M
FY2025▲ +10%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$24.3M
FY2021$24.6M
FY2022$26.7M
FY2023$28.4M
FY2024$29.3M
FY2025$32.3M
Net assets
$94.6M
FY2025▲ +3%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$79.9M
FY2021$87.8M
FY2022$83.0M
FY2023$87.0M
FY2024$92.3M
FY2025$94.6M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Mar 1996.

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

Where the money goes

83 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 83% · $26.9M Management & general 16% · $5.1M Fundraising 1% · $198K

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

29 people listed on the 990; $1.7M paid to officers and key staff (Part VII, Section A).

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Head of School
$508,756Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Financial Officer
$311,210Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Development
$185,687Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Enrollment Man
$166,346Pt VII · Sec A
Controller
$165,979Pt VII · Sec A
Middle School Head
$164,885Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Information Sv
$160,472Pt VII · Sec A
Member, Board of Directors
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Michael Ehrhardt’s $509K as Head of School is at the 89th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3683 $10–100M 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 · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Michael Ehrhardt$508,756$485,351$458,798$431,708$458,406$382,034
Deborah Reichel$311,210$296,516$279,638$265,647$235,115$216,932
Alison Page$185,687$175,954$168,075$163,294$156,732$152,170
Heather Clarkson$166,346$148,279$139,243$136,087$130,537$128,979
Marie Spell$165,979$147,185————
Josette Huntress$164,885$149,155$133,424———
Dmitry Manakhov$160,472$150,053$142,473$137,775$131,264$127,780
Robin Follet—$152,579$148,120$136,057$126,497$112,798

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 Cary Academy executive salaries →

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 15aYes

Programs and updates

Educates middle and high school students in grades six through twelve.

Questions for Cary Academy

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1 program · $26.9M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

During the 2024-2025 school year, cary academy had 795 students enrolled in grades six through twelve. The school also continued its recruitment and admission of students.

Form 990 Part III, line 4, FY2024. The organization’s own words, as filed with the IRS. Find it at the IRS (EIN 56-1934619) · Dispute this line
$26.9Mprogram 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 1 funder$1K
Grants paid · 12 grants · $12.9M · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$2,287,403
Unitemized GrantFY2024$301,471
Unitemized GrantFY2023$2,121,485
Unitemized GrantFY2023$240,772
Unitemized GrantFY2022$2,061,790
Unitemized GrantFY2022$127,886
Unitemized GrantFY2021$2,006,618
Unitemized GrantFY2021$82,122
Unitemized GrantFY2020$1,805,495
Unitemized GrantFY2020$74,089
Unitemized GrantFY2019$1,717,819
Unitemized GrantFY2019$58,795

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$33.6M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$27.3M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$3.3M
Investment incomeLn 3$1.5M
Money outPt IX
$32.3M
Ln 25
Programscol B$26.9M
Managementcol C$5.1M
Fundraisingcol D$198K
Owns and owesPt X
$94.6M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.5M
Total assetsLn 16$97.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$3.2M
PeoplePt VI, VII
29
listed · VII A
PaidVII A7
Voting boardVI 1a22
IndependentVI 1b22
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$3.3M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$70K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$135K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$27.3M
Investment incomeLn 3$1.5M
Other incomeLn 4–11$1.5M
Gains on assetsLn 7$1.5M
Total revenueLn 12$33.6M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$3K
SavingsLn 2$1.5M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.5M
Accounts receivableLn 4$196K
Inventories for sale or useLn 8$83K
Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesLn 9$870K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$38.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$56.8M
Other assetsLn 15$52K
Total assetsLn 16$97.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$3.2M
Net assetsLn 32$94.6M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5280
VolunteersI 6715
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3More from this return
Abroad and in kindSch F, M
Noncash gifts receivedSch M Pt I$70K
Investment feesPt IX, Sch D
Investment fees, as reportedPt IX 11f$210K
Share of the $44.5M endowmentSch D 1g0.47%
Typical, median of 2,202 orgs0.44%
EndowmentSch D · Pt V
LineFY25FY24FY23FY22FY21
End of yearLn 1g$44.5M$42.0M$39.2M$37.2M$42.4M
AddedLn 1b$1.4M$38K$33K$23K$1.2M
SpentLn 1d–1f$2.1M$2.0M$2.0M$1.9M$1.8M
4Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.3M$1.5M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$57.4M$56.8M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$37.1M$38.4M
Total assetsLn 16$97.2M$97.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$4.9M$3.2M
Net assetsLn 32$92.3M$94.6M
5Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$2.6M$2.6M
Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Ln 5$1.1M$1.1M
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$14.2M$12.1M$2.0M$96K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$811K$727K$79K$6K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$2.5M$2.2M$343K$1K
Payroll taxesLn 10$1.1M$877K$213K$7K
Legal feesLn 11b$16K$12K$4K
Accounting feesLn 11c$33K$33K
Investment management feesLn 11f$210K$210K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$5K$5K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$22K$22K
Office expensesLn 13$1.3M$1.2M$81K$11K
Information technologyLn 14$511K$450K$61K$405
OccupancyLn 16$1.4M$1.3M$147K$1K
TravelLn 17$171K$158K$13K$14
InterestLn 20$7K$7K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$3.8M$3.3M$448K$3K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$1.9M$1.6M$210K$58K
All other expensesLn 24e$614K$413K$187K$15K
Total functional expensesLn 25$32.3M$26.9M$5.1M$198K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS May 15, 2026 $33.6M$32.3M$1.4M$94.6M 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS May 12, 2025 $30.5M$29.3M$1.2M$92.3M 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS May 14, 2024 $29.0M$28.4M$512K$87.0M 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS May 11, 2023 $28.8M$26.7M$2.0M$83.0M 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS May 16, 2022 $26.2M$24.6M$1.7M$87.8M 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS May 5, 2021 $23.3M$24.3M−$1.0M$79.9M 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

A · Public support B · Donors D · Assets and endowments E · Schools G · Fundraising I · Grants J · Pay M · Noncash O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990
Part I · Summary $33,639,824 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $2,820,436$3,294,181
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $25,731,504$27,345,735
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $1,904,219$3,010,818
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $80,779−$10,910
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $30,536,938$33,639,824
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $2,362,257$2,588,874
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $18,190,874$19,723,014
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $8,753,888$9,969,875
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $29,307,019$32,281,763
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $1,229,919$1,358,061
Part VI · Governance 22 of 22 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body22
VI-1b Independent voting members22
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
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 $33,639,824 across 10 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $1,175 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$135,000
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$3,159,181
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$70,229
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$3,294,181
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $27,345,735$27,345,735
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $1,508,573$1,508,573
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $1,502,245$1,502,245
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$54,731−$54,731
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $42,646$42,646
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $27,388,381 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $2,957,262$33,639,824
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $32,281,763 across 19 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $2,588,874$2,588,874
IX-5 Pay of officers and key staff (Part IX, line 5)Management $1,111,333$1,111,333
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $12,131,077 · Management $1,970,901 · Fundraising $95,853$14,197,831
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $726,595 · Management $78,764 · Fundraising $5,850$811,209
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $2,161,795 · Management $343,172 · Fundraising $1,222$2,506,189
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $876,693 · Management $212,832 · Fundraising $6,927$1,096,452
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $11,502 · Management $4,498$16,000
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $32,844$32,844
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $209,887$209,887
IX-11g Other fees for servicesManagement $4,704$4,704
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $21,567$21,567
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $1,227,166 · Management $80,643 · Fundraising $10,703$1,318,512
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $450,025 · Management $60,705 · Fundraising $405$511,135
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $1,252,447 · Management $147,050 · Fundraising $1,282$1,400,779
IX-17 TravelPrograms $157,855 · Management $13,112 · Fundraising $14$170,981
IX-20 InterestManagement $7,469$7,469
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $3,332,443 · Management $448,275 · Fundraising $3,218$3,783,936
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,610,024 · Management $209,897 · Fundraising $57,809$1,877,730
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $413,057 · Management $186,623 · Fundraising $14,651$614,331
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $26,939,553 · Management $5,144,276 · Fundraising $197,934$32,281,763
Part X · Balance sheet $97,813,712 assets, 18 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $2,625$2,925
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $1,248,533$1,455,854
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $33,400$0
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $435,384$195,927
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $81,639$82,598
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $690,098$870,162
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $37,122,661$38,384,017
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $57,363,131$56,770,061
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $260,321$52,168
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $97,237,792$97,813,712
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $2,085,005$297,267
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $1,658,203$1,748,327
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $1,183,385$1,122,779
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $4,926,593$3,168,373
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $48,257,186$48,616,364
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $44,054,013$46,028,975
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $92,311,199$94,645,339
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $97,237,792$97,813,712
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $94,645,339 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$33,639,824
XI-2 Total expenses$32,281,763
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$1,358,061
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$92,311,199
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$976,079
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$94,645,339

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

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