Craven Smart Start INC

Tax-deductible

New Bern, NC501(c)(3)EducationEIN 56-2105879

Building brighter futures for young children.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
88¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 38 volunteers and 23 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
2 of 4
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $10K a year · under 1% of revenue · last 4 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 2 of the last 4 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 4 filings
Spent on programs
88%
of spending
Looks good: 88% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$80K
to officers and key staff · 5% of spending
Top officer’s pay lower than 81% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 5% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Worth a look: 0.8 months of spending in cash; under 1.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
3
named funders · $1.2M
Looks good: 3 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
−$2K
-2% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are -2% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
11
of 13 voting members
Looks good: 11 of 13 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.6M
+10% vs prior year
Spent
$1.5M
To programs
88%
Net assets
$100K
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$1.6M
FY2025▲ +10%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$1.2M
FY2023$1.3M
FY2024$1.5M
FY2025$1.6M
Expenses
$1.5M
FY2025▲ +4%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$1.2M
FY2023$1.3M
FY2024$1.5M
FY2025$1.5M
Net assets
$100K
FY2025▲ +169%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$81K
FY2023$57K
FY2024$37K
FY2025$100K

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 Feb 1999.

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

Where the money goes

88 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 88% · $1.4M Management & general 12% · $185K Fundraising 0% · $6K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Who runs it and what they're paid

13 people listed on the 990; $80K 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
Executive Director
$79,910Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Cassandra Bennett’s $80K as Executive Director is at the 19th 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 · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2021
Cassandra Bennett$79,910$75,616$37,808—
Patrica Morrow———$65,001
Christy Montanye———$48,313

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 Craven Smart Start INC 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 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo

Programs and updates

Empowers young children to build brighter futures.

Provided by the organization

This section is blank until Craven Smart Start INC claims this page.

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3 program services account for $897K of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2024.
01

Ccr&r Regional Lead Agency (7104)

Program is to coordinate and integrate CCR&R services delivery systems across the region. This is accomplished by providing effective technical assistance (Infant/Toddler Specialist, School Age Specialist and Behavioral Specialist) to child care providers and consumer-appropriate resource information to parents and the community…

$390Kprogram expense
02

Child Care Resource & Referral Psc

3104 Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) is aligned with the North Carolina CCR&R System to provide CCR&R services that meet NC CCR&R Council-specific outputs and outcomes. Services may include technical assistance, training for childcare providers, consumer education, and/or consumer referral.

$284Kprogram expense
03

Child Care Subsidy Psc

2342 Financial assistance will be paid on a per-child basis as a subsidy to families eligible for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF).

$224Kprogram expense

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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 3 funders$1.2M
See all 3 funders →
Grants paid · 20 grants · $1.6M · 2020–2024
Craven County Board of EducationFY2024$306,052
Excel 7FY2024$48,000
Excel 6FY2024$32,000
Coastal Community Action INCNC · FY2024$16,000
Childcare Network 74FY2024$16,000
Craven County Board of EducationFY2023$306,022
Excel 7 ElaFY2023$43,200
Excel 6 ElaFY2023$32,000
Coastal Community Action INCNC · FY2023$14,400
Childcare Network 77FY2023$14,400
Craven County Board of EducationFY2022$306,052
Excel 7 ElaFY2022$48,000
Excel 6 ElaFY2022$32,000
Childcare Network 77FY2022$16,000
Coastal Community Action INCNC · FY2022$15,800
Craven County Board of EducationFY2020$268,879
Excel 7FY2020$44,400
Coastal Community Action INCNC · FY2020$44,400
See all 20 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.6M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.6M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$8K
Money outPt IX
$1.5M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.4M
Managementcol C$185K
Fundraisingcol D$6K
Owns and owesPt X
$100K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$98K
Total assetsLn 16$98K
LiabilitiesLn 26−$2K
PeoplePt VI, VII
13
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a13
IndependentVI 1b11
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.6M
Government grantsLn 1e$1.5M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$0
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$0
Fees for servicesLn 2g$8K
Total revenueLn 12$1.6M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$98K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$98K
Total assetsLn 16$98K
LiabilitiesLn 26−$2K
Net assetsLn 32$100K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 523
VolunteersI 638
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$51K$98K
Total assetsLn 16$51K$98K
LiabilitiesLn 26$14K−$2K
Net assetsLn 32$37K$100K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$418K$418K
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$7K$7K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$80K$80K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$726K$700K$20K$6K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$8K$6K$2K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$9K$8K$1K
Payroll taxesLn 10$63K$54K$8K$348
Legal feesLn 11b$79$79
Accounting feesLn 11c$42K$3K$39K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$4K$2K$3K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$468$362$106
Office expensesLn 13$58K$51K$7K
Information technologyLn 14$19K$17K$2K
OccupancyLn 16$45K$42K$4K
TravelLn 17$27K$23K$3K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$18K$16K$2K
InsuranceLn 23$11K$2K$9K$6
All other expensesLn 24e$5K$820$4K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.5M$1.4M$185K$6K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $1.6M$1.5M$63K$100K 990 PDF
FY2024 $1.5M$1.5M−$20K$37K 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.3M$1.3M−$10K$57K 990 PDF
FY2022 Not on file
FY2021 $1.2M$1.2M$6K$81K 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 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,603,948 across 10 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $12,454 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$0
VIII-1b Membership dues$0
VIII-1c Fundraising events$0
VIII-1d Related organizations$0
VIII-1e Government grants$1,517,425
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$63,552
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$0
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,598,789
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsUnrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax −$7,295−$7,295
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $12,454 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax −$7,295$1,603,948
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,540,962 across 18 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $418,052$418,052
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $7,390$7,390
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffManagement $79,910$79,910
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $700,258 · Management $20,179 · Fundraising $5,645$726,082
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $6,031 · Management $2,270$8,301
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $7,650 · Management $1,333$8,983
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $54,285 · Management $7,892 · Fundraising $348$62,525
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $79$79
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $3,050 · Management $39,100$42,150
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $1,503 · Management $2,880$4,383
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $362 · Management $106$468
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $51,141 · Management $7,041$58,182
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $17,048 · Management $2,001$19,049
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $41,510 · Management $3,668$45,178
IX-17 TravelPrograms $23,200 · Management $3,372$26,572
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $15,500 · Management $2,026$17,526
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $2,219 · Management $8,838 · Fundraising $6$11,063
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $820 · Management $4,249$5,069
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,350,019 · Management $184,944 · Fundraising $5,999$1,540,962
Part X · Balance sheet $98,481 assets, 8 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $51,337$98,481
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $51,337$98,481
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $14,025−$1,817
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $14,025−$1,817
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $20,361$83,272
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $16,951$17,026
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $37,312$100,298
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $51,337$98,481
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $100,298 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,603,948
XI-2 Total expenses$1,540,962
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$62,986
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$37,312
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$100,298

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

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