Craven Smart Start INC

New Bern, NC · Public charity (501(c)(3)) · Education

✓ Tax-deductible
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

Status and standing

Is it real, and can you give to it?

Tax-deductible?
Yes
Per the IRS master file.
Can I give now?
No revocation on IRS record
Not on the IRS revocation list.
Filing up to date?
Filed FY2025 (typical filing lag)
Legal name (IRS)Hdr · item CCraven Smart Start INC
EINHdr · item D56-2105879
Exempt statusHdr · item I501(c)(3) · active
Ruling yearIRS BMFFeb 1999
Latest filingForm 990FY2025 · Form 990
Principal addressHdr · item CNew Bern, NC
NTEE classificationIRS BMFEducation (B012)
WebsiteHdr · item Jwww.cravensmartstart.org

Where the money goes

What each dollar paid for.

Statement of Functional Expenses

Part IX · allocated across program, management, and fundraising
Allocation · columns B–D
Program services $0.88 Management & general $0.12 Fundraising $0.00
Program services88%$1.4M
Management & general12%$185K
Fundraising$6K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.5M

Financial health

Is it on solid ground?

Program efficiency
88%
of spending reaches programs▲ +0.6% vs prior filing year
Operating runway
0.8mo
months of highly liquid reserves at operating expense rate▲ +100% vs prior filing year
Surplus margin
+4%
revenue over expenses, this year▲ +388% vs prior filing year

Summary of the Filing

Part I · fiscal year 2025 · Form 990
Total assets
$98K
FY2025▲ +92%
Total assets by fiscal year
FY2021$86K
FY2023$67K
FY2024$51K
FY2025$98K
Total liabilities
−$2K
FY2025▼ -113%
Total liabilities by fiscal year
FY2021$5K
FY2023$10K
FY2024$14K
FY2025−$2K
Revenue less expensesPt I · Ln 19$63K
Total assetsPt X · Ln 16$98K
Program-expense ratioPt IX · col B88%
Voting members of governing bodyPt I · Ln 313
Independent voting membersPt I · Ln 411

Balance Sheet

Part X · end of year
CashLn 1$98K
Total assetsLn 16$98K
Total liabilitiesLn 26−$2K
Total net assetsLn 32$100K
Months of cash on handcomputed0.8

Statement of Revenue

Part VIII
Contributions & grants$1.6M · 100%
Program service revenue$8K · 1%
Contributions & grants100%$1.6M
Program service revenue1%$8K
— government grantsLn 1e$1.5M
Total revenueLn 12$1.6M

Financial Metrics

Form 990 · FY2025 · each ratio shown with the dollars behind it
Liquidity & Payout
Operating runway
Highly liquid reserves $98K · Operating expenses/yr $1.5M
0.8 months
Where the money goes
Program services
Program services $1.4M · Total expenses $1.5M
88%
Management & General
Management & general $185K · Total expenses $1.5M
12%
Fundraising
Fundraising $6K · Total expenses $1.5M
0.4%
Cost to raise $1
Fundraising expense (3-yr avg) $10K · Solicited contributions (3-yr avg) $59K
$0.17 to raise $1 (3-yr avg)
Where the money comes from
Contribution dependence
Contributions & grants $1.6M · Total revenue $1.6M
100%
Government reliance
Government grants $1.5M · Total revenue $1.6M
95%
Earned-income share
Program service revenue $8K · Total revenue $1.6M
0.5%
Investment reliance
Investment income $0 · Total revenue $1.6M
0%
Program self-sufficiency
Program service revenue $8K · Total expenses $1.5M
0.5%
Growth & trend
Revenue growth (YoY)
This year $1.6M · Prior year $1.5M
+10%
Revenue CAGR
FY2020 $1.2M · FY2024 $1.6M
+7%
Net-asset trend (YoY)
End of year $100K · Beginning of year —
Beginning net assets not meaningfully positive — showing dollar change
Balance sheet
Surplus Margin
Revenue $1.6M · Expenses $1.5M
+4%
Liabilities-to-Assets
Total liabilities — · Total assets $98K
—
Net-asset ratio
Net assets $100K · Total assets $98K
102%
Marketable Investment Share
Publicly traded securities (Pt X, ln 11) — · Other securities (Pt X, ln 12) — · Total assets (Pt X, ln 16) $98K
Excludes program-related investments (Pt X, ln 13)
People & payroll
Highest Reported Total Compensation
Individual Cassandra Bennett · Reported title Executive Director · Highest reported compensation $80K · Total expenses $1.5M
5%
Personnel share
Salaries, benefits & payroll (Pt IX 5-10) $886K · Total expenses $1.5M
57%
Peer comparison

Same NTEE category, revenue band, and state where available. Descriptive — not a grade.

MetricThis orgPeer medianPercentile
Program ratio 88%——
Overhead ratio 12%——
Fundraising cost ratio 0.4%——
Revenue growth 10%——
Legal fee ratio <0.01%——
Accounting fee ratio 3%——

Straight from the Form 990 — descriptive, not an evaluation. A ratio is hidden when its base is zero or too small to be meaningful; the dollars are always shown.

Leadership and pay

Who runs it, and what are they paid?

Officers, Directors & Key Employees

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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Governance & Policies

Part VI
  • 13Voting board membersPt VI · Ln 1a
  • 11Independent board membersPt VI · Ln 1b
  • Conflict-of-interest policyPt VI · Ln 12aYes
  • Whistleblower policyPt VI · Ln 13Yes
  • Document retention policyPt VI · Ln 14Yes
  • Top official’s pay independently reviewedPt VI · Ln 15aNo
  • Family or business ties among leadersPt VI · Ln 2No

Mission and programs

What it does.

Empowers young children to build brighter futures.

Provided by the organization

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Mission & Programs · Part III

Where the work happens

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 →

Filing history

Every return on file.

YearRevenueExpensesChangeFiling
FY2025 Latest Viewing $1.6M$1.5M+10% 990 PDF
FY2024 $1.5M$1.5M+10% 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.3M$1.3M+7% 990 PDF
FY2022 Not on file
FY2021 $1.2M$1.2M 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

Not shown yet: ratings, outcomes, and peer benchmarks. A Form 990 doesn’t report them.

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Sources

Every figure above is drawn from these filings
Form 990 e-file (XML) · FY2025IRS
Classification, formation year, addressIRS Business Master File
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