Ninth District Opportunity INC

Tax-deductible

Gainesville, GA501(c)(3)Since 1967Foundations & GrantmakersEIN 58-0974656Revenue $47.4M in FY2025

On file with the IRSndo.orgPo Box L, 30503-1912 · Gainesville, GATax-exempt since Dec 1967Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

Tell your story. Claim this org

Administer governmental and private foundation grant programs in 25 counties in ne georgia

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
96¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 3,255 volunteers and 678 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 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $365K a year · under 1% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 2 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
96%
of spending
Looks good: 96% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$974K
to officers and key staff · 2% of spending
Top officer’s pay lower than 64% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 2% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Worth a look: 0.5 months of spending in cash; under 1.
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
$6.9M
39% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 39% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
12
of 12 voting members
Looks good: 12 of 12 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$47.4M
+2% vs prior year
Spent
$48.2M
To programs
96%
Net assets
$11.1M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$47.4M
FY2025▲ +2%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$44.2M
FY2021$44.3M
FY2022$53.4M
FY2023$58.5M
FY2024$46.5M
FY2025$47.4M
Expenses
$48.2M
FY2025▲ +2%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$44.3M
FY2021$44.6M
FY2022$51.2M
FY2023$56.7M
FY2024$47.1M
FY2025$48.2M
Net assets
$11.1M
FY2025▼ -6%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$8.8M
FY2021$8.6M
FY2022$10.7M
FY2023$12.4M
FY2024$11.9M
FY2025$11.1M

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

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Dec 1967.

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

Where the money goes

96 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 96% · $46.3M Management & general 4% · $1.9M

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

Something off? Claim to fix it

Who runs it and what they're paid

18 people listed on the 990; $974K 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
$206,086Pt VII · Sec A
$198,207Pt VII · Sec A
Head Start Director
$166,737Pt VII · Sec A
Csbg Program Director
$156,230Pt VII · Sec A
$145,917Pt VII · Sec A
Assistant Csbg Program Director
$100,466Pt VII · Sec A
Chairman of Board
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Karen Laws’s $206K as Executive Director is at the 36th percentile of top reported officer pay among 661 $10–100M philanthropy & grantmaking 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
Karen Laws$206,086$209,389$194,098$155,250$133,466$124,324
Patricia Thomas——$157,221$204,787$184,437$182,427
Linda Highsmith$198,207$198,640$199,616$196,001$178,636$166,192
Penny Bonds$166,737$157,901$152,506$124,345$105,886—
Brenda Dalin$156,230$146,532$146,819$134,448$121,476$116,626
Cynthia Stephens$145,917—————
Kim Davidson—$124,904$121,274$123,305$111,418$104,830
Linda Nichol$100,466—————

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 Ninth District Opportunity INC executive salaries →

On this list? Claim this org

Something off? Claim to fix it

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

Manages government and foundation grants across 25 northeast Georgia counties.

Questions for Ninth District Opportunity INC

Tap to ask. Ninth District Opportunity INC sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Ninth District Opportunity INC answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

Know this org? Add your story

3 programs · $44.7M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Head Start Programs

Adminstration of pre-school program to over 2,100 children in N.E. Georgia. Inkind contributions totaled $ 6,970,474

$29.7Mprogram expense
02

Community Service Programs

Provided assistance to elderly and low income eligible participants in N.E. Georgia. Inkind contributions totaled $317,500.

$9.3Mprogram expense
03

Georgia Pre-Kindergarten Program

Provided programs to meet development needs of eligible 4 year old children and to provide family support

$5.7Mprogram 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 · 44 grants · $75.0M · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$7,052,534
Unitemized GrantFY2024$1,197,951
Unitemized GrantFY2024$662,580
Unitemized GrantFY2024$189,558
Unitemized GrantFY2024$50,098
Unitemized GrantFY2024$29,434
Unitemized GrantFY2024$4,479
Unitemized GrantFY2023$7,862,767
Unitemized GrantFY2023$1,194,969
Unitemized GrantFY2023$602,637
Unitemized GrantFY2023$194,997
Unitemized GrantFY2023$169,606
Unitemized GrantFY2023$66,229
Unitemized GrantFY2023$51,418
Unitemized GrantFY2022$12,334,733
Unitemized GrantFY2022$2,078,051
Unitemized GrantFY2022$1,213,488
Unitemized GrantFY2022$893,530
See all 44 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$47.4M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$47.1M
Other incomeLn 4–11$185K
Investment incomeLn 3$136K
Money outPt IX
$48.2M
Ln 25
Programscol B$46.3M
Managementcol C$1.9M
Owns and owesPt X
$11.1M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.2M
Total assetsLn 16$18.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$6.9M
PeoplePt VI, VII
18
listed · VII A
PaidVII A6
Voting boardVI 1a12
IndependentVI 1b12
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$47.1M
Investment incomeLn 3$136K
Other incomeLn 4–11$185K
Total revenueLn 12$47.4M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$2.1M
SavingsLn 2$98K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$2.2M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$11.4M
Other assetsLn 15$3.2M
Total assetsLn 16$18.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$6.9M
Net assetsLn 32$11.1M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5678
VolunteersI 63,255
Fiscal year endsHeaderSeptember
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$2.0M$2.2M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$12.5M$11.4M
Total assetsLn 16$19.0M$18.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$7.2M$6.9M
Net assetsLn 32$11.9M$11.1M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$9.2M$9.2M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$974K$423K$550K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$17.7M$17.3M$398K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$7.9M$7.7M$202K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$434K$407K$27K
Payroll taxesLn 10$1.4M$1.4M$68K
Legal feesLn 11b$462$462
Accounting feesLn 11c$154K$154K
Office expensesLn 13$890K$862K$28K
OccupancyLn 16$2.9M$2.8M$75K
TravelLn 17$90K$72K$19K
InterestLn 20$221K$203K$19K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$1.2M$1.0M$143K
InsuranceLn 23$531K$501K$30K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$4.7M$4.5M$144K
Total functional expensesLn 25$48.2M$46.3M$1.9M$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $47.4M$48.2M−$763K$11.1M 990 PDF
FY2024 $46.5M$47.1M−$593K$11.9M 990 PDF
FY2023 $58.5M$56.7M$1.7M$12.4M 990 PDF
FY2022 $53.4M$51.2M$2.2M$10.7M 990 PDF
FY2021 $44.3M$44.6M−$238K$8.6M 990 PDF
FY2020 $44.2M$44.3M−$101K$8.8M 990 PDF

More to add? Claim this org

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 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $47,429,259 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $46,210,453$47,108,836
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $135,130$135,810
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $173,993$184,613
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $46,519,576$47,429,259
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $10,142,623$9,186,634
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $27,450,994$28,407,797
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $9,518,816$10,597,834
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $47,112,433$48,192,265
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$592,857−$763,006
Part VI · Governance 12 of 12 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body12
VI-1b Independent voting members12
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 $47,429,259 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$47,108,836
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$47,108,836
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $135,810$135,810
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $184,613$184,613
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $320,423 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$47,429,259
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $48,192,265 across 15 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $9,186,634$9,186,634
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $423,433 · Management $550,210$973,643
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $17,323,661 · Management $398,366$17,722,027
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $7,650,683 · Management $201,798$7,852,481
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $406,776 · Management $26,811$433,587
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $1,357,658 · Management $68,401$1,426,059
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $462$462
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $153,926$153,926
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $862,015 · Management $27,735$889,750
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $2,804,004 · Management $75,341$2,879,345
IX-17 TravelPrograms $71,557 · Management $18,509$90,066
IX-20 InterestPrograms $202,581 · Management $18,614$221,195
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $1,011,497 · Management $143,111$1,154,608
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $500,596 · Management $30,190$530,786
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $4,533,425 · Management $144,271$4,677,696
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $46,334,520 · Management $1,857,745 · Fundraising $0$48,192,265
Part X · Balance sheet $18,034,309 assets, 13 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,557,476$2,080,251
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $446,722$98,075
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $1,039,748$1,113,721
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $217,624$224,432
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $12,509,061$11,364,094
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $3,261,598$3,153,736
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $19,032,229$18,034,309
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,258,933$1,454,063
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $3,261,598$3,153,736
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $7,181,535$6,946,621
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $11,850,694$11,087,688
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $11,850,694$11,087,688
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $19,032,229$18,034,309
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $11,087,688 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$47,429,259
XI-2 Total expenses$48,192,265
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$763,006
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$11,850,694
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$11,087,688

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

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

Your org? Add context

Made it to the end? Claim this org

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.