Pencil Foundation

Tax-deductible

Nashville, TN501(c)(3)Since 1982EducationEIN 58-1475675Revenue $7.7M in FY2025

On file with the IRSpencilforschools.org7199 Cockrill Bend Blvd, 37209-1005 · Nashville, TNTax-exempt since Aug 1982Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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Pencil's mission is linking community resources to metro nashville public schools (mnps) to help young people achieve academic success and prepare for life. At Pencil, we are committed to enriching student success through tangible, active, and robust community partnerships.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
90¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 5,049 volunteers and 96 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
4 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $431K a year · 5% of revenue · last 5 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
90%
of spending
Looks good: 90% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$484K
to officers and key staff · 7% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 67% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 7% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
7 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 7.3 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $84K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$4.8M
53% of total assets
Fine: liabilities are 53% of assets; 50% to 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
53
of 53 voting members
Looks good: 53 of 53 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$7.7M
-39% vs prior year
Spent
$6.6M
To programs
90%
Net assets
$4.2M
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$7.7M
FY2025▼ -39%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$5.2M
FY2022$7.1M
FY2023$8.9M
FY2024$12.6M
FY2025$7.7M
Expenses
$6.6M
FY2025▼ -48%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$4.6M
FY2022$6.8M
FY2023$8.6M
FY2024$12.7M
FY2025$6.6M
Net assets
$4.2M
FY2025▲ +41%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$2.4M
FY2022$2.6M
FY2023$2.9M
FY2024$3.0M
FY2025$4.2M

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 Aug 1982.

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

Where the money goes

90 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 90% · $5.9M Management & general 2% · $129K Fundraising 8% · $523K

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

58 people listed on the 990; $484K 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
President/CEO
$155,323Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Admin. Officer (until 1/25)
$112,860Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Partnerships & Program Officer
$106,425Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Strategy Officer
$104,417Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Finance
$5,242Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Christiane Buggs’s $155K as President/CEO is at the 67th 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 · 6 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Angie Adams—$219,817$158,935$173,196$151,460
Christiane Buggs$155,323————
Jane Grimes Meneely$112,860$93,967———
Robert Kucher$106,425$101,923———
Kelly Rolf$104,417$100,179$100,319——
Susan Lagos$5,242————

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 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Connects community resources, funding, and tutors to Metro Nashville Public Schools to support student academic growth, high-impact literacy tutoring, and school facility improvements.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $5.9M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

The DG pencil box exists to remove barriers to learning for metro students by ensuring classrooms are stocked with necessary supplies and so educators don't have to spend their own funds on supplies. Through generous donations, the box is stocked with pencils, pens, notebooks, crayons, scissors, books, backpacks and more.

$3.3Mprogram expense
02

Grants to MNPS pencil continued to be a grantmaking partner to MNPS by passing through significant funds to support high-impact literacy tutoring and its focus on student academic growth. In FY25, pencil-managed tutors provided 1,600+ students in grades k-3 with reading support.

$1.7Mprogram expense
03

Pencil partners are businesses and organizations committed to student success through organized, coordinated activities that match the attributes of each partner with the specific needs of each school.

$879Kprogram 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$84K
Grants paid · 5 grants · $10.6M · 2020–2024
Metropolitan Nashville Public SchoolsFY2024$807,169
Metropolitan Nashville Public SchoolsFY2023$6,454,050
Metropolitan Nashville Public SchoolsFY2022$1,619,322
Metropolitan Nashville Public SchoolsFY2021$1,672,241
Metropolitan Nashville Public SchoolsFY2020$3,800

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$7.7M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$7.6M
Investment incomeLn 3$131K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$11K
Money outPt IX
$6.6M
Ln 25
Programscol B$5.9M
Managementcol C$129K
Fundraisingcol D$523K
Owns and owesPt X
$4.2M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$4.0M
Total assetsLn 16$9.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$4.8M
PeoplePt VI, VII
58
listed · VII A
PaidVII A5
Voting boardVI 1a53
IndependentVI 1b53
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$7.6M
Government grantsLn 1e$1.7M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$3.3M
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$418K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$11K
Investment incomeLn 3$131K
Gains on assetsLn 7$33K
Total revenueLn 12$7.7M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$4.0M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$4.0M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.7M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$98K
Other assetsLn 15$8K
Total assetsLn 16$9.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$4.8M
Net assetsLn 32$4.2M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 596
VolunteersI 65,049
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$2.1M$4.0M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.5M$1.7M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$146K$98K
Total assetsLn 16$8.5M$9.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$5.5M$4.8M
Net assetsLn 32$3.0M$4.2M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$3.0M$3.0M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$595K$334K$51K$210K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.8M$1.6M$29K$164K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$40K$33K$1K$6K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$84K$69K$2K$13K
Payroll taxesLn 10$183K$150K$6K$27K
Accounting feesLn 11c$99K$86K$4K$9K
Investment management feesLn 11f$12K$12K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$183K$161K$6K$16K
Office expensesLn 13$54K$18K$2K$33K
OccupancyLn 16$45K$39K$2K$4K
TravelLn 17$11K$9K$419$1K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$30K$19K$6K$5K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$48K$42K$2K$4K
InsuranceLn 23$19K$16K$695$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$347K$312K$6K$29K
Total functional expensesLn 25$6.6M$5.9M$129K$523K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $7.7M$6.6M$1.1M$4.2M 990 PDF
FY2024 $12.6M$12.7M−$93K$3.0M 990 PDF
FY2023 $8.9M$8.6M$276K$2.9M 990 PDF
FY2022 $7.1M$6.8M$327K$2.6M 990 PDF
FY2021 $5.2M$4.6M$541K$2.4M 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 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $7,693,557 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $12,476,974$7,571,492
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$11,285
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $47,801$131,389
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $99,329−$20,609
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $12,624,104$7,693,557
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $9,388,257$3,000,602
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $2,520,632$2,741,221
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $808,297$846,732
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $12,717,186$6,588,555
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$93,082$1,105,002
Part VI · Governance 53 of 53 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body53
VI-1b Independent voting members53
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 $7,693,557 across 11 lines filed
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$11,437
VIII-1c Fundraising events$418,477
VIII-1e Government grants$1,673,216
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$5,468,362
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$3,275,587
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$7,571,492
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $11,285$11,285
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $98,011$98,011
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $33,378$33,378
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$20,609−$20,609
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $11,285 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $110,780$7,693,557
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $6,588,555 across 16 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $3,000,602$3,000,602
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $334,242 · Management $50,700 · Fundraising $209,870$594,812
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,647,218 · Management $28,754 · Fundraising $163,593$1,839,565
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $32,908 · Management $1,137 · Fundraising $5,933$39,978
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $69,350 · Management $1,965 · Fundraising $12,713$84,028
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $149,915 · Management $5,787 · Fundraising $27,136$182,838
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $86,147 · Management $3,703 · Fundraising $8,886$98,736
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $11,926$11,926
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $161,319 · Management $5,632 · Fundraising $16,450$183,401
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $18,446 · Management $2,450 · Fundraising $33,353$54,249
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $38,643 · Management $2,257 · Fundraising $3,986$44,886
IX-17 TravelPrograms $8,851 · Management $419 · Fundraising $1,311$10,581
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $18,864 · Management $5,806 · Fundraising $4,835$29,505
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $42,473 · Management $1,654 · Fundraising $3,968$48,095
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $16,280 · Management $695 · Fundraising $1,845$18,820
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $311,928 · Management $5,905 · Fundraising $28,700$346,533
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $5,937,186 · Management $128,790 · Fundraising $522,579$6,588,555
Part X · Balance sheet $9,046,408 assets, 18 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $2,075,751$3,990,552
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $4,097,310$2,107,673
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $490,958$847,535
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $82,012$258,436
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $145,765$97,670
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $1,402,382$1,671,355
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $62,464$65,658
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $0$7,529
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $8,489,906$9,046,408
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $126,297$188,149
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $5,354,930$4,474,573
X-19 Deferred revenue$142,050
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $0$8,618
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $5,481,227$4,813,390
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $2,042,119$2,854,414
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $966,560$1,378,604
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $3,008,679$4,233,018
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $8,489,906$9,046,408
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $4,233,018 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$7,693,557
XI-2 Total expenses$6,588,555
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$1,105,002
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$3,008,679
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$119,337
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$4,233,018

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

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