To support Education leaders as they strive to create high-quality, equitable DC public schools.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
90¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$1.8M paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2023 · 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
1 of 4
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $368K a year · 3% of revenue · last 4 filings
Concern: a surplus in 1 of the last 4 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 4 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
$1.8M
to officers and key staff · 12% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 12% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $11.2M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Fine: 0.7 months of spending in cash, plus $11.2M in investments.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
11
named funders · $15.3M
Looks good: 11 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$582K
3% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 3% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
6
of 7 voting members
Looks good: 6 of 7 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$5.0M
-58% vs prior year
Spent
$14.8M
To programs
90%
Net assets
$17.1M
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$5.0M
FY2023▼ -58%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$11.8M
FY2023$5.0M
FY2024$10.1M
FY2025$21.9M
Expenses
$14.8M
FY2023▲ +15%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$12.8M
FY2023$14.8M
FY2024$12.6M
FY2025$10.0M
Net assets
$17.1M
FY2023▲ +20%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$14.3M
FY2023$17.1M
FY2024$14.4M
FY2025$26.3M

From the FY2023 Form 990 (year ending June 2023) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2023 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jul 2016.

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% · $13.4M Management & general 5% · $718K Fundraising 5% · $687K

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

19 people listed on the 990; $1.8M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2022); the FY2023 filing did not itemize Part VII
09/2022; SR. Advisor Until 03/2023
$278,744Pt VII · Sec A
Until 09/2022; CEO as of 09/2022
$256,361Pt VII · Sec A
Partner, Public Engagement
$185,748Pt VII · Sec A
Partner, External Relations
$182,347Pt VII · Sec A
Partner, Schools Until 01/2023
$181,022Pt VII · Sec A
9/2022; Manag.partn. as of 9/2022
$176,417Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Operating Officer
$165,938Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Strategy Officer Until 08/2022
$125,245Pt VII · Sec A

Bisi Oyedele’s $306K as CEO is at the 66th 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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2021
Maura Marino———$371,225
Bisi Oyedele$306,001$293,283—$212,800
Maura Marino CEO Until——$278,744—
Bisi Oyedele Managing Partner——$256,361—
Margie Yeager$248,085$242,500—$160,876
Fonda Sutton$196,442$206,415$185,748$180,972
Erin Sheehy$196,625$205,541$182,347$177,428
Vicki Koussoglou—$195,226$165,938$109,935

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 Education Forward DC 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 15aYes

Programs and updates

Empowering education leaders to build excellent, fair public schools.

Questions for Education Forward DC

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $13.4M · in their own filed words · FY2022
01

Schools and Talent

To accelerate innovation and improvement in D.C.'S education system, ed forward DC supports a portfolio of schools designed to serve at-risk and special education students well and human capital organizations to ensure that schools have great teachers and leaders.

$7.6Mprogram expense
02

Advocacy and Public Engagement

Ed forward DC believes that education policies should sustain D.C.'S progress that create the conditions under which great schools can open and grow. Schools should reflect the citywide diversity of student needs and interests so that every student can grow.

$4.8Mprogram expense
03

Other programs

$961Kprogram 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
See all 11 funders →
Grants paid · 171 grants · $32.1M · 2020–2024
Pave INCDC · FY2024$1,190,000
DC Charter School AllianceDC · FY2024$430,000
Education Reform Now INCNY · FY2024$350,000
DC Policy CenterDC · FY2024$350,000
Ednavigator INCIL · FY2024$325,000
The Urban InstituteDC · FY2024$200,000
Citybridge EducationDC · FY2024$200,000
Ingenuity PrepDC · FY2024$192,000
Black Swan Academy INCDC · FY2024$175,000
Schooltalk INCDC · FY2024$120,000
Teach for America INCNY · FY2024$100,000
School Leader LabDC · FY2024$100,000
See all 171 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$5.0M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$4.6M
Investment incomeLn 3$331K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$648
Money outPt IX
$14.8M
Ln 25
Programscol B$13.4M
Managementcol C$718K
Fundraisingcol D$687K
Owns and owesPt X
$17.1M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$833K
Total assetsLn 16$17.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$582K
PeoplePt VI, VII
19
listed · VII A
PaidVII A10
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$4.6M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$648
Investment incomeLn 3$331K
Gains on assetsLn 7−$26K
Total revenueLn 12$5.0M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$833K
SavingsLn 2$459
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$833K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$11.2M
Other assetsLn 15$135K
Total assetsLn 16$17.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$582K
Net assetsLn 32$17.1M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 521
VolunteersI 68
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 FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.5M$833K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$16.1M$11.2M
Total assetsLn 16$28.1M$17.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.3M$582K
Net assetsLn 32$26.8M$17.1M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$10.2M$10.2M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$1.4M$761K$137K$468K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$1.2M$946K$165K$104K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$44K$34K$7K$3K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$118K$80K$29K$9K
Payroll taxesLn 10$178K$123K$21K$34K
Legal feesLn 11b$13K$13K
Accounting feesLn 11c$93K$93K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$615K$399K$216K
Office expensesLn 13$27K$16K$3K$8K
Information technologyLn 14$60K$39K$6K$15K
OccupancyLn 16$146K$97K$17K$32K
TravelLn 17$27K$20K$5K$2K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$85K$81K$32$3K
InsuranceLn 23$2K$1K$258$479
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$594K$581K$5K$8K
All other expensesLn 24e$5K$3K$1K$837
Total functional expensesLn 25$14.8M$13.4M$718K$687K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $21.9M$10.0M$11.9M$26.3M 990 PDF
FY2024 $10.1M$12.6M−$2.6M$14.4M 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $5.0M$14.8M−$9.8M$17.1M 990 PDF
FY2022 Not on file
FY2021 $11.8M$12.8M−$1.0M$14.3M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $4,967,525 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $25,933,844$4,635,738
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$648
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $58,000$331,139
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $25,991,844$4,967,525
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $8,753,000$10,186,767
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $2,944,000$2,921,014
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,651,935$1,666,409
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $13,348,935$14,774,190
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $12,642,909−$9,806,665
Part VI · Governance 6 of 7 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members6
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 $4,967,525 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$4,635,738
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$4,635,738
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $648$648
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $357,366$357,366
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax −$26,227−$26,227
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $648 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $331,139$4,967,525
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $14,774,190 across 17 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $10,186,767$10,186,767
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $761,435 · Management $137,083 · Fundraising $467,814$1,366,332
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $945,725 · Management $164,931 · Fundraising $103,903$1,214,559
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $33,740 · Management $7,174 · Fundraising $3,483$44,397
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $80,325 · Management $28,831 · Fundraising $8,695$117,851
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $122,581 · Management $21,203 · Fundraising $34,091$177,875
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $13,327$13,327
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $93,051$93,051
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $399,062 · Management $216,258$615,320
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $16,358 · Management $2,591 · Fundraising $7,899$26,848
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $39,468 · Management $5,852 · Fundraising $14,867$60,187
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $96,767 · Management $17,171 · Fundraising $31,902$145,840
IX-17 TravelPrograms $19,982 · Management $4,910 · Fundraising $1,772$26,664
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $81,488 · Management $32 · Fundraising $3,304$84,824
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $1,455 · Management $258 · Fundraising $479$2,192
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $580,659 · Management $4,567 · Fundraising $8,311$593,537
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $2,542 · Management $1,240 · Fundraising $837$4,619
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $13,368,354 · Management $718,479 · Fundraising $687,357$14,774,190
Part X · Balance sheet $17,641,749 assets, 16 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $769,391$832,704
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $750,078$459
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $9,480,235$5,429,367
X-4 Accounts receivable$818
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $50,134$45,630
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $16,146,960$11,197,844
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $937,169$134,927
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $28,133,967$17,641,749
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $329,380$182,096
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $676,250$250,000
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $331,696$150,394
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,337,326$582,490
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $13,833,308$5,754,017
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $12,963,333$11,305,242
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $26,796,641$17,059,259
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $28,133,967$17,641,749
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $17,059,259 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$4,967,525
XI-2 Total expenses$14,774,190
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$9,806,665
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$26,796,641
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$69,283
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$17,059,259

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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