Trellis Foundation FY2020 filing

Tax-deductible

Round Rock, TX501(c)(3)Since 2016Human ServicesEIN 81-4714749Revenue $9.0M in FY2020

On file with the IRStrellisfoundation.orgPo Box 5393, 78683-5393 · Round Rock, TXTax-exempt since Sep 2019Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

Tell your story. Claim this org

We believe every texas student deserves the opportunity to earn a postsecondary credential or degree that helps them achieve the future they envision for themselves and their families. We invest in the programs, practices, and policies that remove barriers and accelerate the journey.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
85¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$133K 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

FY2020 · 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
6 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $57.2M a year · 87% of revenue · last 6 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 6 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
85%
of spending
Looks good: 85% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$133K
to officers and key staff · 4% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 4% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
6 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 6.5 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $10.0M
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$2.2M
2% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 2% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 7 voting members
Looks good: 7 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
$9.0M
Spent
$3.7M
To programs
85%
Net assets
$142.3M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$9.0M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$9.0M
FY2021$96.0M
FY2022$179.8M
FY2023$5.6M
FY2024$78.3M
FY2025$23.7M
Expenses
$3.7M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$3.7M
FY2021$4.6M
FY2022$4.9M
FY2023$5.4M
FY2024$11.2M
FY2025$19.5M
Net assets
$142.3M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$142.3M
FY2021$255.9M
FY2022$362.0M
FY2023$403.2M
FY2024$500.3M
FY2025$544.6M

From the FY2020 Form 990 (year ending September 2020) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim
You’re viewing the FY2020 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 Sep 2019.

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

Where the money goes

85 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 85% · $3.2M Management & general 15% · $545K

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

8 people listed on the 990; $133K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2019); the FY2020 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Director
$132,502Pt VII · Sec A
Board President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Kristin Boyer’s $215K as President & CEO is at the 51st percentile of top reported officer pay among 3122 $10–100M human services 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 · 4 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Kristin Boyer$214,887$202,801$166,815$160,815$145,835$132,502
Jenny Achilles$147,711$145,901$105,035———
Erica Ekwurzel$146,667—————
Erica Ekwurzel Eff 102423—$11,173————

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 Trellis Foundation 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

Supports ideas and strategies to increase college access and affordability.

Questions for Trellis Foundation

Tap to ask. Trellis Foundation sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Trellis Foundation answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

Know this org? Add your story

1 program · $3.2M · in their own filed words · FY2019
01

See schedule o, general statement 1

$3.2Mprogram 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$10.0M
Grants paid · 237 grants · $40.1M · 2019–2024
The Aspen InstituteTX · FY2024$3,150,000
BranchedNY · FY2024$761,253
Texas Higher Education FoundationTX · FY2024$610,000
Texas 2036MN · FY2024$600,000
Communities Foundation of Texas INCFY2024$503,125
Scholarship AmericaOR · FY2024$450,000
After Violence ProjectTX · FY2024$350,000
New York UniversityGA · FY2024$334,426
Lamar State College Port ArthurMN · FY2024$318,680
Up PartnershipFY2024$300,000
Texas A&m University - Central TexasTX · FY2024$300,000
Business-Higher Education ForumTX · FY2024$300,000
The University of Texas at San AntonioMA · FY2024$296,240
The Institute for Higher Education PolicyFY2024$286,458
City of San AntonioFY2024$250,000
See all 237 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$9.0M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$4.9M
Investment incomeLn 3$4.1M
Money outPt IX
$3.7M
Ln 25
Programscol B$3.2M
Managementcol C$545K
Owns and owesPt X
$142.3M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.0M
Total assetsLn 16$144.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.2M
PeoplePt VI, VII
8
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$4.9M
Investment incomeLn 3$4.1M
Gains on assetsLn 7$1.1M
Total revenueLn 12$9.0M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$360K
SavingsLn 2$1.7M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$2.0M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$138.2M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$144.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.2M
Net assetsLn 32$142.3M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 58
VolunteersI 67
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 FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.3M$2.0M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$129.3M$138.2M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0$0
Total assetsLn 16$134.0M$144.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.4M$2.2M
Net assetsLn 32$131.6M$142.3M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$3.0M$3.0M
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$161K$161K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$143K$113K$30K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$9K$7K$2K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$21K$4K$18K
Payroll taxesLn 10$20K$8K$13K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$10K$10K
Accounting feesLn 11c$43K$43K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$6K$6K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$211K$4K$207K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$14K$5K$9K
Office expensesLn 13$711$711
Information technologyLn 14$14K$14K
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$0
TravelLn 17$22K$20K$3K
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$16K$10K$5K
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$0
InsuranceLn 23$7K$7K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$33K$16K$17K
Total functional expensesLn 25$3.7M$3.2M$545K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $23.7M$19.5M$4.1M$544.6M 990 PDF
FY2024 $78.3M$11.2M$67.2M$500.3M 990 PDF
FY2023 $5.6M$5.4M$222K$403.2M 990 PDF
FY2022 $179.8M$4.9M$174.9M$362.0M 990 PDF
FY2021 $96.0M$4.6M$91.4M$255.9M 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $9.0M$3.7M$5.2M$142.3M 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 FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $8,970,184 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $3,000,000$4,909,343
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $10,221,331$4,060,841
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $13,221,331$8,970,184
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $2,499,135$2,991,002
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $0$354,354
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $0$376,667
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $2,499,135$3,722,023
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $10,722,196$5,248,161
Part VI · Governance 7 of 7 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members7
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 $8,970,184 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$4,909,343
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$4,909,343
VIII-3 Investment incomeUnrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $2,990,539$2,990,539
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or loss$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $1,070,302$1,070,302
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-12 Total revenueUnrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $4,060,841$8,970,184
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $3,722,023 across 30 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $2,991,002$2,991,002
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffManagement $161,449$161,449
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $112,649 · Management $29,995$142,644
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $6,759 · Management $1,817$8,576
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $3,630 · Management $17,580$21,210
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $7,618 · Management $12,857$20,475
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $9,889$9,889
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $42,600$42,600
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11e Professional fundraising fees$0
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $5,799$5,799
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $4,100 · Management $206,750$210,850
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $5,000 · Management $9,325$14,325
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $711$711
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $14,380$14,380
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 Occupancy$0
IX-17 TravelPrograms $19,618 · Management $2,666$22,284
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $10,288 · Management $5,375$15,663
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortization$0
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $7,234$7,234
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $16,390 · Management $16,542$32,932
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $3,177,054 · Management $544,969 · Fundraising $0$3,722,023
Part X · Balance sheet $144,505,829 assets, 22 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $341,428$360,034
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $982,861$1,653,599
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $3,082,722$4,000,000
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $225,543$304,361
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $0$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $37,162$30,071
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $0$0
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $129,322,621$138,157,764
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $0$0
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $0$0
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $0$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $0$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $133,992,337$144,505,829
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $2,397,270$57,121
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $0$2,151,137
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $0$0
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $0$0
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $0$14,321
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $2,397,270$2,222,579
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $131,595,067$142,283,250
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $133,992,337$144,505,829
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $142,283,250 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$8,970,184
XI-2 Total expenses$3,722,023
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$5,248,161
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$131,595,067
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$5,440,022
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$142,283,250

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 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.