The organization's mission is to expand access to quality community provider preschools located within the geographic boundaries of the Cincinnati city school district in hamilton county, ohio (the "school district"). IT focuses on access to quality preschools because attending a quality Preschool is considered a key step to preparing children for future educational achievement.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
86¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 21 volunteers and 9 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

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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 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $11K a year · under 1% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
86%
of spending
Looks good: 86% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$427K
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
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 2.4 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
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
$1.6M
85% of total assets
Concern: liabilities are 85% of assets; over 80%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
15
of 15 voting members
Looks good: 15 of 15 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$9.7M
-6% vs prior year
Spent
$9.7M
To programs
86%
Net assets
$299K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$9.7M
FY2025▼ -6%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$7.2M
FY2021$7.4M
FY2022$9.3M
FY2023$9.9M
FY2024$10.3M
FY2025$9.7M
Expenses
$9.7M
FY2025▼ -6%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$7.2M
FY2021$7.4M
FY2022$9.2M
FY2023$9.9M
FY2024$10.3M
FY2025$9.7M
Net assets
$299K
FY2025▼ -3%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$243K
FY2021$203K
FY2022$299K
FY2023$303K
FY2024$309K
FY2025$299K

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 Mar 2018.

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

Where the money goes

86 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 86% · $8.4M Management & general 14% · $1.3M

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

22 people listed on the 990; $427K 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 & CEO
$194,654Pt VII · Sec A
Finance Director
$119,609Pt VII · Sec A
Deputy Director
$112,363Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member (part Year)
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member (part Year)
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Chara Fisher Jackson’s $195K as Executive Director & CEO is at the 81st 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 · 5 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Chara Fisher Jackson$194,654$161,948$177,597$157,500$147,409$25,543
Hector Polanco$119,609$111,434$112,216$95,850——
Kenetra Mathis$112,363$100,596————
Hector a Polanco————$95,302$95,381
Sallie Westheimer—————$44,423

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 Cincinnati Preschool Program 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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Expands access to quality preschools in Cincinnati by funding tuition assistance and providing training and financial support to improve teacher retention and education.

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3 programs · $8.4M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Tuition Assistance

The goal of the tuition assistance program is to give preschool-age children living in impoverished circumstances the opportunity to attend a high quality rated PRESCHOOL.WITH this preschool preparation the children are projected to reach higher levels of educational achievement in kindergarten and beyond.

$7.0Mprogram expense
02

Quality Improvements

The goal of the quality improvement program is to increase the number of high quality rated preschool seats available within the CPS geographic BOUNDARIES.HIGH quality rated preschools are those that have achieved a gold or silver (formerly 3, 4, or 5 star) rating in the ohio step up to quality (sutq) rating system.

$990Kprogram expense
03

Cost of Quality

The cost of quality program is focused on improving the quality of preschool education at community providers by improving lead teacher retention and training, both of which have been shown to improve outcomes for preschool STUDENTS.THE program has two grants meant to benefit teachers working at community providers who are eligible for…

$338Kprogram 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 · 33 grants · $32.8M · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$6,247,922
Unitemized GrantFY2024$243,010
Unitemized GrantFY2024$43,500
Krayola Kidz Klub LLCFY2024$15,000
A Mothers Love 24hr Childcare LLCFY2024$3,000
Bmc Learning Academy LLCFY2024$3,000
Kjm Childcare INCFY2024$1,500
Calvary Kids Learning Center LLCFY2024$1,500
Love and Grown Education ServicesFY2024$1,500
Unitemized GrantFY2023$6,526,681
Unitemized GrantFY2023$233,648
Unitemized GrantFY2023$54,000
Bmc Learning Academy LLCFY2023$9,000
Krayola Kidz Klub LLCFY2023$7,500
A Mothers Love 24hr ChildcareFY2023$6,000
Constance Constant CareFY2023$6,000
See all 33 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$9.7M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$9.7M
Other incomeLn 4–11$3K
Money outPt IX
$9.7M
Ln 25
Programscol B$8.4M
Managementcol C$1.3M
Owns and owesPt X
$299K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.9M
Total assetsLn 16$1.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.6M
PeoplePt VI, VII
22
listed · VII A
PaidVII A3
Voting boardVI 1a15
IndependentVI 1b15
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$9.7M
Government grantsLn 1e$9.7M
Other incomeLn 4–11$3K
Total revenueLn 12$9.7M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.9M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Total assetsLn 16$1.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.6M
Net assetsLn 32$299K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 59
VolunteersI 621
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
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$1.8M$1.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0$0
Total assetsLn 16$1.8M$1.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.5M$1.6M
Net assetsLn 32$309K$299K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$540K$540K
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$6.7M$6.7M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$352K$184K$169K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$573K$302K$272K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$94K$46K$48K
Payroll taxesLn 10$73K$38K$35K
Legal feesLn 11b$46K$23K$23K
Accounting feesLn 11c$26K$13K$13K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1.1M$540K$529K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$117K$80$117K
Office expensesLn 13$25K$25K
Information technologyLn 14$9K$9K
OccupancyLn 16$31K$3K$28K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$27K$264$26K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$28K$28K
Total functional expensesLn 25$9.7M$8.4M$1.3M$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $9.7M$9.7M−$10K$299K 990 PDF
FY2024 $10.3M$10.3M$5K$309K 990 PDF
FY2023 $9.9M$9.9M$4K$303K 990 PDF
FY2022 $9.3M$9.2M$96K$299K 990 PDF
FY2021 $7.4M$7.4M−$40K$203K 990 PDF
FY2020 $7.2M$7.2M$9K$243K 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 FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $9,666,438 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $10,290,576$9,663,270
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $1,602$3,168
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $10,292,178$9,666,438
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $7,773,629$7,205,524
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,091,365$1,092,690
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,421,847$1,378,474
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $10,286,841$9,676,688
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $5,337−$10,250
Part VI · Governance 15 of 15 board members independent, 2 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body15
VI-1b Independent voting members15
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $9,666,438 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$9,656,332
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$6,938
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$9,663,270
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $3,168$3,168
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $3,168$9,666,438
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $9,676,688 across 15 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $539,976$539,976
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $6,665,548$6,665,548
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $183,929 · Management $168,508$352,437
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $301,510 · Management $271,607$573,117
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $45,829 · Management $48,234$94,063
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $37,923 · Management $35,150$73,073
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $22,968 · Management $22,532$45,500
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $13,175 · Management $12,925$26,100
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $539,700 · Management $528,927$1,068,627
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $80 · Management $116,872$116,952
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $25,463$25,463
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $9,439$9,439
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $2,926 · Management $28,432$31,358
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $264 · Management $26,348$26,612
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Management $28,423$28,423
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $8,353,828 · Management $1,322,860 · Fundraising $0$9,676,688
Part X · Balance sheet $1,931,179 assets, 12 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,794,519$1,897,520
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $5,728$5,721
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $24,894$27,938
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $0$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,825,141$1,931,179
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $591,789$419,390
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $924,531$1,213,218
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,516,320$1,632,608
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $214,616$287,256
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $94,205$11,315
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $308,821$298,571
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,825,141$1,931,179
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $298,571 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$9,666,438
XI-2 Total expenses$9,676,688
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$10,250
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$308,821
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$298,571

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

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