Memphis Merit Academy

Tax-deductible

Memphis, TN501(c)(3)Since 2017EducationEIN 82-2828471

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Memphis Merit Academy charter school prepares kindergarten through 8th-grade students in Memphis for success in high school, college, and life by providing rigorous academics, high-quality instruction, and character development in a supportive school environment.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
63¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$143K 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

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 $108K a year · 2% of revenue · last 5 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
63%
of spending
Worth a look: 63% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$143K
to officers and key staff · 2% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 60% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 2% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.5 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
4
named funders · $708K
Looks good: 4 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$12.3M
93% of total assets
Concern: liabilities are 93% of assets; over 80%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
8
of 8 voting members
Looks good: 8 of 8 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$6.7M
+19% vs prior year
Spent
$6.6M
To programs
63%
Net assets
$989K
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$6.7M
FY2025▲ +19%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$2.4M
FY2022$3.4M
FY2023$4.5M
FY2024$5.6M
FY2025$6.7M
Expenses
$6.6M
FY2025▲ +13%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$2.1M
FY2022$3.2M
FY2023$4.4M
FY2024$5.9M
FY2025$6.6M
Net assets
$989K
FY2025▲ +15%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$821K
FY2022$936K
FY2023$1.1M
FY2024$859K
FY2025$989K

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 2018.

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

Where the money goes

63 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 63% · $4.1M Management & general 37% · $2.5M

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

9 people listed on the 990; $143K 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
Head of School
$143,046Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chairman
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Lakenna R Booker’s $143K as Head of School is at the 60th 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 · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Lakenna R Booker$143,046————
Lakenna Booker—$118,672$117,720$101,824$107,500
Betty McCline—$83,454$84,353$72,167$68,000

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 Memphis Merit Academy 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

Educates Memphis K-8 students for future success with strong academics and character building.

Provided by the organization

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1 program · $4.1M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Program services consist of providing educational curriculum and instruction in an effort to develop academic acumen and leadership skills necessary for students to excel in high school, thrive in college, and lead lives full of opportunity.

$4.1Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
Charter Fund INCFY2024$213K
50can INCFY2024$187K
Total grants receivedfrom 4 funders$708K
See all 4 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$6.7M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$6.5M
Other incomeLn 4–11$163K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$43K
Money outPt IX
$6.6M
Ln 25
Programscol B$4.1M
Managementcol C$2.5M
Owns and owesPt X
$989K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$803K
Total assetsLn 16$13.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$12.3M
PeoplePt VI, VII
9
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b8
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$6.5M
Government grantsLn 1e$5.8M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$43K
Investment incomeLn 3$29K
Other incomeLn 4–11$163K
Total revenueLn 12$6.7M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$803K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$803K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$11.0M
Other assetsLn 15$1.3M
Total assetsLn 16$13.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$12.3M
Net assetsLn 32$989K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 523
VolunteersI 60
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$1.2M$803K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$11.1M$11.0M
Total assetsLn 16$13.9M$13.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$13.1M$12.3M
Net assetsLn 32$859K$989K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$251K$162K$89K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$2.6M$1.7M$924K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$398K$257K$141K
Payroll taxesLn 10$209K$135K$74K
Management feesLn 11a$22K$788$21K
Legal feesLn 11b$11K$415$11K
Accounting feesLn 11c$26K$954$25K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$423K$15K$408K
Office expensesLn 13$265K$97K$168K
Information technologyLn 14$174K$130K$43K
InterestLn 20$793K$714K$79K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$438K$394K$44K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$809K$422K$387K
All other expensesLn 24e$192K$129K$63K
Total functional expensesLn 25$6.6M$4.1M$2.5M$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $6.7M$6.6M$78K$989K 990 PDF
FY2024 $5.6M$5.9M−$213K$859K 990 PDF
FY2023 $4.5M$4.4M$150K$1.1M 990 PDF
FY2022 $3.4M$3.2M$228K$936K 990 PDF
FY2021 $2.4M$2.1M$299K$821K 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 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $6,689,747 across 7 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$5,798,616
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$656,103
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$6,454,719
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $43,473$43,473
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $28,626$28,626
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossRelated to mission $162,929$162,929
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $206,402 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $28,626$6,689,747
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $6,612,069 across 14 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $161,723 · Management $89,027$250,750
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,677,726 · Management $923,569$2,601,295
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $256,600 · Management $141,256$397,856
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $134,934 · Management $74,280$209,214
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $788 · Management $20,920$21,708
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $415 · Management $11,020$11,435
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $954 · Management $25,321$26,275
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $15,368 · Management $408,050$423,418
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $97,424 · Management $167,769$265,193
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $130,337 · Management $43,446$173,783
IX-20 InterestPrograms $713,691 · Management $79,299$792,990
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $393,808 · Management $43,757$437,565
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $422,169 · Management $386,652$808,821
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $128,808 · Management $62,958$191,766
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $4,134,745 · Management $2,477,324 · Fundraising $0$6,612,069
Part X · Balance sheet $13,276,096 assets, 13 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,215,643$802,756
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $71,069$170,609
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$37,867
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $11,126,903$10,973,156
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $1,423,222$1,291,708
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $13,931,915$13,276,096
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $884,955$237,783
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $12,187,598$12,049,727
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $13,072,553$12,287,510
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $509,491$636,901
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $349,871$351,685
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $859,362$988,586
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $13,931,915$13,276,096
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $988,586 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$6,689,747
XI-2 Total expenses$6,612,069
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$77,678
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$859,362
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$51,546
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$988,586

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

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