To ensure there will be equity in the recruiting, training, hiring, and retention of quality educators who both reflect the cultural background and share the common socio-political interests of the students they serve.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
55¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 4 volunteers and 143 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
5 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $5.6M a year · 48% of revenue · last 5 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 5 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
55%
of spending
Worth a look: 55% of spending went to programs; under 65%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$523K
to officers and key staff · 6% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 6% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
7 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $20.5M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Looks good: 6.9 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $375K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$1.5M
5% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 5% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
4
of 4 voting members
Looks good: 4 of 4 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$17.3M
+35% vs prior year
Spent
$8.7M
To programs
55%
Net assets
$31.8M
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$17.3M
FY2025▲ +35%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$2.4M
FY2022$15.9M
FY2023$10.1M
FY2024$12.8M
FY2025$17.3M
Expenses
$8.7M
FY2025▼ -5%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$2.1M
FY2022$3.9M
FY2023$6.5M
FY2024$9.1M
FY2025$8.7M
Net assets
$31.8M
FY2025▲ +40%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$287K
FY2022$15.7M
FY2023$18.7M
FY2024$22.8M
FY2025$31.8M

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 Feb 2022.

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

Where the money goes

55 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 55% · $4.7M Management & general 41% · $3.6M Fundraising 4% · $356K

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; $523K 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
$214,783Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Financial Officer
$158,975Pt VII · Sec A
Chief of Staff
$148,870Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Program Officer from Jan 25
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Chairman
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Finance & Admin Officer-Jul 25
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Sharif El Mekki’s $215K as Executive Director is at the 20th percentile of top reported officer pay among 749 $10–100M arts & culture 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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2021
Sharif El Mekki$214,783$197,740$189,087$188,695
Sherry Reynolds-Whitaker$158,975———
Nicole Duckett—$150,000$151,814—
Vanessa Renee$148,870———
Kelli N Seaton———$131,068
Shayna Terrell———$110,072

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 Center for Black Educator Development 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

Promotes equitable recruiting, training, hiring, and retention of diverse, culturally relevant educators.

Questions for Center for Black Educator Development

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $4.7M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Teaching Pathways

The freedom school's literary academy is a 4 week summer program offered both virtually and onsite in philadelphia to provide college-aged individuals and high school students opportunities to explore and deepen their interest in becoming not just teachers, but educator activists.

$3.3Mprogram expense
02

Professional Learning

Provides training and support for black educators, designed by black educators. This work is delivered primarily through the black male educator conference, the organization's annual convening, as well as fee-for-service training and contract-based professional learning engagements.

$1.3Mprogram expense
03

Public advocacy- the center advocates for local, state, and federal interventions that support teacher diversity.

$43Kprogram 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
New Profit INCFY2025$375K
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$375K
Grants paid · 20 grants · $1.4M · 2022–2024
United Negro College Fund INCDC · FY2024$345,505
Project Sankofa INCCA · FY2024$80,000
Citytutor DCDC · FY2024$80,000
Man Up Teacher Fellows INCTN · FY2024$80,000
Teachplus-PAMA · FY2024$75,000
EmpoweredDC · FY2024$46,500
Unitemized GrantFY2024$10,000
United Negro College Fund INCDC · FY2023$250,000
Urban Ed Academy INCCA · FY2023$100,000
Black Girls Love MathPA · FY2023$25,000
West Chester UniversityFY2023$10,000
Delaware State UniversityDE · FY2022$12,500
Delaware State UniversityDE · FY2022$12,500
See all 20 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$17.3M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$14.3M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$2.1M
Investment incomeLn 3$909K
Money outPt IX
$8.7M
Ln 25
Programscol B$4.7M
Managementcol C$3.6M
Fundraisingcol D$356K
Owns and owesPt X
$31.8M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$5.0M
Total assetsLn 16$33.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.5M
PeoplePt VI, VII
9
listed · VII A
PaidVII A3
Voting boardVI 1a4
IndependentVI 1b4
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$14.3M
Government grantsLn 1e$550K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$2.1M
Investment incomeLn 3$909K
Gains on assetsLn 7$114K
Total revenueLn 12$17.3M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$4.8M
SavingsLn 2$124K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$5.0M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$20.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2K
Other assetsLn 15$2.6M
Total assetsLn 16$33.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.5M
Net assetsLn 32$31.8M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5143
VolunteersI 64
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$3.1M$5.0M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$16.6M$20.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$28K$2K
Total assetsLn 16$23.7M$33.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$936K$1.5M
Net assetsLn 32$22.8M$31.8M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$1.2M$1.2M
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$10K$10K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$673K$328K$310K$36K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$2.3M$1.3M$822K$143K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$281K$281K
Payroll taxesLn 10$204K$123K$67K$15K
Legal feesLn 11b$55K$55K
Accounting feesLn 11c$163K$163K
Investment management feesLn 11f$114K$114K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1.4M$378K$1.1M$250
Advertising and promotionLn 12$457K$126K$197K$134K
Office expensesLn 13$46K$2K$40K$4K
Information technologyLn 14$116K$4K$111K
OccupancyLn 16$13K$13K
TravelLn 17$135K$6K$108K$22K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$993K$943K$50K
InterestLn 20$4K$4K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$26K$26K
InsuranceLn 23$76K$76K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$358K$283K$73K$2K
All other expensesLn 24e$31K$13K$17K$901
Total functional expensesLn 25$8.7M$4.7M$3.6M$356K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $17.3M$8.7M$8.7M$31.8M 990 PDF
FY2024 $12.8M$9.1M$3.7M$22.8M 990 PDF
FY2023 $10.1M$6.5M$3.6M$18.7M 990 PDF
FY2022 $15.9M$3.9M$12.0M$15.7M 990 PDF
FY2021 $2.4M$2.1M$255K$287K 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 $17,325,663 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $10,457,499$14,322,735
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $1,913,276$2,093,704
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $477,432$909,224
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $12,848,207$17,325,663
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $510,000$1,198,505
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $4,352,745$3,445,745
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $4,236,753$4,020,903
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $9,099,498$8,665,153
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $3,748,709$8,660,510
Part VI · Governance 4 of 4 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body4
VI-1b Independent voting members4
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction 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
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $17,325,663 across 7 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$550,000
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$13,772,735
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$14,322,735
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $2,093,704$2,093,704
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $795,600$795,600
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $113,624$113,624
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $2,093,704 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $909,224$17,325,663
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $8,665,153 across 21 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $1,188,505$1,188,505
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $10,000$10,000
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $327,695 · Management $309,964 · Fundraising $35,502$673,161
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,322,372 · Management $821,616 · Fundraising $143,264$2,287,252
IX-9 Other employee benefitsManagement $281,091$281,091
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $122,879 · Management $66,592 · Fundraising $14,770$204,241
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $54,879$54,879
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $162,515$162,515
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $113,569$113,569
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $378,493 · Management $1,058,142 · Fundraising $250$1,436,885
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $126,211 · Management $196,851 · Fundraising $133,802$456,864
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $2,493 · Management $39,673 · Fundraising $3,545$45,711
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $4,316 · Management $111,191$115,507
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $13,018$13,018
IX-17 TravelPrograms $5,539 · Management $107,869 · Fundraising $21,886$135,294
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $943,408 · Management $49,653$993,061
IX-20 InterestManagement $3,564$3,564
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $25,888$25,888
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $75,561$75,561
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $283,023 · Management $72,674 · Fundraising $1,850$357,547
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $13,079 · Management $17,060 · Fundraising $901$31,040
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $4,728,013 · Management $3,581,370 · Fundraising $355,770$8,665,153
Part X · Balance sheet $33,289,058 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $2,966,630$4,844,823
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $119,517$124,195
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $2,169,497$5,162,577
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$52,150
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $28,046$2,158
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $16,566,004$20,511,969
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $1,850,780$2,591,186
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $23,700,474$33,289,058
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $673,036$1,398,585
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $263,342$124,333
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $936,378$1,522,918
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $20,564,096$27,451,734
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $2,200,000$4,314,406
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $22,764,096$31,766,140
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $23,700,474$33,289,058
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $31,766,140 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$17,325,663
XI-2 Total expenses$8,665,153
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$8,660,510
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$22,764,096
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$341,534
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$31,766,140

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

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