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Rooted School Foundation

Tax-deductible

New Orleans, LA501(c)(3)Education EIN 84-1905316Revenue $690K in FY2024

On file with the IRSrootedschool.org612 Andrew Higgins Dr 2nd Floor, 70130-3930 · New Orleans, LATax-exempt since Nov 2022Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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Rooted School Foundation exists to reimagine the role schools play in providing students, especially those impacted by systemic racism, with personal pathways to financial freedom and then scaling those opportunities.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
85¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 10 volunteers.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2024 · 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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
1 of 2
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $53K a year · 8% of revenue · last 2 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 1 of the last 2 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 2 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
$23K
to officers and key staff · 3% of spending
Top officer’s pay lower than 84% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 3% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Worth a look: 0.9 months of spending in cash; under 1.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
3
named funders · $316K
Looks good: 3 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$195K
276% of total assets
Concern: liabilities are 276% of assets; over 80%.
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
$690K
+14% vs prior year
Spent
$862K
To programs
85%
Net assets
−$124K
By yearFY2022–FY2024
Revenue
$690K
FY2024▲ +14%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2022$51K
FY2023$605K
FY2024$690K
Expenses
$862K
FY2024▲ +60%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2022Not on file
FY2023$538K
FY2024$862K
Net assets
−$124K
FY2024▼ -357%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2022$51K
FY2023$48K
FY2024−$124K

From the FY2024 Form 990 (year ending June 2024) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Exemption reinstated (2021-11-15). Per the IRS revocation list. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Nov 2022.

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% · $730K Management & general 15% · $131K Fundraising 0% · $1K

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

8 people listed on the 990; $23K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2023); the FY2024 filing did not itemize Part VII
Jonathan Johnson
Founder/CEO
$22,740Pt VII · Sec A
Amar Patel
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Prateek Dutta
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Kreg Steven Brown
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Hope Wollensack
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Diana Elliott
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Jonathan Johnson’s $23K as Founder/CEO is at the 16th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1613 $100K–1M 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 · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023
Jonathan Johnson$22,740$128,786

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 Rooted School Foundation 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

Empowers students, especially those affected by systemic racism, with personal pathways to financial freedom.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $730K · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

The $50 Study

RSF supported 82 students through their second phase of the youth cash transfer study, showing promising results. Phase III of the study begins in November 2024 with another planned 100 students receiving transfers during fiscal year 24 -25.

$514Kprogram expense
02

Charter Management Organization

Rooted School Foundation (RSF) supported 3 charter schools and approximately 305 students during school year 23-24. A third Rooted charter school opened in Fall 2023.

$149Kprogram expense
03

Green Balloon Fellowship

The Foundation is planning to expand the Green Balloon Fellowship program over time. Rooted Schools continued their work in placing graduates in internship programs and jobs right out of high school.

$68Kprogram 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
Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift FundFY2024$156K
Future Ready ClevelandFY2024$110K
Education Forward DCFY2024$50K
Total grants receivedfrom 3 funders$316K
See all 3 funders →
Grants paid · 3 grants · $417K · 2022–2023
Unitemized GrantFY2023$202,703
Unitemized GrantFY2022$107,100
Unitemized GrantFY2022$107,100

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$690K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$663K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$26K
Money outPt IX
$862K
Ln 25
Programscol B$730K
Managementcol C$131K
Fundraisingcol D$1K
Owns and owesPt X
−$124K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$63K
Total assetsLn 16$70K
LiabilitiesLn 26$195K
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$663K
Government grantsLn 1e$312K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$26K
Total revenueLn 12$690K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$63K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$63K
Total assetsLn 16$70K
LiabilitiesLn 26$195K
Net assetsLn 32−$124K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 610
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$63K$63K
Total assetsLn 16$171K$70K
LiabilitiesLn 26$122K$195K
Net assetsLn 32$48K−$124K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$203K$203K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$83K$71K$13K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$165K$142K$23K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$4K$3K$1K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$10K$7K$3K
Payroll taxesLn 10$25K$18K$8K
Management feesLn 11a$166K$125K$41K
Legal feesLn 11b$38K$27K$11K
Accounting feesLn 11c$27K$19K$8K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$14K$10K$4K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$23K$19K$3K
Office expensesLn 13$3K$3K$520
OccupancyLn 16$7K$6K$1K
TravelLn 17$39K$33K$6K
InsuranceLn 23$7K$6K$1K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$47K$39K$7K$1K
Total functional expensesLn 25$862K$730K$131K$1K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $690K$862K−$172K−$124K 990 PDF
FY2023 $605K$538K$66K$48K 990 PDF
FY2022 $51K$51K 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 O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $689,715 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $382,205$663,434
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $172,500$26,281
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $554,705$689,715
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $107,100$202,703
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $0$288,015
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $431,170$371,358
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $538,270$862,076
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $16,435−$172,361
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 $689,715 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$312,000
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$351,434
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$663,434
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $26,281$26,281
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $26,281 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$689,715
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $862,076 across 16 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $202,703$202,703
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $70,597 · Management $12,710$83,307
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $141,818 · Management $23,182$165,000
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $2,905 · Management $1,245$4,150
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $7,341 · Management $3,146$10,487
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $17,549 · Management $7,522$25,071
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $125,406 · Management $40,607$166,013
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $26,530 · Management $11,370$37,900
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $19,068 · Management $8,172$27,240
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $9,918 · Management $3,892$13,810
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $19,431 · Management $3,429$22,860
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $2,947 · Management $520$3,467
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $5,971 · Management $1,054$7,025
IX-17 TravelPrograms $32,816 · Management $5,792$38,608
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $6,173 · Management $1,089$7,262
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $38,993 · Management $6,881 · Fundraising $1,299$47,173
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $730,166 · Management $130,611 · Fundraising $1,299$862,076
Part X · Balance sheet $70,440 assets, 8 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $62,558$62,523
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $99,856$7,917
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $170,641$70,440
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $122,389$194,549
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $122,389$194,549
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $48,252−$124,109
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $48,252−$124,109
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $170,641$70,440
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets −$124,109 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$689,715
XI-2 Total expenses$862,076
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$172,361
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$48,252
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year−$124,109

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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