4 Learning exists to support educators across the country to see and nuture every student as a phenomenon through the recording arts and other creative endeavors.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
90¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$171K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

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FY2023 · 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
2 of 4
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $151K a year · 21% of revenue · last 4 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 2 of the last 4 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 4 filings
Spent on programs
90%
of spending
Looks good: 90% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$171K
to officers and key staff · 22% of spending
Worth a look: pay to officers and key staff is 22% of spending; over 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
5 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 5.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $405K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$2K
0.4% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
3
of 3 voting members
Looks good: 3 of 3 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$776K
+52% vs prior year
Spent
$788K
To programs
90%
Net assets
$434K
By yearFY2022–FY2025
Revenue
$776K
FY2023▲ +52%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2022$509K
FY2023$776K
FY2024$1.1M
FY2025$533K
Expenses
$788K
FY2023▲ ×11
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2022$69K
FY2023$788K
FY2024$700K
FY2025$760K
Net assets
$434K
FY2023▼ -2%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2022$441K
FY2023$434K
FY2024$840K
FY2025$597K

From the FY2023 Form 990 (year ending June 2023) · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2023 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 Apr 2022.

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

Where the money goes

90 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 90% · $713K Management & general 6% · $45K Fundraising 4% · $30K

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

6 people listed on the 990; $171K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2022); the FY2023 filing did not itemize Part VII
Co-Executive Director
$57,000Pt VII · Sec A
Co-Executive Director
$57,000Pt VII · Sec A
Co-Executive Director
$57,000Pt VII · Sec A
Director & CEO
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director & Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director & Treasuer
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Mandy Smith’s $7K as Director & CEO is at the 5th percentile of top reported officer pay among 2216 $100K–1M 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 · 4 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2023FY2022
Troy Simmons—$57,000$24,000
David Ellis—$57,000$24,000
Michael Lipset—$57,000$24,000
Mandy Smith$6,775——

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.

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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 educators to nurture every student as a phenomenon using recording arts and creative endeavors.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $713K · in their own filed words · FY2022
01

School Remix Programming

Our flagship programming wherein we support schools and districts through the process of school change. We have successfully launched 9 programs worldwide, including 3 in wi, 1 in il, 5 in ca, and the public school districts of philadelphia, PA.THE school remix program also includes our annual conference, the remixed conference, which is…

$690Kprogram expense
02

Mississippi Delta Blues

Provide support for the mississippi delta blues camp, an organization that helps disadvantaged youth in the mississippi delta reconnect with their roots in blues music.

$17Kprogram expense
03

Hip Hop Genius

Podcasts and workshop programming. 4 learning presented twice at the california it in education (cite) conference in long beach, ca.

$5Kprogram 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 2 funders$405K
Grants paid · 3 grants · $45K · 2022–2024
Mississippi Delta Blues CampMS · FY2024$15,000
Mississippi Delta Blues CampMS · FY2023$15,000
Mississippi Delta Blues CampMS · FY2022$15,000

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$776K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$510K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$266K
Investment incomeLn 3$20
Money outPt IX
$788K
Ln 25
Programscol B$713K
Managementcol C$45K
Fundraisingcol D$30K
Owns and owesPt X
$434K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$352K
Total assetsLn 16$435K
LiabilitiesLn 26$2K
PeoplePt VI, VII
6
listed · VII A
PaidVII A3
Voting boardVI 1a3
IndependentVI 1b3
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$510K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$266K
Investment incomeLn 3$20
Total revenueLn 12$776K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$352K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$352K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$81K
Total assetsLn 16$435K
LiabilitiesLn 26$2K
Net assetsLn 32$434K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 63
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 FY23End FY23
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$441K$352K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0$81K
Total assetsLn 16$441K$435K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$2K
Net assetsLn 32$441K$434K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$15K$15K
Accounting feesLn 11c$6K$6K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$564K$541K$20K$3K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$695$695
Office expensesLn 13$619$588$31
Information technologyLn 14$1K$1K$28
OccupancyLn 16$9K$9K
TravelLn 17$99K$69K$4K$26K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$10K$10K
InsuranceLn 23$2K$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$81K$78K$2K$570
All other expensesLn 24e$100$100
Total functional expensesLn 25$788K$713K$45K$30K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $533K$760K−$228K$597K 990 PDF
FY2024 $1.1M$700K$402K$840K 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $776K$788K−$12K$434K 990 PDF
FY2022 $509K$69K$441K$441K 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 FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $776,468 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $472,366$510,000
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $36,864$266,448
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $2$20
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $30$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $509,262$776,468
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$15,225
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $0$0
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $68,606$773,024
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $68,606$788,249
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $440,656−$11,781
Part VI · Governance 3 of 3 board members independent, 2 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body3
VI-1b Independent voting members3
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $776,468 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$510,000
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$510,000
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $266,448$266,448
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $20$20
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $266,448 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $20$776,468
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $788,249 across 12 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $15,225$15,225
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $6,400$6,400
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $541,122 · Management $20,000 · Fundraising $2,626$563,748
IX-12 Advertising and promotionFundraising $695$695
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $588 · Fundraising $31$619
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $1,434 · Fundraising $28$1,462
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $9,108$9,108
IX-17 TravelPrograms $68,623 · Management $3,688 · Fundraising $26,461$98,772
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $9,819$9,819
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $1,533$1,533
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $77,812 · Management $2,386 · Fundraising $570$80,768
IX-24e All other expensesManagement $100$100
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $712,601 · Management $45,237 · Fundraising $30,411$788,249
Part X · Balance sheet $435,464 assets, 8 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $440,656$351,561
X-4 Accounts receivable$3,000
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $0$80,903
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $440,656$435,464
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expenses$1,867
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$1,867
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $440,656$433,597
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $440,656$435,464
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $433,597 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$776,468
XI-2 Total expenses$788,249
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$11,781
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$440,656
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$4,722
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$433,597

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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