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Thinking Nation Corp FY2024 filing

Tax-deductible

Porter Ranch, CA501(c)(3)EducationEIN 85-0606371Revenue $1.3M in FY2024

On file with the IRSthinkingnation.org12055 Shadow Ridge Way, 91326-4023 · Porter Ranch, CATax-exempt since Oct 2020Publicly supported — 509(a)(2)

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Helping schools cultivate Thinking citizens through history curriculum and assessments.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
89¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$343K 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

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
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 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $28K a year · 3% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
89%
of spending
Looks good: 89% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$343K
to officers and key staff · 25% of spending
Worth a look: pay to officers and key staff is 25% of spending; over 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
1 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.3 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $1.2M
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$9K
1% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 1% of assets; 50% or less.
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
$1.3M
+47% vs prior year
Spent
$1.4M
To programs
89%
Net assets
$640K
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$1.3M
FY2024▲ +47%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$457K
FY2022$348K
FY2023$900K
FY2024$1.3M
FY2025$1.5M
Expenses
$1.4M
FY2024▲ +74%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$374K
FY2022$357K
FY2023$785K
FY2024$1.4M
FY2025$1.5M
Net assets
$640K
FY2024▼ -5%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$536K
FY2022$528K
FY2023$674K
FY2024$640K
FY2025$554K

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

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You’re viewing the FY2024 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 Oct 2020.

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

Where the money goes

89 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 89% · $1.2M Management & general 11% · $150K

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

11 people listed on the 990; $343K 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
Elizabeth Connolly
Chief Partnership Officer
$150,000Pt VII · Sec A
Spenser Mix
Chief Operating Officer
$96,320Pt VII · Sec A
Zachary Cote
Executive Director
$96,320Pt VII · Sec A
Paolo Demaria
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Don Fraiser
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Dinah Ruch
Board President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Catherine Odonnell
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
William Pulgarin
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Elizabeth Connolly’s $135K as Chief Partnership Officer is at the 56th 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 · 4 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Elizabeth Connolly$134,995$150,000———
Spenser Mix$104,882$96,320$91,162$103,207$45,304
Zachary Cote$104,882$96,320$91,162$95,379$45,024
Mary Elizabeth Connelly——$25,801——

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

Develops history curriculum and assessments to help schools cultivate thinking citizens.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $1.2M · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

Providing document-based curriculum that allows students to practice interdisciplinary reading, writing, and analysis skills necessary for success in all subjects. Our curriculum can be administered online or in PDF format allowing for both virtual and classroom instruction.

$1.2Mprogram 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
Donor Advised Charitable Giving INCFY2024$1.0M
Bill and Dinah Ruch Family FoundationFY2024$150K
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$1.2M

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.3M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$800K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$525K
Money outPt IX
$1.4M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.2M
Managementcol C$150K
Owns and owesPt X
$640K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$152K
Total assetsLn 16$648K
LiabilitiesLn 26$9K
PeoplePt VI, VII
11
listed · VII A
PaidVII A3
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b8
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$800K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$525K
Total revenueLn 12$1.3M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$152K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$152K
Total assetsLn 16$648K
LiabilitiesLn 26$9K
Net assetsLn 32$640K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 511
VolunteersI 60
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$183K$152K
Total assetsLn 16$674K$648K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$9K
Net assetsLn 32$674K$640K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$395K$395K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$229K$229K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$8K$8K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$10K$10K
Payroll taxesLn 10$57K$57K
Accounting feesLn 11c$199$199
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$475K$475K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$53K$53K
Office expensesLn 13$22K$22K
Information technologyLn 14$44K$43K$944
TravelLn 17$48K$48K
InterestLn 20$845$845
InsuranceLn 23$23K$23K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$2K$2K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.4M$1.2M$150K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $1.5M$1.5M−$10K$554K 990 PDF
FY2024 Viewing $1.3M$1.4M−$42K$640K 990 PDF
FY2023 $900K$785K$115K$674K 990 PDF
FY2022 $348K$357K−$9K$528K 990 PDF
FY2021 $457K$374K$83K$536K 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 FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,325,425 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $800,150$800,000
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $100,030$525,425
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $900,180$1,325,425
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $476,697$699,298
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $308,196$668,603
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $784,893$1,367,901
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $115,287−$42,476
Part VI · Governance 8 of 8 board members independent, 2 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body8
VI-1b Independent voting members8
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 $1,325,425 across 4 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$800,000
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$800,000
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $525,425$525,425
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $525,425 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$1,325,425
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,367,901 across 14 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $395,362$395,362
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $228,582$228,582
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $8,286$8,286
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $10,053$10,053
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $57,015$57,015
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $199$199
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $475,090$475,090
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $52,750$52,750
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $22,440$22,440
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $43,156 · Management $944$44,100
IX-17 TravelManagement $48,167$48,167
IX-20 InterestManagement $845$845
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $22,857$22,857
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Management $2,155$2,155
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,217,544 · Management $150,357 · Fundraising $0$1,367,901
Part X · Balance sheet $648,161 assets, 10 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $183,041$151,744
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $0$8,967
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $3,757$0
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $487,450$487,450
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $674,248$648,161
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $0$8,618
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$8,618
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $674,248$639,543
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $674,248$639,543
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $674,248$648,161
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $639,543 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,325,425
XI-2 Total expenses$1,367,901
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$42,476
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$674,248
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$7,771
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$639,543

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

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