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Courage Schools INC

Tax-deductible

Sandy Springs, GA501(c)(3)Education EIN 85-3795659Revenue $2.4M in FY2025

On file with the IRScourageschools.org6480 Roswell Rd, 30328-3148 · Sandy Springs, GATax-exempt since Mar 2021School — 170(b)(1)(A)(ii)

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Courage Schools services rising k though 5th grade students who have a diagnosed language learning differences such as dsylexia and dysgraphia

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
72¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 10 volunteers and 4 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 $425K a year · 28% 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
72%
of spending
Fine: 72% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$290K
to officers and key staff · 17% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 77% of similar orgs
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 17% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
20 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 19.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
4
named funders · $53K
Looks good: 4 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$915K
30% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 30% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 9 voting members
Looks good: 7 of 9 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$2.4M
+17% vs prior year
Spent
$1.7M
To programs
72%
Net assets
$2.1M
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$2.4M
FY2025▲ +17%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$84K
FY2022$1.3M
FY2023$1.7M
FY2024$2.0M
FY2025$2.4M
Expenses
$1.7M
FY2025▲ +14%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$57K
FY2022$947K
FY2023$1.1M
FY2024$1.5M
FY2025$1.7M
Net assets
$2.1M
FY2025▲ +43%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$27K
FY2022$379K
FY2023$981K
FY2024$1.5M
FY2025$2.1M

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 Mar 2021.

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

Where the money goes

72 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 72% · $1.3M Management & general 25% · $439K Fundraising 3% · $45K

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; $290K 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
Dr Mary E McPherson
President & Head of School
$179,848Pt VII · Sec A
Micky Irwin
Treasurer, COO
$110,104Pt VII · Sec A
Wade Hanse
Secretary/Board Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Jaime Curry
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Travis Riker
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Dr Mary E McPherson’s $180K as President & Head of School is at the 77th 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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022
Dr Mary E McPherson$179,848$174,185$156,046$65,000
Micky Irwin$110,104———

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

Helps K-5 students with diagnosed language learning differences like dyslexia.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $1.3M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Courage schools services rising k through 7TH grade students who have a diagnosed language difference such as dyslexia and dysgraphia. Courage schools is a remediation program for students with language based learning differences such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, EXPRESSIVE/RECEPTIVE language disorder, etc.

$1.3Mprogram 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
Raymond James Charitable Endowment FundFY2024$35K
Donor Advised Charitable Giving INCFY2024$10K
American Online Giving Foundation INCFY2024$8K
Verizon FoundationFY2024$350
Total grants receivedfrom 4 funders$53K
See all 4 funders →
Grants paid · 5 grants · $100K · 2021–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$34,387
Unitemized GrantFY2024$20,000
Unitemized GrantFY2023$20,000
Unitemized GrantFY2022$20,000
Unitemized GrantFY2021$6,000

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$2.4M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$2.2M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$170K
Investment incomeLn 3$9K
Money outPt IX
$1.7M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.3M
Managementcol C$439K
Fundraisingcol D$45K
Owns and owesPt X
$2.1M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.8M
Total assetsLn 16$3.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$915K
PeoplePt VI, VII
9
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$170K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$7K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$9K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$2.2M
Investment incomeLn 3$9K
Other incomeLn 4–11$978
Total revenueLn 12$2.4M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$2.4M
SavingsLn 2$416K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$2.8M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$33K
Other assetsLn 15$141K
Total assetsLn 16$3.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$915K
Net assetsLn 32$2.1M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 54
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.1M$2.8M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$50K$33K
Total assetsLn 16$2.4M$3.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$916K$915K
Net assetsLn 32$1.5M$2.1M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$54K$54K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$311K$108K$184K$20K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$54K$54K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$749K$617K$127K$5K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$12K$10K$2K$151
Other employee benefitsLn 9$46K$32K$13K$1K
Payroll taxesLn 10$84K$59K$23K$2K
Accounting feesLn 11c$22K$22K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$58K$55K$3K$0
Advertising and promotionLn 12$2K$2K
Office expensesLn 13$45K$5K$33K$7K
Information technologyLn 14$15K$12K$3K
OccupancyLn 16$181K$154K$18K$9K
TravelLn 17$3K$3K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$24K$24K
InsuranceLn 23$5K$4K$513$41
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$83K$74K$8K$1K
All other expensesLn 24e$0$0$0$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.7M$1.3M$439K$45K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $2.4M$1.7M$637K$2.1M 990 PDF
FY2024 $2.0M$1.5M$508K$1.5M 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.7M$1.1M$602K$981K 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.3M$947K$352K$379K 990 PDF
FY2021 $84K$57K$27K$27K 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 $2,385,846 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $72,422$169,786
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $1,967,746$2,205,852
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $8,084$9,230
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$7,024$978
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $2,041,228$2,385,846
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $20,000$54,387
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,118,619$1,255,517
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $394,722$438,713
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,533,341$1,748,617
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $507,887$637,229
Part VI · Governance 7 of 9 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body9
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 $2,385,846 across 8 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $678 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$9,238
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$160,548
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$6,595
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$169,786
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $2,205,852$2,205,852
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $9,230$9,230
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $300$300
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $2,205,852 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $10,208$2,385,846
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,748,617 across 18 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $54,387$54,387
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $107,590 · Management $184,065 · Fundraising $19,640$311,295
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $54,167$54,167
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $616,938 · Management $126,815 · Fundraising $4,916$748,669
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $9,707 · Management $2,258 · Fundraising $151$12,116
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $31,914 · Management $12,676 · Fundraising $1,000$45,590
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $58,578 · Management $23,266 · Fundraising $1,836$83,680
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $21,675$21,675
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $55,387 · Management $2,868 · Fundraising $0$58,255
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $2,305$2,305
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $4,521 · Management $33,357 · Fundraising $7,434$45,312
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $12,090 · Management $3,022$15,112
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $153,830 · Management $18,097 · Fundraising $9,049$180,976
IX-17 TravelPrograms $2,508$2,508
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $24,425$24,425
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $4,390 · Management $513 · Fundraising $41$4,944
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $74,173 · Management $7,763 · Fundraising $1,265$83,201
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,264,605 · Management $438,680 · Fundraising $45,332$1,748,617
Part X · Balance sheet $3,041,413 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,741,113$2,433,280
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $331,605$415,651
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $2,110$4,045
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $13,047$13,744
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $50,270$33,268
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $266,492$141,425
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $2,404,637$3,041,413
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $2,420$31,146
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $656,956$759,311
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $256,352$124,818
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $915,728$915,275
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,488,057$2,126,138
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $852$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,488,909$2,126,138
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $2,404,637$3,041,413
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $2,126,138 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$2,385,846
XI-2 Total expenses$1,748,617
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$637,229
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,488,909
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$2,126,138

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

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