Barefoot University connects families to nature and each other. Our forest schools nourish the holistic health & education of children. Through child led learning, engaging stem & science based activities, community service projects, creating communities, & equipping families to observe & explore our natural world, barefooters thrive.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
77¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$42K 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

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
4 of 4
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $151K a year · 30% of revenue · last 4 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 4 of the last 4 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 4 filings
Spent on programs
77%
of spending
Looks good: 77% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$42K
to officers and key staff · 19% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 19% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
10 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 9.8 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $2K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$38K
21% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 21% 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
$274K
+20% vs prior year
Spent
$221K
To programs
77%
Net assets
$142K
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$274K
FY2023▲ +20%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$54K
FY2022$228K
FY2023$274K
FY2024$849K
FY2025$698K
Expenses
$221K
FY2023▲ +28%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021Not on file
FY2022$173K
FY2023$221K
FY2024$448K
FY2025$602K
Net assets
$142K
FY2023▲ +60%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$35K
FY2022$89K
FY2023$142K
FY2024$543K
FY2025$639K

From the FY2023 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · 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 Nov 2021.

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

Where the money goes

77 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 77% · $171K Management & general 20% · $43K Fundraising 3% · $7K

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

4 people listed on the 990; $42K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$21,080Pt VII · Sec A
Vice-Preside
$21,080Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Amber Brown’s $42K as Vice-Preside is at the 33rd 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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Amber Brown$41,748$27,080$21,080$10,283$2,250
Madeleine Braden$38,780$27,080$21,080$10,284$2,250

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

Connects families to nature and each other through forest schools and child-led learning.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $171K · in their own filed words · FY2023
01

Barefoot university is an outdoor meeting cooperative group, primarily for kindergarten through high school-aged children. Barefoot university promotes the health and education of each child through weekly focuses and creates communities for homeschool families.

$171Kprogram 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 · FY2023
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$2K

By the numbers

The FY2023 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$274K
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$257K
Other incomeLn 4–11$14K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$3K
Money outPt IX
$221K
Ln 25
Programscol B$171K
Managementcol C$43K
Fundraisingcol D$7K
Owns and owesPt X
$142K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$180K
Total assetsLn 16$180K
LiabilitiesLn 26$38K
PeoplePt VI, VII
4
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a3
IndependentVI 1b3
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$3K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$257K
Other incomeLn 4–11$14K
Total revenueLn 12$274K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$180K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$180K
Total assetsLn 16$180K
LiabilitiesLn 26$38K
Net assetsLn 32$142K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 55
VolunteersI 64
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
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$126K$180K
Total assetsLn 16$126K$180K
LiabilitiesLn 26$37K$38K
Net assetsLn 32$89K$142K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$42K$42K
Payroll taxesLn 10$3K$3K
Legal feesLn 11b$5K$5K
Accounting feesLn 11c$2K$2K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$4K$4K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$2K$2K
Office expensesLn 13$5K$5K$404
Information technologyLn 14$4K$4K
TravelLn 17$2K$2K
InsuranceLn 23$24K$24K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$126K$119K$3K$4K
Total functional expensesLn 25$221K$171K$43K$7K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $698K$602K$96K$639K 990 PDF
FY2024 $849K$448K$401K$543K 990 PDF
FY2023 Viewing $274K$221K$53K$142K 990 PDF
FY2022 $228K$173K$56K$89K 990 PDF
FY2021 $54K$35K 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 $273,899 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $52,867$3,267
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $172,745$256,882
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $2,773$13,750
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $228,385$273,899
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $22,140$45,385
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $150,562$175,329
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $172,702$220,714
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $55,683$53,185
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 $273,899 across 5 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $13,455 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$3,267
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$3,267
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $256,882$256,882
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $295$295
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $270,632$273,899
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $220,714 across 11 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $42,160$42,160
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $3,225$3,225
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $5,000$5,000
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $2,175$2,175
IX-11g Other fees for servicesManagement $4,117$4,117
IX-12 Advertising and promotionFundraising $2,483$2,483
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $4,840 · Fundraising $404$5,244
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $3,833$3,833
IX-17 TravelPrograms $1,841$1,841
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $24,481$24,481
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $119,477 · Management $2,671 · Fundraising $4,007$126,155
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $170,536 · Management $43,284 · Fundraising $6,894$220,714
Part X · Balance sheet $179,513 assets, 7 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $125,569$179,513
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $125,569$179,513
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $36,949$37,708
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $36,949$37,708
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $88,620$141,805
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $88,620$141,805
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $125,569$179,513
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $141,805 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$273,899
XI-2 Total expenses$220,714
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$53,185
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$88,620
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$141,805

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

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