To provide substantive, high-quality person-to-person teaching to individuals 16 years or older, without fixed cost; to promote and support independent and student-directed learning.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
78¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 149 volunteers and 2 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2026 · 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
FY2026
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2026, this tax year; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 3
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $112K a year · 36% of revenue · last 3 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 3 of the last 3 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 3 filings
Spent on programs
78%
of spending
Looks good: 78% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$68K
to officers and key staff · 40% of spending
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 40% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
32 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 32.2 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
6
named funders · $72K
Looks good: 6 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$0
0% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
6
of 6 voting members
Looks good: 6 of 6 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$277K
-31% vs prior year
Spent
$172K
To programs
78%
Net assets
$463K
By yearFY2022–FY2026
Revenue
$277K
FY2026▼ -31%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2022$143K
FY2023$143K
FY2024$247K
FY2025$399K
FY2026$277K
Expenses
$172K
FY2026▼ -33%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2022Not on file
FY2023Not on file
FY2024$160K
FY2025$257K
FY2026$172K
Net assets
$463K
FY2026▲ +29%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2022$65K
FY2023$120K
FY2024$216K
FY2025$360K
FY2026$463K

From the FY2026 Form 990 (year ending June 2026) · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2026. IRS ruling in Jan 2022.

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

Where the money goes

78 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 78% · $135K Management & general 13% · $22K Fundraising 9% · $15K

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

7 people listed on the 990; $68K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2025); the FY2026 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Director
$68,333Pt VII · Sec A
President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Jordan Poyner’s $68K as Executive Director is at the 60th 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

NameFY2026FY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022
Jordan Poyner$68,333$62,917$62,917$60,000$60,000
Aschely Cone—$62,917$62,917——

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 Catherine Project INC 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 15aNo

Programs and updates

Offers free, personalized teaching to adults, fostering independent learning.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $123K · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

In July 2025-December 2025, we administered 51 Core Program courses on great books, serving 483 learners free of charge (the Core Program consists of a sequence of four 12-week courses). In each Core Program course, 6-15 participants met weekly over the course of 12 weeks for seminars led by volunteer seminar leaders.

$68Kprogram expense
02

In the same period we administered 77 reading groups, serving 980 learners free of charge. 4-15 participants met weekly for discussions of one or more fundamental texts guided by volunteers skilled at modeling skills of close reading and thoughtful discussion.

$51Kprogram expense
03

In that same period, we administered 7 subject tutorials on languages, mathematics, or writing, serving 105 learners free of charge. 4-20 participants met once or twice weekly to study the subject in question. Subject tutorials ran for between 8-14 weeks.

$4Kprogram 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
See all 6 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2026 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$277K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$277K
Money outPt IX
$172K
Ln 25
Programscol B$135K
Managementcol C$22K
Fundraisingcol D$15K
Owns and owesPt X
$463K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$463K
Total assetsLn 16$463K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
7
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a6
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$277K
Government grantsLn 1e$0
Noncash giftsLn 1g$0
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$0
Total revenueLn 12$277K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$463K
SavingsLn 2$0
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$463K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$463K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$463K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 52
VolunteersI 6149
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 FY26End FY26
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$360K$463K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0$0
Total assetsLn 16$360K$463K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$0
Net assetsLn 32$360K$463K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$35K$25K$5K$5K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$52K$38K$8K$7K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$11K$8K$2K$1K
Payroll taxesLn 10$7K$5K$1K$902
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$49K$49K$49
Office expensesLn 13$459$459
Information technologyLn 14$3K$2K$1K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$7K$7K
InsuranceLn 23$0
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$6K$371$5K$1K
Total functional expensesLn 25$172K$135K$22K$15K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2026 Latest Viewing $277K$172K$105K$463K 990 PDF
FY2025 $399K$257K$142K$360K 990 PDF
FY2024Filed with the IRS May 15, 2025 $247K$160K$88K$216K 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS May 14, 2024 $143K$120K 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS May 11, 2023 $143K$65K 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 FY2026 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $277,153 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $399,440$277,153
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $0$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $399,440$277,153
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 $162,513$105,796
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $94,464$66,629
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $256,977$172,425
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $142,463$104,728
Part VI · Governance 6 of 6 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body6
VI-1b Independent voting members6
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $277,153 across 9 lines filed
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$0
VIII-1b Membership dues$0
VIII-1c Fundraising events$0
VIII-1d Related organizations$0
VIII-1e Government grants$0
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$277,153
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$0
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$277,153
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$277,153
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $172,425 across 10 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $25,200 · Management $5,250 · Fundraising $4,550$35,000
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $37,800 · Management $7,875 · Fundraising $6,825$52,500
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $8,178 · Management $1,704 · Fundraising $1,477$11,359
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $4,994 · Management $1,041 · Fundraising $902$6,937
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $49,206 · Management $49$49,255
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $459$459
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $1,646 · Management $1,420$3,066
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $7,441$7,441
IX-23 Insurance$0
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $371 · Management $4,615 · Fundraising $1,422$6,408
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $134,836 · Management $22,413 · Fundraising $15,176$172,425
Part X · Balance sheet $462,729 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $359,890$462,729
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $0$0
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $0$0
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $0$0
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $0$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $0$0
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $0$0
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $0$0
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $0$0
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $0$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $0$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $359,890$462,729
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $359,890$462,729
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $359,890$462,729
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $462,729 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$277,153
XI-2 Total expenses$172,425
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$104,728
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$359,890
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$0
XI-6 Donated services and use of facilities$0
XI-7 Investment expenses$0
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$0
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$1,889
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$462,729

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2026 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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