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.
80¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$126K 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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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
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
80%
of spending
Looks good: 80% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$126K
to officers and key staff · 49% of spending
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 49% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
17 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 16.8 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
7
of 7 voting members
Looks good: 7 of 7 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$399K
+62% vs prior year
Spent
$257K
To programs
80%
Net assets
$360K
By yearFY2022–FY2026
Revenue
$399K
FY2025▲ +62%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2022$143K
FY2023$143K
FY2024$247K
FY2025$399K
FY2026$277K
Expenses
$257K
FY2025▲ +61%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2022Not on file
FY2023Not on file
FY2024$160K
FY2025$257K
FY2026$172K
Net assets
$360K
FY2025▲ +67%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2022$65K
FY2023$120K
FY2024$216K
FY2025$360K
FY2026$463K

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2025 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2026) →

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

80 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 80% · $205K Management & general 12% · $30K Fundraising 8% · $21K

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; $126K 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
Executive Director
$62,917Pt VII · Sec A
Associate Director
$62,917Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt 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

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.

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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 · $190K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

In July 2024-June 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.

$121Kprogram expense
02

In the same period we administered 147 reading groups, serving 1409 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.

$60Kprogram expense
03

In that same period, we administered 13 subject tutorials on languages, mathematics, and writing, serving 178 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.

$9Kprogram 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 FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$399K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$399K
Money outPt IX
$257K
Ln 25
Programscol B$205K
Managementcol C$30K
Fundraisingcol D$21K
Owns and owesPt X
$360K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$360K
Total assetsLn 16$360K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
9
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$399K
Government grantsLn 1e$0
Noncash giftsLn 1g$0
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$0
Gains on assetsLn 7$0
Total revenueLn 12$399K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$360K
SavingsLn 2$0
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$360K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$360K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$360K
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$217K$360K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0$0
Total assetsLn 16$217K$360K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$0
Net assetsLn 32$217K$360K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$131K$95K$20K$17K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0$0$0$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$0$0$0$0
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0$0$0$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$21K$15K$3K$3K
Payroll taxesLn 10$10K$7K$2K$1K
Management feesLn 11a$0$0$0$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0$0$0$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$0$0$0$0
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0$0$0$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0$0$0$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$82K$82K$98
Advertising and promotionLn 12$0$0$0$0
Office expensesLn 13$567$0$567$0
Information technologyLn 14$4K$2K$1K$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$3K$3K$41$36
InsuranceLn 23$0
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$5K$1K$4K$104
Total functional expensesLn 25$257K$205K$30K$21K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2026 Latest $277K$172K$105K$463K 990 PDF
FY2025 Viewing $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 FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $399,440 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $249,826$399,440
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 $249,826$399,440
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 $139,205$162,513
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $18,108$94,464
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $157,313$256,977
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $92,513$142,463
Part VI · Governance 7 of 7 board members independent, 3 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members7
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 $399,440 across 14 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$399,440
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$0
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$399,440
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-5 RoyaltiesRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsUnrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$0
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$399,440
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $256,977 across 23 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $0$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $0$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $0$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for membersPrograms $0$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $94,660 · Management $19,721 · Fundraising $17,091$131,472
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $14,907 · Management $3,106 · Fundraising $2,691$20,704
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $7,443 · Management $1,550 · Fundraising $1,344$10,337
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $0$0
IX-11f Investment management feesPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $81,600 · Management $98$81,698
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $0 · Management $0 · Fundraising $0$0
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $0 · Management $567 · Fundraising $0$567
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $2,410 · Management $1,405 · Fundraising $0$3,815
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $3,068 · Management $41 · Fundraising $36$3,145
IX-23 Insurance$0
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,268 · Management $3,867 · Fundraising $104$5,239
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $205,356 · Management $30,355 · Fundraising $21,266$256,977
Part X · Balance sheet $359,890 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $217,427$359,890
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 $217,427$359,890
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $217,427$359,890
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $217,427$359,890
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $359,890 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$399,440
XI-2 Total expenses$256,977
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$142,463
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$217,427
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$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$359,890

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

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