The Meridian School

Tax-deductible

Seattle, WA501(c)(3)Since 1979EducationEIN 91-1005629Revenue $7.9M in FY2025

On file with the IRSmeridianschool.edu4649 Sunnyside Ave N Ste 242, 98103-6955 · Seattle, WATax-exempt since Apr 1979School — 170(b)(1)(A)(ii)

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501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
74¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 110 volunteers and 82 employees.
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
2 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $73K a year · under 1% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 2 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
74%
of spending
Fine: 74% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$676K
to officers and key staff · 8% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 84% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 8% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.5 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
3
named funders · $141K
Looks good: 3 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$17.8M
78% of total assets
Worth a look: liabilities are 78% of assets; over 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
12
of 12 voting members
Looks good: 12 of 12 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$7.9M
-0.05% vs prior year
Spent
$8.1M
To programs
74%
Net assets
$5.0M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$7.9M
FY2025-0.05%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$5.9M
FY2021$7.3M
FY2022$8.4M
FY2023$7.7M
FY2024$7.9M
FY2025$7.9M
Expenses
$8.1M
FY2025▲ +2%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$5.9M
FY2021$6.9M
FY2022$7.7M
FY2023$8.0M
FY2024$8.0M
FY2025$8.1M
Net assets
$5.0M
FY2025▲ +4%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$4.1M
FY2021$4.9M
FY2022$4.9M
FY2023$4.6M
FY2024$4.9M
FY2025$5.0M

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 Apr 1979.

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

Where the money goes

74 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 74% · $6.0M Management & general 24% · $1.9M Fundraising 2% · $139K

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

18 people listed on the 990; $676K 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
Head of School (until Aug 2024)
$205,568Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Enrollment Management
$109,870Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Equity and Inclusion
$109,144Pt VII · Sec A
Lead Teacher
$106,467Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Finance
$77,016Pt VII · Sec A
Interim Head of School(after Aug 24)
$68,075Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Ruth Bissell’s $206K as Head of School (until Aug 2024) is at the 84th 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 · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Ruth Bissell$205,568$212,187$111,850———
Meghan Kimpton————$173,896$166,584
Kelley Williams—$148,750$122,400$92,097$88,543$71,052
Rebecca Butman$109,870$104,295————
Olga Vrentas$109,144—————
Jennifer Piazza$106,467—————
Sarah Shaikh$77,016—————
Tracy Bennett———$73,503——

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 The Meridian School 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 15aYes

Programs and updates

Provides elementary education for grades pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, including before and after school care and summer enrichment programs.

Questions for The Meridian School

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $6.0M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Elementary education for grades pre-kindergarten through 5TH grade, including before and after school care and summer camp and enrichment programs.

$6.0Mprogram 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 3 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$7.9M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$7.2M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$412K
Investment incomeLn 3$206K
Money outPt IX
$8.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$6.0M
Managementcol C$1.9M
Fundraisingcol D$139K
Owns and owesPt X
$5.0M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.0M
Total assetsLn 16$22.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$17.8M
PeoplePt VI, VII
18
listed · VII A
PaidVII A6
Voting boardVI 1a12
IndependentVI 1b12
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$412K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$38K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$41K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$7.2M
Investment incomeLn 3$206K
Other incomeLn 4–11$5K
Gains on assetsLn 7$70K
Total revenueLn 12$7.9M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$945K
SavingsLn 2$95K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.0M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$5.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$4.7M
Other assetsLn 15$11.5M
Total assetsLn 16$22.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$17.8M
Net assetsLn 32$5.0M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 582
VolunteersI 6110
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$1.3M$1.0M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$4.9M$5.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$4.7M$4.7M
Total assetsLn 16$23.3M$22.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$18.4M$17.8M
Net assetsLn 32$4.9M$5.0M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$818K$818K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$438K$311K$115K$11K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$3.6M$2.6M$952K$92K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$166K$118K$44K$4K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$377K$268K$99K$10K
Payroll taxesLn 10$357K$254K$94K$9K
Accounting feesLn 11c$19K$19K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$52K$50K$2K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$64K$64K$64
Office expensesLn 13$42K$38K$4K
Information technologyLn 14$236K$196K$40K
OccupancyLn 16$971K$790K$181K
InterestLn 20$89K$23K$64K$2K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$212K$171K$41K
InsuranceLn 23$52K$52K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$589K$492K$93K$5K
Total functional expensesLn 25$8.1M$6.0M$1.9M$139K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $7.9M$8.1M−$240K$5.0M 990 PDF
FY2024 $7.9M$8.0M−$94K$4.9M 990 PDF
FY2023 $7.7M$8.0M−$257K$4.6M 990 PDF
FY2022 $8.4M$7.7M$747K$4.9M 990 PDF
FY2021 $7.3M$6.9M$319K$4.9M 990 PDF
FY2020 $5.9M$5.9M−$36K$4.1M 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 FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $7,855,367 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $253,256$411,532
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $7,150,931$7,232,385
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $453,700$206,470
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $1,710$4,980
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $7,859,597$7,855,367
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $766,029$818,490
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $4,561,304$4,949,791
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $2,625,864$2,327,364
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $7,953,197$8,095,645
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$93,600−$240,278
Part VI · Governance 12 of 12 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body12
VI-1b Independent voting members12
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 $7,855,367 across 10 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$40,719
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$370,813
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$38,048
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$411,532
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $7,232,385$7,232,385
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $136,897$136,897
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $4,980$4,980
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $69,573$69,573
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $7,232,385 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $211,450$7,855,367
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $8,095,645 across 16 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $818,490$818,490
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $311,389 · Management $115,395 · Fundraising $11,164$437,948
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $2,568,075 · Management $951,678 · Fundraising $92,079$3,611,832
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $118,070 · Management $43,754 · Fundraising $4,234$166,058
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $268,179 · Management $99,382 · Fundraising $9,615$377,176
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $253,675 · Management $94,007 · Fundraising $9,095$356,777
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $19,300$19,300
IX-11g Other fees for servicesManagement $50,061 · Fundraising $2,400$52,461
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $63,547 · Fundraising $64$63,611
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $38,120 · Fundraising $3,524$41,644
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $196,051 · Management $40,115$236,166
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $790,326 · Management $181,026$971,352
IX-20 InterestPrograms $22,987 · Management $63,799 · Fundraising $2,166$88,952
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $170,926 · Management $40,960$211,886
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $52,497$52,497
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $492,141 · Management $92,708 · Fundraising $4,646$589,495
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $6,010,309 · Management $1,946,349 · Fundraising $138,987$8,095,645
Part X · Balance sheet $22,879,676 assets, 16 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,045,401$945,162
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $256,824$94,602
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $1,023$3,455
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $97,463$106,394
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $4,741,964$4,749,572
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $4,896,182$5,432,934
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $12,223,172$11,547,557
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $23,262,029$22,879,676
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $492,213$486,457
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $1,920,510$1,887,188
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $13,112,981$12,653,495
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $18,400,205$17,832,311
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $3,935,002$4,077,845
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $926,822$969,520
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $4,861,824$5,047,365
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $23,262,029$22,879,676
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $5,047,365 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$7,855,367
XI-2 Total expenses$8,095,645
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$240,278
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$4,861,824
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$442,433
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$16,614
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$5,047,365

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

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