Teach and mentor personal poetry by teens who have suffered trauma such as abuse neglect and exposure to violence

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
68¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$159K 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

FY2024 · 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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
0 of 4
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $52K a year · 23% of revenue · last 4 filings
Concern: a surplus in 0 of the last 4 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 4 filings
Spent on programs
68%
of spending
Fine: 68% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$159K
to officers and key staff · 56% of spending
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 56% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 2.1 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
4
named funders · $78K
Looks good: 4 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$35K
42% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 42% 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
$256K
+19% vs prior year
Spent
$283K
To programs
68%
Net assets
$47K
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$256K
FY2024▲ +19%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$159K
FY2021$199K
FY2022$220K
FY2023$215K
FY2024$256K
Expenses
$283K
FY2024▲ +11%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020Not on file
FY2021$283K
FY2022$277K
FY2023$255K
FY2024$283K
Net assets
$47K
FY2024▼ -36%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$206K
FY2021$137K
FY2022$114K
FY2023$74K
FY2024$47K

From the FY2024 Form 990 · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Dec 2001.

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

Where the money goes

68 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 68% · $194K Management & general 13% · $36K Fundraising 19% · $53K

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

8 people listed on the 990; $159K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Coexec Dir Dev Fin
$90,192Pt VII · Sec A
Coexec Director Prgm
$68,536Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Presidenttreasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Nebeu Shimeles’s $90K as Coexec Dir Dev Fin is at the 81st percentile of top reported officer pay among 1993 $100K–1M youth development 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.

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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

Empower teens who've faced trauma through personal poetry writing and mentorship.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $194K · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Pongo provides therapeutic poetry writing programs in detention centers, mental health facilities, homeless shelters, and other sites for youth who have experienced trauma, including abuse, neglect, and exposure to violence and oppression.

$194Kprogram 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
ArtsfundFY2024$20K
Total grants receivedfrom 4 funders$78K
See all 4 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$256K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$183K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$56K
Other incomeLn 4–11$16K
Money outPt IX
$283K
Ln 25
Programscol B$194K
Managementcol C$36K
Fundraisingcol D$53K
Owns and owesPt X
$47K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$51K
Total assetsLn 16$82K
LiabilitiesLn 26$35K
PeoplePt VI, VII
8
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a6
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$183K
Government grantsLn 1e$14K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$5K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$56K
Investment incomeLn 3$923
Other incomeLn 4–11$16K
Total revenueLn 12$256K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$31K
SavingsLn 2$19K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$51K
Total assetsLn 16$82K
LiabilitiesLn 26$35K
Net assetsLn 32$47K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 57
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$55K$51K
Total assetsLn 16$93K$82K
LiabilitiesLn 26$18K$35K
Net assetsLn 32$74K$47K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$159K$98K$21K$40K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$27K$27K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$23K$16K$3K$5K
Payroll taxesLn 10$17K$12K$2K$3K
Accounting feesLn 11c$9K$9K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$2K$2K$247
Office expensesLn 13$4K$907$313$3K
Information technologyLn 14$3K$2K$573$286
OccupancyLn 16$2K$2K$218
InsuranceLn 23$13K$11K$643$1K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$24K$24K
Total functional expensesLn 25$283K$194K$36K$53K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest ViewingFiled with the IRS Nov 5, 2025 $256K$283K−$27K$47K 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Nov 13, 2024 $215K$255K−$40K$74K 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Nov 10, 2023 $220K$277K−$57K$114K 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Sep 7, 2022 $199K$283K−$84K$137K 990 PDF
FY2020Filed with the IRS May 27, 2021 $159K$206K 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 FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $255,733 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $158,301$183,195
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $49,035$55,712
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $1,857$923
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $6,189$15,903
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $215,382$255,733
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $198,329$225,090
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $56,704$57,681
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $255,033$282,771
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$39,651−$27,038
Part VI · Governance 6 of 6 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body6
VI-1b Independent voting members6
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 $255,733 across 9 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$13,500
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$169,695
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$5,096
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$183,195
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $55,712$55,712
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $923$923
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$15,798
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $105$105
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $56,740 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$255,733
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $282,771 across 11 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $97,759 · Management $21,465 · Fundraising $39,504$158,728
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $26,530$26,530
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $15,520 · Management $2,735 · Fundraising $5,068$23,323
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $11,556 · Management $1,651 · Fundraising $3,302$16,509
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $8,640$8,640
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $2,227 · Fundraising $247$2,474
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $907 · Management $313 · Fundraising $3,252$4,472
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $2,005 · Management $573 · Fundraising $286$2,864
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $1,964 · Fundraising $218$2,182
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $10,935 · Management $643 · Fundraising $1,287$12,865
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $24,184$24,184
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $193,587 · Management $36,020 · Fundraising $53,164$282,771
Part X · Balance sheet $82,198 assets, 11 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $27,530$31,423
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $27,822$19,145
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $28,238$21,774
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $9,241$9,856
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $92,831$82,198
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $18,346$34,751
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $18,346$34,751
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $69,962$43,074
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $4,523$4,373
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $74,485$47,447
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $92,831$82,198
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $47,447 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$255,733
XI-2 Total expenses$282,771
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$27,038
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$74,485
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$47,447

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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