New Schools Fund

Tax-deductible

Oakland, CA501(c)(3)Since 1998EducationEIN 94-3281780Revenue $41.8M in FY2024

On file with the IRSnewschools.org2648 International Blvd Ste 301, 94601-1580 · Oakland, CATax-exempt since Feb 1998Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

Tell your story. Claim this org

New Schools fund's mission is to improve public education.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
87¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 10 volunteers and 44 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

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
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $6.6M a year · 12% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
87%
of spending
Looks good: 87% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$3.2M
to officers and key staff · 9% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 89% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 9% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Concern: 0.1 months of spending in cash; under 2 weeks.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
11
named funders · $7.5M
Looks good: 11 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$1.7M
2% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 2% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
10
of 11 voting members
Looks good: 10 of 11 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$41.8M
-15% vs prior year
Spent
$36.1M
To programs
87%
Net assets
$69.2M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$41.8M
FY2024▼ -15%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$65.3M
FY2021$41.2M
FY2022$74.5M
FY2023$49.1M
FY2024$41.8M
Expenses
$36.1M
FY2024▼ -34%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$42.3M
FY2021$46.7M
FY2022$59.4M
FY2023$54.5M
FY2024$36.1M
Net assets
$69.2M
FY2024▲ +8%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$77.9M
FY2021$54.0M
FY2022$68.6M
FY2023$63.9M
FY2024$69.2M

From the FY2024 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Feb 1998.

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

Where the money goes

87 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 87% · $31.2M Management & general 11% · $4.1M Fundraising 2% · $783K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Something off? Claim to fix it

Who runs it and what they're paid

21 people listed on the 990; $3.2M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$501,869Pt VII · Sec A
Chief People Officer
$324,810Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Strategy Officer/Sec
$318,082Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Operating Officer/Tr
$310,805Pt VII · Sec A
Managing Partner
$289,320Pt VII · Sec A
$246,860Pt VII · Sec A
Partner, Equitable Investi
$242,662Pt VII · Sec A
Director, Development
$239,530Pt VII · Sec A

Frances Messano’s $502K as CEO is at the 89th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3683 $10–100M 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

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Stacey Childress——$150,006$150,007$597,370
Frances Messano$501,869$491,743$448,938$420,199$342,750
Danielle Kristine Toussaint—$346,251$293,306——
Heather McManus$324,810$318,633$294,002$240,694$211,110
Delicia Jones$318,082$305,100———
Christopher Lozier$310,805$304,435$120,255——
Mia Howard$289,320$264,066$232,676——
Amy Omand——$273,198$270,232$258,615

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 New Schools Fund executive salaries →

On this list? Claim this org

Something off? Claim to fix it

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

Invests philanthropic capital and provides management support to educators and entrepreneurs launching innovative public schools and diverse learning solutions to improve public education.

Questions for New Schools Fund

Tap to ask. New Schools Fund sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. New Schools Fund answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

Know this org? Add your story

1 program · $31.2M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Venture Funding and Support

Newschools raises philanthropic dollars and invests them in entrepreneurs and teams of educators. We find, fund, and support organizations that are reimagining education. In addition to providing financial assistance, newschools also provides additional resources including convenings, access to research, participation in a cohort, and…

$31.2Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
See all 11 funders →
Grants paid · 744 grants · $146.5M · 2020–2024
Edgecombe County Public SchoolsFY2024$315,000
Radical Arts Academy of DenverCO · FY2024$315,000
Foust Gaming and Robotics School (guilford County Schools)FY2024$315,000
Education EvolvingMN · FY2024$250,000
CommunityshareAZ · FY2024$250,000
Timely SchoolsFY2024$250,000
Oko Labs INCFY2024$250,000
Capti - Charmtech Labs LLCFY2024$250,000
Peerteach INCFY2024$250,000
Paloma Learning INCFY2024$250,000
Cultivating LiteracyCA · FY2024$250,000
Assistments Foundation INCMA · FY2024$250,000
See all 744 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$41.8M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$40.3M
Investment incomeLn 3$1.5M
Other incomeLn 4–11$10K
Money outPt IX
$36.1M
Ln 25
Programscol B$31.2M
Managementcol C$4.1M
Fundraisingcol D$783K
Owns and owesPt X
$69.2M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$250K
Total assetsLn 16$70.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.7M
PeoplePt VI, VII
21
listed · VII A
PaidVII A11
Voting boardVI 1a11
IndependentVI 1b10
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$40.3M
Government grantsLn 1e$284K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$8.9M
Investment incomeLn 3$1.5M
Other incomeLn 4–11$10K
Gains on assetsLn 7−$144K
Total revenueLn 12$41.8M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$250K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$250K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$42.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$337K
Other assetsLn 15$466K
Total assetsLn 16$70.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.7M
Net assetsLn 32$69.2M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 544
VolunteersI 610
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$1.2M$250K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$42.3M$42.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$245K$337K
Total assetsLn 16$66.4M$70.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.4M$1.7M
Net assetsLn 32$63.9M$69.2M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$19.4M$19.4M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$2.2M$1.6M$464K$187K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$5.0M$3.5M$1.0M$431K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$348K$256K$61K$31K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$788K$508K$204K$76K
Payroll taxesLn 10$464K$334K$93K$37K
Legal feesLn 11b$11K$11K
Accounting feesLn 11c$96K$96K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$3.5M$3.0M$505K$6K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$220K$220K
Office expensesLn 13$62K$31K$29K$2K
Information technologyLn 14$458K$32K$423K$3K
OccupancyLn 16$735K$29K$705K$723
TravelLn 17$326K$276K$42K$8K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$110K$74K$35K$1K
InterestLn 20$23K$23K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$86K$25K$61K
InsuranceLn 23$36K$36K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$2.2M$1.9M$253K$321
Total functional expensesLn 25$36.1M$31.2M$4.1M$783K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $41.8M$36.1M$5.7M$69.2M 990 PDF
FY2023 $49.1M$54.5M−$5.5M$63.9M 990 PDF
FY2022 $74.5M$59.4M$15.1M$68.6M 990 PDF
FY2021 $41.2M$46.7M−$5.5M$54.0M 990 PDF
FY2020 $65.3M$42.3M$23.0M$77.9M 990 PDF

More to add? Claim this org

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 FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $41,832,970 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $45,026,641$40,294,988
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $3,993,429$1,527,689
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $49,429$10,293
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $49,069,499$41,832,970
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $32,051,500$19,443,097
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $10,838,041$8,821,694
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $11,630,654$7,843,764
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $54,520,195$36,108,555
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$5,450,696$5,724,415
Part VI · Governance 10 of 11 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body11
VI-1b Independent voting members10
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 $41,832,970 across 9 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$284,216
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$40,010,772
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$8,933,454
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$40,294,988
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $1,671,807$1,671,807
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $4,450$4,450
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax −$144,118−$144,118
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $5,843$5,843
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $1,537,982$41,832,970
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $36,108,555 across 19 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $19,443,097$19,443,097
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $1,561,570 · Management $463,782 · Fundraising $187,010$2,212,362
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $3,534,900 · Management $1,043,318 · Fundraising $430,785$5,009,003
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $255,578 · Management $61,245 · Fundraising $31,459$348,282
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $507,762 · Management $203,665 · Fundraising $76,403$787,830
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $333,712 · Management $93,177 · Fundraising $37,328$464,217
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $11,259$11,259
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $95,865$95,865
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $2,984,922 · Management $504,947 · Fundraising $5,596$3,495,465
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $219,663$219,663
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $31,207 · Management $28,777 · Fundraising $1,893$61,877
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $32,335 · Management $423,333 · Fundraising $2,522$458,190
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $29,278 · Management $704,729 · Fundraising $723$734,730
IX-17 TravelPrograms $276,429 · Management $42,361 · Fundraising $7,701$326,491
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $73,663 · Management $35,200 · Fundraising $1,091$109,954
IX-20 InterestManagement $23,362$23,362
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $25,083 · Management $61,129$86,212
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $35,893$35,893
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,931,553 · Management $252,929 · Fundraising $321$2,184,803
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $31,240,752 · Management $4,084,971 · Fundraising $782,832$36,108,555
Part X · Balance sheet $70,939,482 assets, 17 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,162,541$250,000
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $20,759,942$26,590,502
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $393,051$559,733
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $179,079$425,233
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $244,830$336,677
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $36,318,455$36,939,542
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $5,968,227$5,371,457
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $1,367,295$466,338
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $66,393,420$70,939,482
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $882,661$1,227,756
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $125,000$0
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $1,440,614$487,355
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $2,448,275$1,715,111
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $43,016,636$32,634,839
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $20,928,509$36,589,532
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $63,945,145$69,224,371
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $66,393,420$70,939,482
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $69,224,371 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$41,832,970
XI-2 Total expenses$36,108,555
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$5,724,415
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$63,945,145
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$445,189
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$69,224,371

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

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

Your org? Add context

Made it to the end? Claim this org

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.