Cottage Forest School INC

Tax-deductible

Berrien Sprgs, MI501(c)(3)EducationEIN 99-0941902

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To develop the whole childmentally, physically, and spiritually, and to promote the development of character through an education and learning primarily using nature and the Creator.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
89¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 25 volunteers and 10 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · 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
Spent on programs
89%
of spending
Looks good: 89% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$39K
to officers and key staff · 12% of spending
Top officer’s pay lower than 89% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 12% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.7 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Liabilities
$29K
42% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 42% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
0
of 3 voting members
Concern: none of 3 voting members are independent.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$349K
Spent
$330K
To programs
89%
Net assets
$39K

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending July 2025) · 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 2026.

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

Where the money goes

89 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 89% · $294K Management & general 11% · $37K

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

3 people listed on the 990; $39K 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
$15,000Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$12,029Pt VII · Sec A
Administrator
$11,500Pt VII · Sec A

Melissa Morgan’s $15K as Head of School is at the 11th 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.

See Cottage Forest School 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 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo
  • Loans to or from officersSch L · Pt II1 listed

Programs and updates

Nurtures children's minds, bodies, and spirits through nature-based education and character development.

Provided by the organization

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1 program service account for $294K of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2024.
01

We succeeded in developing the mental, physical, and spiritual character of approximately 72 students from kindergarden to eighth grade. Our school thrived and expanded each students sense of wonder and awe through time and experiences in nature, thereby developing in each of them a love for learning and an appreciation for nature and…

$294Kprogram expense

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By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$349K
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$345K
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$4K
Other incomeLn 4–11$596
Money outPt IX
$330K
Ln 25
Programscol B$294K
Managementcol C$37K
Owns and owesPt X
$39K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$46K
Total assetsLn 16$68K
LiabilitiesLn 26$29K
PeoplePt VI, VII
3
listed · VII A
PaidVII A3
Voting boardVI 1a3
IndependentVI 1b0
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$4K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$2K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$345K
Other incomeLn 4–11$596
Total revenueLn 12$349K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$46K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$46K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$4K
Total assetsLn 16$68K
LiabilitiesLn 26$29K
Net assetsLn 32$39K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 510
VolunteersI 625
Fiscal year endsHeaderJuly
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aNo
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$46K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$4K
Total assetsLn 16$0$68K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$29K
Net assetsLn 32$0$39K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$26K$15K$12K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$33K$33K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$171K$165K$7K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$5K$5K$172
Other employee benefitsLn 9$2K$2K
Payroll taxesLn 10$19K$17K$2K
Accounting feesLn 11c$12K$12K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$7K$6K$2K
Office expensesLn 13$18K$15K$3K
OccupancyLn 16$21K$21K
TravelLn 17$6K$6K
InterestLn 20$28$28
InsuranceLn 23$3K$3K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$7K$7K
Total functional expensesLn 25$330K$294K$37K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $349K$330K$19K$39K 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 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $349,440 across 6 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $15 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$1,870
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,668
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$3,538
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $345,306$345,306
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsUnrelated business $581$581
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $345,306 · Unrelated business $596 · Excluded from tax $0$349,440
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $330,160 across 14 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $15,000 · Management $11,500$26,500
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $33,210$33,210
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $164,507 · Management $6,512$171,019
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $4,632 · Management $172$4,804
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $1,537$1,537
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $16,973 · Management $1,798$18,771
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $12,029$12,029
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $5,867 · Management $1,600$7,467
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $14,669 · Management $2,966$17,635
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $20,866$20,866
IX-17 TravelPrograms $6,092$6,092
IX-20 InterestPrograms $28$28
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $3,387$3,387
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $6,815$6,815
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $293,583 · Management $36,577 · Fundraising $0$330,160
Part X · Balance sheet $68,220 assets, 10 lines filed
Asset lines not itemized here account for $14,275; see the IRS return.
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearing$46,473
X-4 Accounts receivable$3,598
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, net$3,874
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $0$68,220
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expenses$5,342
X-19 Deferred revenue$23,339
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$28,986
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictions$39,234
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $0$39,234
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $0$68,220
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $39,234 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$349,440
XI-2 Total expenses$330,160
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$19,280
XI-8 Prior period adjustments$19,954
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$39,234

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

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