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Nonprofiteer
← EMPIRICAL RESOLUTION INC

Form 990 for tax year 2025

Filed by EMPIRICAL RESOLUTION INC.

Totals

Total revenue
$6,373,772
Total expenses
$6,046,195
Contributions and grants received
$4,827,200
Grants paid
$0
Program service revenue
$1,360,878
Investment income
$185,694
Other revenue
$0
Total assets, end of year
$11,054,830
Total liabilities, end of year
$1,105,152
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$9,949,678
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$4,551,687
Management and general expenses
$1,129,285
Fundraising expenses
$365,223
Program service expenses (Part III)
$4,551,687

Program services were 75.3% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $4,827,200

  • 2a · Program service revenue: PROGRAM SERVICE FEES

    total $1,360,878 · related or exempt $1,360,878

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $185,694 · excluded $185,694

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $1,026,169 · program services $728,050 · management and general $171,005 · fundraising $127,114

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $1,383,135 · program services $925,726 · management and general $377,815 · fundraising $79,594

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $124,422 · program services $85,405 · management and general $28,342 · fundraising $10,675

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $202,919 · program services $139,286 · management and general $46,223 · fundraising $17,410

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $180,688 · program services $124,026 · management and general $41,160 · fundraising $15,502

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $50,650 · management and general $50,650

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $472,867 · program services $415,457 · management and general $57,410

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $12,600 · program services $126 · management and general $12,467 · fundraising $7

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $514,754 · program services $500,183 · management and general $11,657 · fundraising $2,914

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $30,768 · program services $23,076 · management and general $6,154 · fundraising $1,538

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $122,577 · program services $101,820 · management and general $4,873 · fundraising $15,884

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $1,849,611 · program services $1,479,689 · management and general $277,441 · fundraising $92,481

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $25,960 · management and general $25,960

  • 24e · All other expenses

    total $49,075 · program services $28,843 · management and general $18,128 · fundraising $2,104

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $23,588 · end of year $147,182

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $1,116,673 · end of year $928,573

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $205,400 · end of year $1,450,297

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $54,226 · end of year $56,646

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $102,643 · end of year $83,292

  • 10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

    $12,906,321

  • 10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

    $8,564,835

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $3,971,877 · end of year $4,341,486

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $5,039,764 · end of year $4,047,352

  • 12 · Investments: other securities

    beginning of year $2 · end of year $2

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $321,589 · end of year $389,134

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    beginning of year $570,483 · end of year $716,018

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $9,451,769 · end of year $7,624,544

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $170,332 · end of year $2,325,134

Mission and programs · 2025

Mission

QUILL PROVIDES FREE ONLINE LITERACY TOOLS TO ENABLE LOW-INCOME K-12 STUDENTS TO BECOME GREAT WRITERS. STUDENTS ARE PROVIDED INSTANT FEEDBACK ON THEIR WRITING AND TEACHERS ARE PROVIDED A FREE, HIGH QUALITY CURRICULUM ALIGNED WITH NATIONAL AND STATE STANDARDS.

Activities or mission (Part I)

QUILL PROVIDES FREE ONLINE TOOLS TO HELP LOW-INCOME STUDENTS BECOME STRONG WRITERS.

  • QUILL.ORG'S MISSION IS TO STRENGTHEN STUDENTS' READING, WRITING, AND CRITICAL THINKING ACROSS ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS, SOCIAL STUDIES, SCIENCE, AND AI LITERACY. QUILL'S TOOLS PAIR CURRICULUM-ALIGNED PROMPTS WITH A HIGHLY PROGRAMMED, QUALITY-FOCUSED AI FEEDBACK SYSTEM THAT COACHES STUDENTS TO USE EVIDENCE EFFECTIVELY, REFINE LANGUAGE, AND EXPRESS IDEAS FROM TEXTS WITH GREATER CLARITY. THIS APPROACH HELPS APPROXIMATE ONE-ON-ONE CLASSROOM SUPPORT BY GUIDING STUDENTS THROUGH PRODUCTIVE STRUGGLE AS THEY WRITE AND REVISE. QUILL HAS REACHED 12 MILLION STUDENTS, INCLUDING 8 MILLION AT TITLE I SCHOOLS. COLLECTIVELY, STUDENTS HAVE WRITTEN 3 BILLION SENTENCES ON QUILL, VALUED AT OVER 1 BILLION DOLLARS OF INSTRUCTIONAL IMPACT.

    Expenses $4,551,687 · Revenue $1,360,878

As filed on the 2025 return.

Listed in Part VII

  • Peter Gault

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $317,786
    From this org
    $297,048
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $20,738
    Hours/week
    60

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $218,948
    Bonus
    $78,100
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $9,000
    Nontaxable benefits
    $11,738
    Filer's total
    $317,786

  • Benjamin Sussman

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Paul Walker

    BOARD CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Tony Sebro

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Matthew Rodriguez

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Stephanie Cohen

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Heejae Lim

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Peter Norvig

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Daniel Drabik

    CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $283,231
    From this org
    $265,309
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $17,922
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $238,309
    Bonus
    $27,000
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $9,740
    Nontaxable benefits
    $8,182
    Filer's total
    $283,231

  • Christina Collins-Berry

    VP OF PARTNERSHIP & PROFES

    Total calculated
    $230,681
    From this org
    $211,013
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $19,668
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $189,913
    Bonus
    $21,100
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $7,992
    Nontaxable benefits
    $11,676
    Filer's total
    $230,681

  • Rebekah Bergman

    VP OF CURRICULUM

    Total calculated
    $194,470
    From this org
    $188,205
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $6,265
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $172,105
    Bonus
    $16,100
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $5,961
    Nontaxable benefits
    $304
    Filer's total
    $194,470

  • Peter Sharkey

    PRINCIPAL PRODUCT MANAGER

    Total calculated
    $217,141
    From this org
    $213,585
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $3,556
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $210,485
    Bonus
    $3,100
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $3,302
    Nontaxable benefits
    $254
    Filer's total
    $217,141

  • Thomas Robertson

    SENIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER I

    Total calculated
    $194,072
    From this org
    $178,906
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $15,166
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $175,806
    Bonus
    $3,100
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $6,962
    Nontaxable benefits
    $8,204
    Filer's total
    $194,072

  • Brendan Shean

    STAFF SOFTWARE ENGINEER

    Total calculated
    $200,322
    From this org
    $192,492
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $7,830
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $189,392
    Bonus
    $3,100
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $7,576
    Nontaxable benefits
    $254
    Filer's total
    $200,322

  • Alex Otstott

    SALES DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $193,940
    From this org
    $178,805
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $15,135
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $126,318
    Bonus
    $52,487
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $6,973
    Nontaxable benefits
    $8,162
    Filer's total
    $193,940

  • Shannon Browne

    DIRECTOR OF PARTNER SUCCESS

    Total calculated
    $185,304
    From this org
    $170,411
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $14,893
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $149,347
    Bonus
    $21,064
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $6,712
    Nontaxable benefits
    $8,181
    Filer's total
    $185,304

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Answered yes

  • 3 · Compensation committee
  • 3 · Independent compensation consultant
  • 3 · Form 990 of other organizations
  • 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee
  • 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments

Answered no

  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
  • 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
  • 5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
  • 6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
  • 6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

The filer's explanations (Part III)

PART I, LINE 5
THE SALES TEAM RECEIVED COMMISSION PAYMENTS ON EARNED REVENUE SALES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR SIGNED COMMISSION POLICIES.
PART I, LINE 7
THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDED ANNUAL PERFORMANCE BONUSES. THE BONUS IS ISSUED FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR PRIOR TO DECEMBER 31ST.

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2025
Filed
16 September 2026
IRS schema version
2025v4.2
Source object
202612619349301501

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