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Nonprofiteer
← POISE FOUNDATION

Form 990 for tax year 2025

Filed by POISE FOUNDATION.

Totals

Total revenue
$3,897,929
Total expenses
$3,988,582
Contributions and grants received
$3,313,521
Grants paid
$1,340,816
Program service revenue
$0
Investment income
$584,408
Other revenue
$0
Total assets, end of year
$14,522,018
Total liabilities, end of year
$1,197,149
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$13,324,869
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$3,183,700
Management and general expenses
$683,143
Fundraising expenses
$121,739
Program service expenses (Part III)
$3,183,700

Program services were 79.8% 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.

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $288,424

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $3,025,097

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $390,803 · excluded $390,803

  • 7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

    securities $1,278,072

  • 7b · Less cost or other basis and sales expenses

    securities $1,084,467

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities $193,605

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total $193,605 · excluded $193,605

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments

    total $1,340,816 · program services $1,340,816

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $340,915 · program services $166,741 · management and general $137,560 · fundraising $36,614

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $456,363 · program services $223,209 · management and general $184,140 · fundraising $49,014

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $27,232 · program services $13,319 · management and general $10,988 · fundraising $2,925

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $134,669 · program services $65,866 · management and general $54,340 · fundraising $14,463

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $47,034 · program services $23,004 · management and general $18,979 · fundraising $5,051

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $27,540 · management and general $27,540

  • 11f · Fees: investment management

    total $40,629 · program services $38,997 · management and general $1,632

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $149,082 · management and general $149,082

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $28,629 · management and general $28,629

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $8,231 · program services $2,756 · management and general $4,995 · fundraising $480

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $51,443 · program services $25,161 · management and general $20,757 · fundraising $5,525

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $15,435 · program services $136 · management and general $15,299

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $399 · management and general $399

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $12,518 · program services $6,123 · management and general $5,051 · fundraising $1,344

  • 24a · Other expenses: FISCAL SPONSOR

    total $1,247,495 · program services $1,247,495

  • 24b · Other expenses: DUES AND FEES

    total $60,152 · program services $30,077 · management and general $23,752 · fundraising $6,323

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $285,623 · end of year $681,703

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $1,832,062 · end of year $1,106,912

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $526,186 · end of year $446,695

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $1,864,738

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $1,210

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

    $19,413

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

    $17,613

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $2,199 · end of year $1,800

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $9,524,977 · end of year $11,914,706

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $397,647 · end of year $370,202

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $289,133 · end of year $227,534

  • 18 · Grants payable

    beginning of year $573,617 · end of year $1,687

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    beginning of year $261,525 · end of year $0

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $899,590 · end of year $967,928

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $1,670,960 · end of year $2,014,334

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $10,739,817 · end of year $11,310,535

Mission and programs · 2025

Mission

POISE AMPLIFIES THE POWER OF BLACK COMMUNITIES TO FUEL TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE AND UPLIFT PATHWAYS TO SELF-DETERMINATION AND SHARED SUCCESS.

  • PROVIDED GRANTS AND PROGRAM SUPPORT TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN EDUCATIONAL, ECONOMIC OR CULTURAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE BLACK COMMUNITY. THE FOUNDATION PROVIDES GRANTS TO NONPROFIT CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS THAT EXECUTE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES IN LINE WITH THE FOUNDATION'S MISSION. THIS ALSO INCLUDES PROVIDING GRANTS AND ADMINISTRATION SERVICES FOR THIRD PARTY ORGANIZATIONS DUE TO FOUNDATION'S GRANTS ADMINISTRATION EXPERTISE AND KNOWLEDGE AND RELATIONSHIP TO THE COMMUNITY SERVED.

    Expenses $453,990 · Grants $439,204

  • POISE ACTS AS A FISCAL SPONSOR FOR VARIOUS PROGRAMS, PROJECTS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE NOT DEFINED AS CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS BASED ON THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OR QUALIFIED ORGANIZATIONS SEEKING TO INCREASE THEIR CAPACITY THROUGH FISCAL SPONSORSHIP.

    Expenses $1,998,773 · Grants $259,154

  • EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT TAX CREDIT. PROVIDED SCHOLARSHIPS TO FAMILIES ATTENDING PRIVATE SCHOOLS FOR PRE KINDERGARTEN THROUGH TWELFTH GRADE. THIS PROGRAM IS FUNDED BY CORPORATE AND OTHER QUALIFYING DONATIONS WHICH PROVIDE THE DONORS A TAX CREDIT TOWARDS THEIR PENNSYLVANIA TAX LIABILITY.

    Expenses $238,068 · Grants $215,602

  • POISE FOUNDATION PROVIDES GRANTS TO ORGANIZATIONS DEDICATED TO EMPOWERING AND STRENGTHENING THE BLACK COMMUNITY. FUNDING SUPPORTS SPECIFIC INTERESTS OF DONORS AS WELL AS TARGETED INITIATIVES ACROSS KEY IMPACT AREAS, INCLUDING ARTS & CULTURE, EDUCATION, COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ENTREPRENEURIAL ACTIVITIES, STRENGTHENING BLACK FAMILIES, WOMEN AND GIRLS, AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT. ADDITIONALLY, THE FOUNDATION AWARDS POST-SECONDARY SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS PURSUING HIGHER EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES.

    Expenses $492,869 · Grants $426,856

As filed on the 2025 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • Darrell E Smalley

    CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Ron Lawrence

    VICE CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Samantha Clancy

    SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Michael Crawford

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Lucille Dabney

    MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Annette Gillcrese

    MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Rhonda Fischer

    MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Rev Cornell Jones

    MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Morton Stanfield

    MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Mark Lewis

    CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $193,181
    From this org
    $157,325
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $35,856
    Hours/week
    50

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $157,325
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $4,720
    Nontaxable benefits
    $31,136
    Filer's total
    $193,181

  • Karris Jackson

    CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $147,733
    From this org
    $142,325
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $5,408
    Hours/week
    45

  • Shemariah Little

    MANAGING DIRECTOR OF BLACK EQUITY COALITION

    Total calculated
    $144,999
    From this org
    $130,000
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $14,999
    Hours/week
    45

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 survey or study
  • 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee

Answered no

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

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

The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2025
Filed
26 August 2026
IRS schema version
2025v4.2
Source object
202602389349301300

Check it against the return as filed: the GivingTuesday Data Lake hosts a public copy of the original XML.

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