Form 990 for tax year 2024

Totals

Total revenue

$3,409,874

Total expenses

$4,037,593

Contributions and grants received

$3,140,999

Grants paid

$30,111

Program service revenue

$66,378

Investment income

$334,838

Other revenue

-$132,341

Total assets, end of year

$19,291,340

Total liabilities, end of year

$79,030

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$19,212,310

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$2,976,963

Management and general expenses

$417,768

Fundraising expenses

$642,862

Program service expenses (Part III)

$2,976,963

Program services were 73.7% 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.

Mission and programs · 2024

• THE CENTER OPERATES FOUR PROGRAMS THAT ARE ALL ALIGNED WITH THE GOAL OF PROVIDING ACADEMIC SUPPORT, COLLEGE READINESS AND COLLEGE COMPLETION SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WHO FACE THE MOST PRONOUNCED BARRIERS TO SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATING AND COMPLETING HIGHER EDUCATION. OUR THREE ENROLLMENT-BASED ELEMENTARY THROUGH COLLEGE PROGRAMS, (K TO COLLEGE PROGRAMS) ARE DESCRIBED BELOW.THE PIONEER SCHOLARS PROGRAM ENSURES THAT OUR ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE BUILDING THEIR ACADEMIC AND PERSONAL LEADERSHIP SKILLS, ACHIEVING IN SCHOOL, AND LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE COLLEGE SUCCESS. DURING THE 2024-2025 ACADEMIC YEAR, A TOTAL OF 79 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN THE PIONEER SCHOLARS, INCLUDING 45 ELEMENTARY STUDENTS AND 34 MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS. THE PROGRAM OPERATED IN PERSON FIVE DAYS PER WEEK FOR AN AVERAGE OF 7.5 HOURS PER WEEK OF INSTRUCTIONAL TIME, PLUS AN ADDITIONAL 7.5 HOURS PER WEEK FOR PRE-PROGRAMMING ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING PHYSICAL RECREATION AND HOMEWORK ASSISTANCE. IN A WIDESPREAD ENVIRONMENT OF LEARNING LOSS, OUR SCHOLARS DEMONSTRATED MODEST LEARNING GAINS AND ENDED THE YEAR ABOVE STATE METRICS FOR THEIR DEMOGRAPHIC: FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 3-8, 61% MET OR EXCEEDED STATEWIDE READING BENCHMARKS AND 69% MET OR EXCEEDED MATH BENCHMARKS. ADDITIONALLY, IN AN EFFORT TO STEM SUMMER LEARNING LOSS, THE PIONEER SCHOLARS PROGRAM ALSO OPERATED A THREE-WEEK SUMMER SCHOLARS PROGRAM. 87 STUDENTS ATTENDED SUMMER SCHOLARS AND COMPLETED A TOTAL OF 108 HOURS OF IN-PERSON, PROJECT-BASED ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT AND SKILL-BUILDING DESIGNED TO ENSURE THEIR READINESS FOR THE YEAR AHEAD. LASTLY, IN ADDITION TO ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT AND SUPPORT, ALL STUDENTS BENEFITED FROM THE INTEGRATION OF SOCIOEMOTIONAL LEARNING BASED ON THE CASEL FRAMEWORK INTO PROGRAMMING. THESE ACTIVITIES WERE DESIGNED TO PROACTIVELY BUILD STUDENTS' ABILITY TO MANAGE EMOTIONS, COPE WITH STRESS AND PROBLEM-SOLVE. THE SCHOLARS TO COLLEGE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO ASSIST HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO FACE BARRIERS TO HIGHER EDUCATION TO SUCCEED ACADEMICALLY AND PERSONALLY, GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP-ELIGIBLE AND COLLEGE-READY. THIS YEAR, OUR 108 ENROLLED HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN AN AVERAGE OF UP TO 3 HOURS OF WEEKLY CURRICULUM-BASED INSTRUCTION, INDIVIDUALIZED ACADEMIC COACHING AND COLLEGE ADVISING, 1:1 TUTORING, STANDARDIZED TEST PREPARATION, COLLEGE VISITS, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND CULTURAL ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES. ADDITIONALLY, STUDENTS ATTENDED A ONE-WEEK SUMMER "BOOT CAMP" TOTALING AN AVERAGE OF 15 HOURS OF DIRECT INSTRUCTION. OUR JUNIORS IN THE CLASS OF 2026 PARTICIPATED IN 10 HOURS OF ACT TEST PREP. AS A RESULT OF THIS INTERVENTION, OUR SCHOLARS DEMONSTRATED AN AVERAGE 32% INCREASE IN THEIR SCORES, AND 70% OF OUR SCHOLARS DEMONSTRATED PROFICIENCY, AS COMPARED WITH THE LOCAL DISTRICT PROFICIENCY RATE OF 40%. 100% OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL ON TIME, AND THIS GROUP OF 19 SENIORS EARNED 109 COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES TO 39 COLLEGES. THE MAJORITY (80%) OF THEIR DIRECT COLLEGE COSTS ARE COVERED BY GIFT AID. FINALLY, SOCIOEMOTIONAL LEARNING EMBEDDED INTO SCHOLARS TO COLLEGE PROGRAMMING INCLUDED SETTING HEALTHY BOUNDARIES, GOAL SETTING, COPING WITH STRESS AND ANXIETY, DEFINING AND SOLVING PROBLEMS, MANAGING YOUR EMOTIONS, AND MANAGING FINANCIAL AND SCHOOL DECISIONS. 12% OF STUDENTS IN THIS PROGRAM RECEIVED 1:1 SOCIOEMOTIONAL SUPPORT TO ASSIST THEM IN OVERCOMING SPECIFIC CHALLENGES. THE SCHOLARS ON CAMPUS PROGRAM ENSURES THAT STUDENTS WHO COMPLETE THE SCHOLARS TO COLLEGE PROGRAM AND OPT TO CONTINUE IN OUR COLLEGE COMPLETION PROGRAM SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITION TO AND COMPLETE HIGHER EDUCATION BY SUPPORTING THEIR DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREAS OF ACADEMIC AND CAMPUS ENGAGEMENT, CAREER DEVELOPMENT, AND FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY THROUGH A ROBUST ADVISING AND SUPPORT MODEL. THIS YEAR, 119 SCHOLARS ON CAMPUS STUDENTS, WHO ARE IN THEIR FIRST THROUGH SIXTH YEAR OF COLLEGE, PARTICIPATED IN PRE-COLLEGE TRANSITION PROGRAMMING, CAPACITY-BUILDING WORKSHOPS, INDIVIDUALIZED ADVISING AND COACHING, CAMPUS VISITS AND PROFESSIONAL MENTORING. FIRST YEAR PERSISTENCE RATES FOR SCHOLARS ON CAMPUS STUDENTS WAS 95%, AND THE SIX-YEAR COMPLETION RATE WAS 60%, IN CONTRAST TO 64.5% FOR STUDENTS ACROSS THE NATION.

  Expenses $2,053,900 · Grants $30,111

• THE EMILY K CENTER'S GAME PLAN: FUTURE PROGRAM PROVIDES POSTSECONDARY INFORMATION, ADVISING AND SUPPORT TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN DURHAM THROUGH STRONG PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT AS WELL AS LOCAL COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS. TO SIGNIFY A MORE INCLUSIVE APPROACH TO POSTSECONDARY ADVISING BEYOND TRADITIONAL FOUR-YEAR COLLEGES, THE PROGRAM NAME WAS CHANGED FROM GAME PLAN: COLLEGE TO GAME PLAN: FUTURE AT THE END OF THE 2024-2025 ACADEMIC YEAR. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, WE CAN CONTRIBUTE TO BOTH THE DISTRICT'S AND THE CENTER'S SHARED GOAL OF ENSURING THAT ALL STUDENTS HAVE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO THE INFORMATION AND SUPPORT THEY NEED TO PURSUE THEIR POSTSECONDARY GOALS. STUDENTS WHO WILL BE THE FIRST IN THEIR FAMILY TO ATTEND COLLEGE, WHO COME FROM LOW INCOME FAMILY BACKGROUNDS, AND WHO ARE MEMBERS OF RACIAL/ETHNIC GROUPS THAT ARE UNDER-REPRESENTED IN HIGHER EDUCATION ARE THE TARGET POPULATION FOR THIS PROGRAM, ALTHOUGH ANY STUDENT WHO RESIDES IN DURHAM AND/OR ATTENDS A DURHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS HIGH SCHOOL CAN ACCESS THE SERVICES.THIS YEAR, THE GAME PLAN: FUTURE PROGRAM SERVED 2,124 STUDENTS THROUGH THE DELIVERY OF 42 CURRICULUM-BASED WORKSHOPS AND 30 SPECIAL EVENTS OR INITIATIVES. AS A RESULT OF PARTICIPATING IN COLLEGE ACCESS WORKSHOPS, 83% OF STUDENTS REPORTED AN INCREASE IN KNOWLEDGE GAINED ABOUT THE COLLEGE ACCESS TOPIC PRESENTED. ADDITIONALLY, OUR GAME PLAN: FUTURE TEAM MET THE POSTSECONDARY PLANNING NEEDS OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGH THE DELIVERY OF 347 1:1 ADVISING SESSIONS TO 215 STUDENTS. THESE SESSIONS SUPPORTED STUDENTS TO MOVE FORWARD IN THEIR POSTSECONDARY EXPLORATION, PLANNING AND APPLICATION COMPLETION PROCESSES. WHILE OUR DELIVERY OF THESE SERVICES IS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT ANY STUDENT WHO RESIDES IN OR ATTENDS A HIGH SCHOOL IN DURHAM, WE ARE ESPECIALLY FOCUSED ON REACHING STUDENTS WITHIN OUR TARGET POPULATION. OUR MOST INTENSIVE SERVICE, 1:1 ADVISING, WAS PREDOMINANTLY DELIVERED TO STUDENTS WITHIN THIS TARGET POPULATION: 44% OF STUDENTS WILL BE THE FIRST IN THEIR FAMILY TO ATTEND COLLEGE, 54% OF STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN THE FREE AND REDUCED PRICED LUNCH PROGRAM (24% WERE UNSURE), AND 82% OF STUDENTS WERE FROM RACIAL BACKGROUNDS THAT ARE TRADITIONALLY UNDER-REPRESENTED IN HIGHER EDUCATION.THE CONTINUATION OF TWO SPECIAL INITIATIVE PROJECTS NEXT STEP TEACHERS FELLOWSHIP, AND COLLEGE JUMPSTART! PROGRAM HELPED THE CENTER INCREASE ITS OVERALL STUDENT REACH. THE NEXT STEPS TEACHER FELLOWSHIP IS A HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER LED PROGRAM AIMED AT IMPROVING POSTSECONDARY CULTURE WITHIN DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOLS. 520 STUDENTS ENGAGED IN POSTSECONDARY MILESTONE COMPLETION PROJECTS AIMED AT IMPROVING CONFIDENCE IN POSTSECONDARY ACCESS. OVERALL, THERE WAS AN AVERAGE NET DECREASE OF 23.2% LOW KNOWLEDGE/CONFIDENCE AND 34% INCREASE IN HIGH KNOWLEDGE/CONFIDENCE ABOUT POSTSECONDARY MILESTONES AFTER PARTICIPATING IN PILOT, INDICATING A HIGH RATE OF EFFECTIVENESS IN IMPROVING KNOWLEDGE/CONFIDENCE FOR STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED.THE COLLEGE JUMPSTART! PROGRAM, A SUMMER MELT INITIATIVE, WAS AIMED AT INCREASING ENROLLMENT RATES OF LOCAL RISING COLLEGE FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS. 36 STUDENTS WERE ENGAGED THROUGH THESE INITIATIVES, 90% OF WHOM FALL WITHIN OUR TARGET POPULATION BASED ON THE STANDARDS OR UNDERREPRESENTED RACE IN POSTSECONDARY ENVIRONMENTS, FREE/REDUCED LUNCH PRICES, OR FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS.15 OF THE 36 ENGAGED PARTICIPATED IN ADDITIONAL ADVISING SESSIONS FOCUSED ON FALL ENROLLMENT MILESTONES.

  Expenses $515,825

• IN ADDITION TO POSTSECONDARY ACCESS PROGRAMMING, THE CENTER ENHANCES THE IMPACT OF LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH FACILITY PARTNERSHIPS BY SERVING AS A HOME AND RESOURCE FOR NONPROFITS, SCHOOLS, AND COMMUNITY GROUPS AS THEY CONVENE, LEARN, AND GROW. IN 2024-25 WE SERVED AS THE HOME GYM FOR TWO SCHOOLS AND SUPPORTED OVER 30 OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WITH WEEKLY, MONTHLY AND ANNUAL MEETINGS, PROGRAMMING, AND EVENT SPACE. ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS DURHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE DURHAM CHARTER SCHOOL NETWORK DIRECTLY REINFORCE OUR CORE MISSION AREAS WHILE ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE CENTER FOR CHILD AND FAMILY HEALTH, NC FARMWORKERS HEALTH PROGRAM, AND THE GROWING CLUB SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY ECOSYSTEM IN WHICH OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES WORK AND LIVE. THE CENTER IS OPEN TO FACILITY PARTNER USAGE ON AVERAGE 55 HOURS A WEEK AND PROVIDES SPACE FOR FREE OR AT DIRECT USAGE COST TO 94% OF THESE PARTNERS, RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANT RENTAL SAVINGS AND PROGRAM IMPACT FOR THESE ORGANIZATIONS.

  Expenses $407,238 · Revenue $66,378

As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

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

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

2024

Filed

28 October 2025

IRS schema version

2024v5.2

Source object

202533029349300933

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