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Nonprofiteer
← WAY TO GROW

Form 990 for tax year 2024

Filed by WAY TO GROW.

Totals

Total revenue
$5,668,249
Total expenses
$4,348,944
Contributions and grants received
$4,676,286
Grants paid
$118,859
Program service revenue
$298,178
Investment income
$561,792
Other revenue
$131,993
Total assets, end of year
$14,065,484
Total liabilities, end of year
$939,248
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$13,126,236
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$3,008,583
Management and general expenses
$481,170
Fundraising expenses
$859,191
Program service expenses (Part III)
$3,008,583

Program services were 69.2% 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.

  • 1c · Fundraising events

    $388,205

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $938,219

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $3,349,862

  • 2a · Program service revenue: PROGRAM SERVICE REVENU

    total $298,178 · related or exempt $298,178

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $561,792 · excluded $561,792

  • 8a · Fundraising events: gross income

    $421,600

  • 8a · Fundraising events: contributions included on line 1c

    $388,205

  • 8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

    $289,607

  • 8c · Net income from fundraising events

    total $131,993 · excluded $131,993

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 2 · Grants to domestic individuals

    total $118,859 · program services $118,859

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $390,399 · program services $264,084 · management and general $46,195 · fundraising $80,120

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $2,362,844 · program services $1,595,029 · management and general $282,000 · fundraising $485,815

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $258,114 · program services $176,495 · management and general $28,553 · fundraising $53,066

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $213,673 · program services $145,951 · management and general $24,859 · fundraising $42,863

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $974 · program services $561 · management and general $72 · fundraising $341

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $12,930 · program services $7,443 · management and general $959 · fundraising $4,528

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $280,616 · program services $161,529 · management and general $20,810 · fundraising $98,277

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $81,568 · program services $47,451 · management and general $14,259 · fundraising $19,858

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $319,690 · program services $242,531 · management and general $32,339 · fundraising $44,820

  • 17 · Travel

    total $55,046 · program services $51,012 · management and general $2,071 · fundraising $1,963

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $63,750 · program services $47,664 · management and general $6,597 · fundraising $9,489

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $38,370 · program services $33,292 · management and general $3,863 · fundraising $1,215

  • 24a · Other expenses: TELEPHONE AND INTERNET

    total $113,697 · program services $91,985 · management and general $10,697 · fundraising $11,015

  • 24b · Other expenses: STAFF DEVELOPMENT

    total $17,741 · program services $13,264 · management and general $1,836 · fundraising $2,641

  • 24c · Other expenses: EQUIPMENT

    total $13,808 · program services $10,325 · management and general $1,428 · fundraising $2,055

  • 24d · Other expenses: DUES, FEES AND SUBSCRIP

    total $4,841 · program services $1,108 · management and general $2,608 · fundraising $1,125

  • 24e · All other expenses

    total $2,024 · management and general $2,024

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $759,457 · end of year $918,465

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $9,019,683 · end of year $4,600,846

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $250,796 · end of year $928,417

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    end of year $19,444

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $76,038 · end of year $119,155

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

    $753,788

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

    $613,376

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $188,139 · end of year $140,412

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $1,757,252 · end of year $6,721,565

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $691,115 · end of year $617,180

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $213,857 · end of year $270,036

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $753,139 · end of year $669,212

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $8,921,691 · end of year $9,935,162

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $2,853,793 · end of year $3,191,074

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

WORKING CLOSELY WITH PARENTS AND COMMUNITIES, WE ENSURE THAT CHILDREN WITHIN THE MOST ISOLATED FAMILIES ARE BORN HEALTHY, STAY HEALTHY AND ARE PREPARED FOR SCHOOL.

Activities or mission (Part I)

WORKING CLOSELY WITH PARENTS AND COMMUNITIES, WE ENSURE THAT CHILDREN WITHIN THE MOST ISOLATED FAMILIES ARE BORN HEALTHY, STAY HEALTHY AND ARE PREPARED FOR SCHOOL

  • WAY TO GROW HAS BEEN A LEADING MODEL FOR EARLY LEARNING AND EDUCATION PROGRAMMING IN THE TWIN CITIES SINCE 1989. WE BELIEVE THAT PARENTS ARE THEIR CHILDREN'S PRIMARY EDUCATORS, AND STRUCTURE OUR PROGRAMS TO EFFECTIVELY ENGAGE PARENTS IN THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION. WAY TO GROW'S SECOND-GENERATION APPROACH HAS REACHED APPROXIMATELY 60,000 PEOPLE OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST 35 YEARS. SINCE OUR FOUNDING IN 1989, WE HAVE SOUGHT TO REVERSE NEGATIVE EDUCATIONAL TRENDS BY BUILDING TRUSTED, COMMUNITY-BASED SUPPORT FOR THE PARENTS AND CHILDREN WHO ARE AMONG THE MOST ISOLATED FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY. IN 2005, WE FORMALIZED OUR HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAM, AND IN 2006, LAUNCHED A FORMAL TEEN PARENT PROGRAM. IN 2007, WE OPENED OUR NATIONALLY ACCREDITED, 4-STAR PARENT AWARE RATED PRESCHOOL PALS PROGRAM, AND IN 2009, LAUNCHED GREAT BY EIGHT, WHICH IS NOW THE CORNERSTONE OF OUR WORK. GREAT BY EIGHT EXPANDED OUR EFFECTIVE AND STATISTICALLY PROVEN HOME VISITING MODEL TO INCLUDE CHILDREN FROM KINDERGARTEN THROUGH THIRD GRADE, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OVER 35 MINNEAPOLIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS (MPS) AND 20 CHARTER SCHOOLS. IN 2016, WE LAUNCHED AN ONSITE HUB FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD, ELEMENTARY, AND PARENT ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMMING AT THE LUCY C. LANEY COMMUNITY SCHOOL IN NORTH MINNEAPOLIS. IN 2018, WE EXPANDED OUR HOME VISITING PROGRAM TO BROOKLYN PARK AND BROOKLYN CENTER AND HAVE SERVED 200 ADDITIONAL FAMILIES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OSSEO PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT.IN 2020 DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE PIVOTED OUR SERVICES TO INCLUDE VIRTUAL HOME VISITING AND EXPANDED OUR REACH TO SERVING FAMILIES FROM 11 DIFFERENT COUNTIES. WAY TO GROW WAS THE FIRST HOME VISITING MODEL TO OFFER TUTORING SERVICES FOR KINDERGARTEN THROUGH THIRD GRADE STUDENTS, WITH THE GOAL TO HELP ALL CHILDREN REACH GRADE LEVEL LITERACY BY THE END OF THE THIRD GRADE. IN 2023, WAY TO GROW RECEIVED A ONE-TIME GRANT IN RECOGNITION OF HIGH-QUALITY, EVIDENCE-BASED HOME VISITING MODEL.OUR FOUNDERS CREATED WAY TO GROW WITH THE VISION THAT EVERY CHILD HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED IN SCHOOL AND IN LIFE. OUR INNOVATIVE GREAT BY EIGHT HOME VISITING MODEL PAIRS FAMILIES WITH HIGHLY TRAINED FAMILY EDUCATORS TO PROVIDE IN-DEPTH, EVIDENCE-BASED, IN-HOME EDUCATION AND SUPPORT. FAMILY EDUCATORS HELP PARENTS TO PREPARE THEIR CHILDREN FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND SUPPORT FAMILIES BY PROVIDING WRAP-AROUND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES THROUGH YEAR-ROUND HOME VISITS AND IN-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION SUPPORTING SCHOOL READINESS, ELEMENTARY EDUCATION ACTIVITIES, CENTER-BASED LEARNING ACTIVITIES, PARENT ENGAGEMENT AND ADVOCACY, AND WRAPAROUND FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES, INCLUDING HEALTH AND WELLNESS EDUCATION, WRAPAROUND SUPPORTS FOR TEEN PARENTS, AND FAMILY STABILIZATION SERVICES. 2024 IMPACT: SINCE THE PANDEMIC, LEARNING RECOVERY HAS STALLED IN THE UNITED STATES. THE TIME IS NOW TO ALLOCATE RESOURCES AND IMPLEMENT EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES THAT INCLUDE HIGH INTENSITY, HIGH DOSAGE TUTORING WITH HIGH-QUALITY LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES TO ACCELERATE LEARNING RECOVERY FOR OUR CHILDREN.IN 2024, WAY TO GROW PROVIDED 13,128 IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL HOME VISITS TO 2,178 CLIENTS (1,287 CHILDREN AND 891 PARENTS) AND HELPED TO STABILIZE 764 FAMILIES THROUGH 1,600 REFERRALS TO SERVICES TO SUPPORT EDUCATION, MEDICAL NEEDS, AND ECONOMIC SUPPORT SUCH AS HOUSING AND FOOD. OUR FAMILIES ARE DEMONSTRATING STRONG RESILIENCE DURING A TIME OF UNCERTAINTY.DURING THE 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR, 88% OF EARLY LEARNERS WERE DEEMED READY FOR KINDERGARTEN; 80% OF K-3 STUDENTS COMBINED DEMONSTRATED GROWTH IN READING LEVEL ASSESSMENTS, AND 91% OF PARENTS ATTENDED AT LEAST ONE OF THEIR CHILDREN'S PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES. LEARNING DISRUPTIONS OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAVE AFFECTED CHILDREN'S LITERACY GAINS, WITH WAY TO GROW CREATING NEW INTERVENTIONS AND CURRICULUM UPDATES TO TARGET LITERACY FOUNDATIONS MOST IMPACTED. DURING THIS TIME, WE CONTINUED TO WORK WITH PARENTS TO ENSURE HEALTHY BIRTHS, WITH 100% OF NEWBORNS BORN AT OR ABOVE A HEALTHY BIRTH WEIGHT. WAY TO GROW FAMILIES ARE EXPERIENCING MULTI-GENERATIONAL IMPACT.

    Expenses $3,008,583 · Grants $118,859 · Revenue $298,178

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

Listed in Part VII

  • ANGELA SLAUGHTER

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • ANN YATES

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • ANUSHA NATH

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • ART ROLNICK

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • BOB BARNETT

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • BRIAN CROSBY

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • CHRIS MONGEON

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • DARRELL ELLSWORTH

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • DAVE NASSIF

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • FRANK SCHWEIGERT

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • GAYE ADAMS MASSEY

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • HEIDI DOHERTY

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • JAIME STILSON

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • JANIS CLAY

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • JEANNE RAVICH

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • JIM BOYLE

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • JULIA HALBERG

    VICE CHAIR AND SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • JULIE BAKER

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • KAREN CONTAG

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • KEVIN NILAN

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • KYLE GREEN

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • LAURIE LAFONTAINE

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • LISA WALKER

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • LUIS MORENO

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • MEL DICKSTEIN

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • MICHAEL GARRETT

    CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • NASIBU SAREVA

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • RANDY SAUTER

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • SARAH MITCHELL

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • SUSAN CORRIDONI

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • VANESSA LAIRD

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • VICKIE MATTYS

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • YOHURU WILLIAMS

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • CAROLYN SMALLWOOD

    CEO

    Total calculated
    $289,282
    From this org
    $265,200
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $24,082
    Hours/week
    50

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $265,200
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $6,751
    Nontaxable benefits
    $17,331
    Filer's total
    $289,282

  • MARK HENDERSON

    DIRECTOR OF FINANCE

    Total calculated
    $101,118
    From this org
    $96,797
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $4,321
    Hours/week
    40

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

  • 2 · Substantiation required before reimbursing expenses
  • 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

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2024
Filed
1 May 2025
IRS schema version
2024v5.1
Source object
202511219349300536

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