Form 990 for tax year 2023

Totals

Total revenue

$3,031,266

Total expenses

$3,662,140

Contributions and grants received

$2,689,155

Grants paid

$29,818

Program service revenue

$58,486

Investment income

$327,252

Other revenue

-$43,627

Total assets, end of year

$19,453,348

Total liabilities, end of year

$144,620

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$19,308,728

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$2,629,521

Management and general expenses

$341,495

Fundraising expenses

$691,124

Program service expenses (Part III)

$2,629,521

Program services were 71.8% 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.

Mission and programs · 2023

• 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 2023-2024 ACADEMIC YEAR, A TOTAL OF 92 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN THE PIONEER SCHOLARS, INCLUDING 59 ELEMENTARY STUDENTS AND 33 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, 52% MET OR EXCEEDED STATEWIDE READING BENCHMARKS AND 58% MET OR EXCEEDED MATH BENCHMARKS. ADDITIONALLY, IN AN EFFORT TO STEM SUMMER LEARNING LOSS, THE PIONEER SCHOLARS PROGRAM ALSO OPERATED A FOUR-WEEK SUMMER SCHOLARS PROGRAM. 74 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 112 ENROLLED HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN AN AVERAGE OF UP TO 4.5 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 OR TWO WEEK SUMMER "BOOT CAMP" TOTALING AN AVERAGE OF 15 HOURS OF DIRECT INSTRUCTION. OUR JUNIORS IN THE CLASS OF 2025 PARTICIPATED IN 15 HOURS OF ACT TEST PREP. AS A RESULT OF THIS INTERVENTION, OUR SCHOLARS DEMONSTRATED A 5% INCREASE IN THEIR SCORES, AND 55% OF OUR SCHOLARS DEMONSTRATED PROFICIENCY, AS COMPARED WITH THE LOCAL DISTRICT PROFICIENCY RATE OF 40%. THE HIGHEST GAINS WERE IN SCIENCE (144%) AND READING (22%). 100% OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL ON TIME, AND THIS GROUP OF 24 SENIORS EARNED 155 COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES TO 53 COLLEGES. THE MAJORITY (96%) 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. 20% 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, 102 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 96%, AND THE SIX YEAR COMPLETION RATE WAS 80%, IN CONTRAST TO 62% FOR STUDENTS ACROSS THE NATION.

  Expenses $1,897,448 · Grants $29,818

• THE EMILY K CENTER'S GAME PLAN: COLLEGE 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. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, WE ARE ABLE TO 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: COLLEGE PROGRAM SERVED 1,550 STUDENTS THROUGH THE DELIVERY OF 44 CURRICULUM-BASED WORKSHOPS AND 55 SPECIAL EVENTS OR INITIATIVES. AS A RESULT OF PARTICIPATING IN COLLEGE ACCESS WORKSHOPS, 86% OF STUDENTS REPORTED AN INCREASE IN KNOWLEDGE GAINED ABOUT THE COLLEGE ACCESS TOPIC PRESENTED. ADDITIONALLY, OUR GAME PLAN: COLLEGE TEAM MET THE POSTSECONDARY PLANNING NEEDS OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGH THE DELIVERY OF 275 1:1 ADVISING SESSIONS TO 171 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: 40% OF STUDENTS WILL BE THE FIRST IN THEIR FAMILY TO ATTEND COLLEGE, 52% OF STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN THE FREE AND REDUCED PRICED LUNCH PROGRAM (22% WERE UNSURE), AND 86% OF STUDENTS WERE FROM RACIAL BACKGROUNDS THAT ARE TRADITIONALLY UNDER-REPRESENTED IN HIGHER EDUCATION.TWO NEW LARGE-SCALE INITIATIVES WERE THE NEXT STEP TEACHERS FELLOWSHIP, AND COLLEGE JUMPSTART! PROGRAM. NEXT STEPS TEACHER FELLOWSHIP IS A PILOT PROGRAM AIMED AT IMPROVING POSTSECONDARY CULTURE WITHIN DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOLS. 192 STUDENTS ENGAGED ACROSS TWO PILOT PROJECTS AROUND IMPROVING CONFIDENCE IN POSTSECONDARY ACCESS. IN THE FIRST PILOT PROJECT, THERE WAS AN AVERAGE NET DECREASE OF 22% LOW KNOWLEDGE/CONFIDENCE AND 19% INCREASE IN HIGH KNOWLEDGE/CONFIDENCE ABOUT POSTSECONDARY MILESTONES AFTER PARTICIPATING IN PILOT. WITHIN THE SECOND PILOT PROJECT, AN AVERAGE NET DECREASE OF 31% LOW KNOWLEDGE/CONFIDENCE AND 32% INCREASE IN HIGH KNOWLEDGE/CONFIDENCE ABOUT POSTSECONDARY EXPLORATION AND CAREER PLANNING AFTER PARTICIPATING IN PILOT. THE COLLEGE JUMPSTART! PROGRAM, A SUMMER MELT INITIATIVE, WAS AIMED AT INCREASING ENROLLMENT RATES OF LOCAL RISING COLLEGE FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS. 52 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 52 ENGAGED PARTICIPATED IN ADDITIONAL ADVISING SESSIONS FOCUSED ON FALL ENROLLMENT MILESTONES.

  Expenses $430,667

• IN ADDITION TO COLLEGE 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. WE CONTINUED TO SERVE AS THE HOME GYM FOR TWO SCHOOLS AND SUPPORT NUMEROUS OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WITH WEEKLY, MONTHLY AND ANNUAL MEETINGS, PROGRAMMING, AND EVENT SPACE. ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS DURHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDATION 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 LEADERSHIP TRIANGLE SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY ECOSYSTEM IN WHICH OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES WORK AND LIVE. IN 2023-24, THE CENTER PARTNERED WITH 36 ORGANIZATIONS. THE CENTER IS OPEN TO FACILITY PARTNER USAGE ON AVERAGE 55 HOURS A WEEK AND PROVIDES SPACE FOR FREE TO OVER 90% OF THESE PARTNERS, RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANT RENTAL SAVINGS AND PROGRAM IMPACT FOR THESE ORGANIZATIONS. TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES THIS YEAR EXPANDED THE ABILITY TO OFFER SPACES FOR ADDITIONAL HYBRID MEETINGS, TRAINING SESSIONS, AND PROGRAMS.

  Expenses $301,406 · Revenue $58,486

As filed on the 2023 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

2023

Filed

29 October 2024

IRS schema version

2023v5.1

Source object

202403049349300145

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

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