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Nonprofiteer
← PROPEL EDUCATION

Form 990 for tax year 2023

Filed by PROPEL EDUCATION.

Totals

Total revenue
$11,398,307
Total expenses
$14,820,452
Contributions and grants received
$9,827,765
Grants paid
$449,020
Program service revenue
$1,096,789
Investment income
$473,753
Other revenue
$0
Total assets, end of year
$28,375,688
Total liabilities, end of year
$8,112,817
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$20,262,871
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$12,955,811
Management and general expenses
$1,805,323
Fundraising expenses
$59,318
Program service expenses (Part III)
$12,955,811

Program services were 87.4% 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)

    $2,237,503

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $7,590,262

  • 2a · Program service revenue: SERVICE FEE INCOME

    total $1,096,789 · related or exempt $1,096,789

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $473,753 · excluded $473,753

  • 4 · Income from investment of tax-exempt bond proceeds

    total $0

  • 5 · Royalties

    total $0

  • 6c · Rental income or loss

    real property $0 · personal property $0

  • 6d · Net rental income or loss

    total $0

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total $0

  • 8a · Fundraising events: gross income

    $0

  • 8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

    $0

  • 8c · Net income from fundraising events

    total $0

  • 9a · Gaming: gross income

    $0

  • 9b · Gaming: direct expenses

    $0

  • 9c · Net income from gaming

    total $0

  • 10a · Gross sales of inventory

    $0

  • 10b · Cost of goods sold

    $0

  • 10c · Net income from sales of inventory

    total $0

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    $0

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments

    total $0

  • 2 · Grants to domestic individuals

    total $449,020 · program services $449,020

  • 3 · Grants to foreign organizations and individuals

    total $0

  • 4 · Benefits paid to or for members

    total $0

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $522,409 · program services $476,438 · management and general $45,509 · fundraising $462

  • 6 · Compensation of disqualified persons

    total $0

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $5,779,489 · program services $5,270,904 · management and general $503,475 · fundraising $5,110

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $45,109 · program services $41,139 · management and general $3,930 · fundraising $40

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $410,068 · program services $373,984 · management and general $35,722 · fundraising $362

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $505,946 · program services $461,424 · management and general $44,075 · fundraising $447

  • 11a · Fees: management

    total $0

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $542,462 · management and general $542,462

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $66,699 · management and general $66,699

  • 11d · Fees: lobbying

    total $122,090 · management and general $122,090

  • 11e · Fees: professional fundraising services

    total $0

  • 11f · Fees: investment management

    total $0

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $562,490 · program services $362,768 · management and general $178,853 · fundraising $20,869

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $1,754,453 · program services $1,714,812 · management and general $39,641

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $126,771 · program services $104,261 · management and general $22,452 · fundraising $58

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $224,563 · program services $184,688 · management and general $39,772 · fundraising $103

  • 15 · Royalties

    total $0

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $602,927 · program services $601,739 · management and general $1,170 · fundraising $18

  • 17 · Travel

    total $881,315 · program services $811,712 · management and general $58,018 · fundraising $11,585

  • 18 · Travel or entertainment for public officials

    total $0

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $700,635 · program services $645,300 · management and general $46,124 · fundraising $9,211

  • 20 · Interest

    total $0

  • 21 · Payments to affiliates

    total $0

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $531,309 · program services $478,178 · management and general $53,131 · fundraising $0

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $0

  • 24a · Other expenses: PROGRAM, PRODUCT DESIGN & DEV

    total $591,535 · program services $578,282 · management and general $2,200 · fundraising $11,053

  • 24b · Other expenses: SCHOOL IMPROVEMENTS

    total $401,162 · program services $401,162 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $18,537,778 · end of year $15,271,716

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $0

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $0

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $830,294 · end of year $265,453

  • 5 · Loans and receivables from officers and key people

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $0

  • 6 · Loans and receivables from disqualified persons

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $0

  • 7 · Other notes and loans receivable

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $0

  • 8 · Inventories for sale or use

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $0

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $19,650 · end of year $235,494

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

    $7,204,656

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

    $1,620,891

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $5,988,622 · end of year $5,583,765

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $0

  • 12 · Investments: other securities

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $0

  • 13 · Investments: program-related

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $0

  • 14 · Intangible assets

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $0

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $6,634,946 · end of year $7,019,260

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $1,787,937 · end of year $1,240,760

  • 18 · Grants payable

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $0

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $0

  • 20 · Tax-exempt bond liabilities

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $0

  • 21 · Escrow or custodial account liability

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $0

  • 22 · Loans and payables to officers and key people

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $0

  • 23 · Secured mortgages and notes payable

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $0

  • 24 · Unsecured notes and loans payable

    beginning of year $0 · end of year $0

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $6,363,587 · end of year $6,872,057

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $1,264,803 · end of year $775,392

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $22,594,963 · end of year $19,487,479

Mission and programs · 2023

Mission

PROPEL EDUCATION (D/B/A "ED FARM") EQUIPS EDUCATORS IN SCHOOLS AND COMMMUNITIES WITH INNOVATIVE TOOLS AND STRATEGIES THAT SUPPORT ACTIVE LEARNING FOR ALL STUDENTS. PROPEL HAS A MISSION TO PROVIDE HBCU STUDENTS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, TOOLS AND RESOURCES NECESSARY TO TRANSFORM OUR NATION'S TALENT PIPELINE AND WORKFORCE. ED FARMS PROVIDES PLACE-BASED AND VIRTUAL INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES, RESOURCES, TECHNOLOGY AND WORKFORCE READINESS TRAINING TO INDIVIDUALS OF ALL AGES. PROGRAMS ARE INTENDED FOR K-12 EDUCATORS & STUDENTS, COLLEGE STUDENTS, FACULTY & STAFF, UN- OR UNDER-EMPLOYED ADULT LEARNERS, AS WELL AS EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY INNOVATORS AND ENTREPRENEURS. PROPEL CONNECTS HBCU STUDENTS WITH INDUSTRY PARTNERS.

Activities or mission (Part I)

EDUCATION FARM ("ED FARM") EQUIPS EDUCATORS IN SCHOOLS AND COMMMUNITIES WITH INNOVATIVE TOOLS THAT SUPPORT ACTIVE LEARNING FOR ALL STUDENTS.

  • SEE SCHEDULE O

    Expenses $4,552,977 · Revenue $676,098

  • SEE SCHEDULE O

    Expenses $191,135 · Grants $406,520 · Revenue $420,691

  • PROPEL: PROPEL CENTER IS IN THE PLANNING PHASES. IT IS A PHYSICAL AND VIRTUAL CAMPUS TO PROVIDE HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (HBCU) WITH SHARED SERVICES TO SUPPORT THEIR WORK OF PREPARING LEADERS WHO IMPROVE OUR WORLD. VIA A PHYSICAL CAMPUS AND DIGITAL LEARNING TOOLS, STUDENTS FROM ALL 101 HBCUS WILL CONNECT WITH THE BRIGHTEST MINDS IN THE WORLD, BE GIVEN GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES AND DEVELOP INTO CIVIC-MINDED LEADERS AND ENTREPRENEURS.

    Expenses $7,805,063 · Grants $42,500

As filed on the 2023 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • Waymond Jackson

    PRESIDENT, ED FARM

    Total calculated
    $200,582
    From this org
    $200,000
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $582
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $200,000
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $582
    Filer's total
    $200,582
  • Sederia Bond

    VP, TALENT & CULTURE

    Total calculated
    $200,347
    From this org
    $156,282
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $44,065
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $156,282
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $5,109
    Nontaxable benefits
    $38,956
    Filer's total
    $200,347
  • Camesha Whittaker

    CHIEF INNOVATION & DESIGN OFF

    Total calculated
    $199,653
    From this org
    $175,135
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $24,518
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $175,135
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $24,518
    Filer's total
    $199,653
  • Cortney Harris

    SVP, IMPACT & PROGRAMS

    Total calculated
    $193,853
    From this org
    $180,006
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $13,847
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $180,006
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $13,847
    Filer's total
    $193,853
  • Inga Willis

    VP, COMMUNITY & EXTERNAL AFFAI

    Total calculated
    $181,591
    From this org
    $169,940
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $11,651
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $169,940
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $11,651
    Filer's total
    $181,591
  • Christopher Warren

    SR DIR, WORK BASED LEARNING

    Total calculated
    $147,162
    From this org
    $132,842
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $14,320
    Hours/week
    40
  • Ardis Blanchard

    SR DIR, DEVELOP COMMUNICATIONS

    Total calculated
    $133,403
    From this org
    $116,929
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $16,474
    Hours/week
    40
  • Lisa Herring

    PRESIDENT, PROPEL OPERATIONS

    Total calculated
    $92,049
    From this org
    $92,049
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    40
  • Kenya Browning

    VP, FINANCE

    Total calculated
    $46,305
    From this org
    $46,305
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    40
  • Anothony Oni

    Chairman

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Jay Brandrup

    Treasurer

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • John Hudson

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Lamell McMorris

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Myla Calhoun

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1
  • Nichole Francis-Reynolds

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

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

  • 1a · First-class or charter travel
  • 1b · Written policy on the line-1a expenses
  • 2 · Substantiation required before reimbursing expenses
  • 3 · Written employment contract
  • 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee
  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments

Answered no

  • 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
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

The filer's explanations (Part III)

SCHEDULE J, PART I, LINE 3
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS LOOKS AT THE CURRENT MARKET SALARY ANALYSIS FOR EACH OF THE OFFICERS IN THE ORGANIZATION AND MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS TO COMPENSATE THE EMPLOYEES ACCORDINGLY.
SCHEDULE J, PART I, LINE 4A
ARDIS BLANCHARD RECEIVED A SEVERANCE PAYMENT OF $33,750 AFTER THEIR EMPLOYMENT ENDED.
SCHEDULE J, PART I, LINE 7
BONUS PAYMENTS ARE AWARDED AND DETERMINED BY PERFORMANCE.

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.

Taxable family on this return

Schedule R Parts I, III and IV, as filed. These record ownership and control, not shared board members or money moved.

Disregarded entities

Part I: entities that legally are the filer and file no return of their own.

  • PROPEL CENTER LLC

    SUPPORT · AL · income $0 · assets $0

    Directly controlled by ED FARM

  • PROPEL BUILD LLC

    SUPPORT · AL · income $0 · assets $0

    Directly controlled by ED FARM

  • ED FARM LLC

    SUPPORT · AL · income $0 · assets $0

    Directly controlled by ED FARM

  • ED FARM OPERATIONS LLC

    SUPPORT · AL · income $0 · assets $0

    Directly controlled by ED FARM

  • PROPEL HOLDINGS LLC

    SUPPORT · GA · income $0 · assets $0

    Directly controlled by ED FARM

  • PROPEL OPERATIONS LLC

    SUPPORT · GA · income $0 · assets $0

    Directly controlled by ED FARM

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2023
Filed
15 May 2025
IRS schema version
2023v6.0
Source object
202531359349314353

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