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Nonprofiteer
← COMMONLIT INC

Form 990 for tax year 2024

Filed by COMMONLIT INC.

Totals

Total revenue
$15,869,141
Total expenses
$20,627,228
Contributions and grants received
$6,436,980
Grants paid
$0
Program service revenue
$9,097,709
Investment income
$334,452
Other revenue
$0
Total assets, end of year
$11,870,156
Total liabilities, end of year
$12,181,116
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
-$310,960
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$17,702,343
Management and general expenses
$2,401,261
Fundraising expenses
$523,624
Program service expenses (Part III)
$17,702,343

Program services were 85.8% 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)

    $999,069

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $5,437,911

  • 2a · Program service revenue: TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL

    total $9,097,709 · related or exempt $9,097,709

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $334,452 · excluded $334,452

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $1,821,357 · program services $1,556,537 · management and general $215,305 · fundraising $49,515

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $12,196,958 · program services $10,423,577 · management and general $1,441,804 · fundraising $331,577

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $140,503 · program services $120,074 · management and general $16,608 · fundraising $3,821

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $1,137,680 · program services $972,270 · management and general $134,484 · fundraising $30,926

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $1,052,458 · program services $899,436 · management and general $124,411 · fundraising $28,611

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $1,915,495 · program services $1,671,307 · management and general $218,606 · fundraising $25,582

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $13,795 · program services $13,795

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $135,621 · program services $100,469 · management and general $31,824 · fundraising $3,328

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $1,476,917 · program services $1,410,607 · management and general $47,545 · fundraising $18,765

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $245,177 · program services $208,322 · management and general $30,389 · fundraising $6,466

  • 17 · Travel

    total $150,586 · program services $113,568 · management and general $24,919 · fundraising $12,099

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $217,319 · program services $124,135 · management and general $82,652 · fundraising $10,532

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $69,942 · program services $59,723 · management and general $8,371 · fundraising $1,848

  • 24a · Other expenses: MEALS AND ENTERTAINMENT

    total $10,774 · program services $6,089 · management and general $4,685

  • 24e · All other expenses

    total $42,646 · program services $22,434 · management and general $19,658 · fundraising $554

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $1,096,402 · end of year $1,007,193

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $913,933 · end of year $924,082

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $1,893,489 · end of year $1,163,331

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $384,317 · end of year $364,241

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $8,326,066 · end of year $7,732,635

  • 14 · Intangible assets

    beginning of year $487,859

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $23,338 · end of year $678,674

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $999,187 · end of year $1,011,844

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    beginning of year $7,170,815 · end of year $10,886,483

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $508,275 · end of year $282,789

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $1,570,846 · end of year -$2,656,702

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $2,876,281 · end of year $2,345,742

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

TO MAKE HIGH-QUALITY LITERACY MATERIALS ACCESSIBLE TO TEACHERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF EDUCATION.

  • EDUCATION: DELIVERY OF HIGH-QUALITY, INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL TO SUPPORT LITERACY DEVELOPMENT FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 3-12.

    Expenses $17,702,343 · Revenue $9,097,709

As filed on the 2024 return.

Listed in Part VII

  • Jason Atwood

    BOARD CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Esther Wojcicki

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Kodjo Wilder

    BOARD MEMBER (UNTIL 6/12/2024)

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Babak Mostaghimi

    BOARD MEMBER (EFF. 6/12/2024)

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • John Oh

    BOARD MEMBER (EFF. 6/12/2024)

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Tony Viviani

    BOARD TREASURER (UNTIL SEPT 24)

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Anne Taggart

    BOARD TREASURER (EFF. SEPT 24)

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Sabrina Roshan

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Michelle Brown

    PRESIDENT & CEO

    Total calculated
    $390,275
    From this org
    $368,817
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $21,458
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $338,817
    Bonus
    $30,000
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $5,250
    Nontaxable benefits
    $16,208
    Filer's total
    $390,275
  • Julian Mante

    CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $315,617
    From this org
    $298,121
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $17,496
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $298,121
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $12,030
    Nontaxable benefits
    $5,466
    Filer's total
    $315,617
  • Geoffrey Harcourt

    CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $355,326
    From this org
    $341,500
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $13,826
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $340,000
    Bonus
    $1,500
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $13,660
    Nontaxable benefits
    $166
    Filer's total
    $355,326
  • Robert Fleisher

    CHIEF OF PARTNERSHIPS

    Total calculated
    $281,851
    From this org
    $267,894
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $13,957
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $100,757
    Bonus
    $157,883
    Other
    $9,254
    Deferred
    $10,769
    Nontaxable benefits
    $3,188
    Filer's total
    $281,851
  • Kara Pacos

    CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER (BOARD CLERK)

    Total calculated
    $263,500
    From this org
    $237,143
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $26,357
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $237,143
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $10,000
    Nontaxable benefits
    $16,357
    Filer's total
    $263,500
  • Anna Hodges

    CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $214,783
    From this org
    $190,426
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $24,357
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $190,426
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $8,000
    Nontaxable benefits
    $16,357
    Filer's total
    $214,783
  • Douglas Bogan

    VICE PRESIDENT OF PARTNERSHIPS

    Total calculated
    $239,156
    From this org
    $229,775
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $9,381
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $184,400
    Bonus
    $45,375
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $9,215
    Nontaxable benefits
    $166
    Filer's total
    $239,156
  • Eliza Hogan

    VICE PRESIDENT, ENGINEERING

    Total calculated
    $211,581
    From this org
    $197,875
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $13,706
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $197,875
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $8,240
    Nontaxable benefits
    $5,466
    Filer's total
    $211,581
  • Brooks Johnson

    SENIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER

    Total calculated
    $216,653
    From this org
    $202,967
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $13,686
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $197,467
    Bonus
    $5,500
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $8,220
    Nontaxable benefits
    $5,466
    Filer's total
    $216,653
  • Marcy Carbajal

    VP OF PRODUCT AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

    Total calculated
    $189,765
    From this org
    $189,164
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $601
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $189,164
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $601
    Filer's total
    $189,765
  • Amanda Riddle

    DIRECTOR OF SALES

    Total calculated
    $197,900
    From this org
    $184,937
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $12,963
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $172,523
    Bonus
    $12,414
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $7,497
    Nontaxable benefits
    $5,466
    Filer's total
    $197,900

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 · Compensation committee
  • 3 · Form 990 of other organizations
  • 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee
  • 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments

Answered no

  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
  • 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
  • 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)

PART I, LINE 5
DURING 2024, THE CEO WAS AWARDED A BONUS THAT WAS AWARDED BASED ON VARIOUS CRITERIA, ONE OF WHICH WAS THE REVENUE OF THE ORGANIZATION. EACH CRITERIA INCLUDED A TARGET THAT WOULD TRIGGER 100% OF ITS PORTION OF THE BONUS AND A STRETCH TARGET THAT WOULD TRIGGER 120% OF ITS PORTION OF THE BONUS IF ACHIEVED. THE BOARD REVIEWED AND APPROVED THIS BONUS STRUCTURE AND THE TARGET ASSIGNED FOR EACH GOAL.
PART I, LINE 7
BONUSES WERE AWARDED TO CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS BASED ON PERFORMANCE TARGETS SET BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

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
15 August 2025
IRS schema version
2024v5.2
Source object
202522279349301747

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