Nonprofit · EIN 23-7035089
THE NEA FOUNDATION FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF EDUCATION
Also known as N F I E
Tax-exempt · WASHINGTON, DC 20036
Financials
| Year ended | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Net income | Total assets | Liabilities | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 31, 2025 | 990 | $6,815,298 | $6,770,078 | $45,220 | $56,235,764 | $2,697,324 | $53,538,440 |
| August 31, 2024 | 990 | $6,658,255 | $6,194,524 | $463,731 | $52,733,359 | $2,249,451 | $50,483,908 |
| August 31, 2023 | 990 | $3,234,576 | $5,860,697 | -$2,626,121 | $47,215,857 | $2,364,054 | $44,851,803 |
Financial details: 990 for the year ended August 31, 2025
Revenue
- Contributions, gifts and grants
- $4,780,157
- Program service revenue
- $0
- Investment income
- $2,035,141
- Net gain from sales of assets
- $1,721,846
- Other revenue
- $0
Expenses
- Grants and similar amounts paid
- $2,244,472
- Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
- $819,236
- Other salaries and wages
- $1,345,123
- Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
- $2,621,160
- Professional fundraising fees
- $0
- Legal fees
- $17,195
- Accounting fees
- $33,280
- Occupancy
- $7,500
- Travel
- $512,681
- Depreciation
- $10,365
- Program services (functional)
- $5,444,703
- Management and general (functional)
- $892,048
- Fundraising (functional)
- $433,327
Balance sheet and other
- Total assets, start of year
- $52,733,359
- Total assets, end of year
- $56,235,764
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $2,697,324
- Net assets, end of year
- $53,538,440
- Land, buildings and equipment
- $73,646
- Publicly traded securities
- $15,613,499
- Net assets without donor restrictions
- $52,325,454
- Net assets with donor restrictions
- $1,212,986
- Gross receipts
- $7,562,349
- Employees
- 21
- Volunteers
- 24
- Year formed
- 1969
- State of legal domicile
- DC
From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.
Officers, directors and key employees
As listed on the 990 for the year ended August 31, 2025, highest compensation first.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SARA SNEED | PRESIDENT & CEO Trustee or director, Officer | 37.5 | $304,983 | $50,491 |
| MARGARET PORTA | COIO Officer | 37.5 | $187,181 | $54,203 |
| ERIC JAMES | CFAO Officer | 37.5 | $192,796 | $20,631 |
| KATHERINE GIBNEY | SVP OF DEVELOPMENT Highest-paid employee | 37.5 | $158,402 | $48,197 |
| ALEXANDER WILKINS | VP OF FINANCE & ADMIN Highest-paid employee | 37.5 | $103,822 | $20,618 |
| NICK ARCHULETA | CHAIR Trustee or director, Officer | 10 | $0 | $0 |
| OLETA GARRETT FITZGERALD | VICE-CHAIR Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| TIA DOWDELL | SECRETARY-TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| ARTHUR AFFLECK | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| AARO JEAN BELL | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| DAAIYAH BILAL-THREATS | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| BRET CONKLIN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| BERTIS DOWNS | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| LAURA ENGEL | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| ERICA WEBBER JONES | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
14 more people on this return
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOANNE KRELL | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| STUART LUCAS | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| BRENT MCKIM | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| MARC MOORGHEN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| ROGER POLLAK | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| BECKY PRINGLE | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| JANE QUIN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| MARCY SINGER-GABELLA | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| DENISE SHEEHAN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| DERRON WALLACE | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| MONICA WASHINGTON | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| JERRY WEAST | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| ROSS WIENER | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| CICELY WOODARD | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
990 for the year ended August 31, 2024: 29 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SARA SNEED | PRESIDENT & CEO Trustee or director, Officer | 37.5 | $292,844 | $48,462 |
| MARGARET PORTA | COIO Officer | 37.5 | $175,149 | $50,274 |
| KATHERINE GIBNEY | SVP OF DEVELOPMENT Highest-paid employee | 37.5 | $154,191 | $43,683 |
| ERIC JAMES | CFAO Officer | 37.5 | $178,529 | $19,173 |
| ANDREW GRABEL | SVP OF COMMS. (UNTIL 6/18/24) Highest-paid employee | 37.5 | $132,399 | $14,527 |
| NICK ARCHULETA | CHAIR Trustee or director, Officer | 10 | $0 | $0 |
| VALERIA LASSITER | IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| OLETA GARRETT FITZGERALD | VICE-CHAIR Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| JOY WHITLOW | SECRETARY-TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| AARO JEAN BELL | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| DAAIYAH BILAL-THREATS | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| BRET CONKLIN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| TIA DOWDELL | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| BERTIS DOWNS | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| LAURA ENGEL | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| ERICA WEBBER JONES | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| JOANNE KRELL | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| STUART LUCAS | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| BRENT MCKIM | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| PEDRO NOGUERA | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| ROGER POLLAK | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| BECKY PRINGLE | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| JANE QUIN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| MARCY SINGER-GABELLA | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| DENISE SHEEHAN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| DERRON WALLACE | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| MONICA WASHINGTON | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| JERRY WEAST | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| ROSS WIENER | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended August 31, 2023: 30 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SARA SNEED | PRESIDENT & CEO Trustee or director, Officer | 37.5 | $288,014 | $46,754 |
| ELIZABETH SCHNIEDER | COSI (UNTIL 2/2023) Highest-paid employee | 37.5 | $185,527 | $64,354 |
| MARGARET PORTA | COO Officer | 37.5 | $166,088 | $46,355 |
| ANDREW GRABEL | SVP OF COMMUNICATIONS Highest-paid employee | 37.5 | $131,717 | $14,365 |
| PAMELA PINKETT | INTERIM CFO (1/1-7/14/2022) Officer | 37.5 | $128,327 | $14,027 |
| ERIC JAMES | CFO (EXCEPT 1/1-7/14/2022) Officer | 37.5 | $81,269 | $541 |
| VALERIA LASSITER | CHAIR Trustee or director, Officer | 10 | $0 | $0 |
| NICK ARCHULETA | VICE-CHAIR Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| JOY WHITLOW | SECRETARY-TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| AARO JEAN BELL | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| DAAIYAH BILAL-THREATS | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| BRET CONKLIN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| TIA DOWDELL | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| BERTIS DOWNS | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| LAURA ENGEL | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| OLETA GARRETT FITZGERALD | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| ERICA WEBBER JONES | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| JOANNE KRELL | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| BRENT MCKIM | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| PEDRO NOGUERA | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| JEROME PAIGE | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| ROGER POLLAK | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| BECKY PRINGLE | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| JANE QUIN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| DENISE SHEEHAN | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| MARCY SINGER-GABELLA | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| DERRON WALLACE | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| MONICA WASHINGTON | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| JERRY WEAST | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| ROSS WIENER | DIRECTOR Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
Address and contacts
- Address (IRS master file)
- 1201 16TH ST NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20036-3201
- Principal officer (990 for 2024)
- SARA A SNEED, 1201 16TH STREET NW 416, WASHINGTON, DC 20036
- Signed the 990
- SARA A SNEED, PRESIDENT & CEO
- Phone
- (202) 822-7840
- Website
- WWW.NEAFOUNDATION.ORG
- Return prepared by
- GELMAN ROSENBERG & FREEDMAN
Mission
THE NEA FOUNDATION (THE FOUNDATION), WORKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHERS TO ADVANCE THE ABSOLUTE BEST IN PUBLIC EDUCATION.
Program accomplishments
- COMMUNITY SCHOOLS INITIATIVE - THE FOUNDATION'S COMMUNITY SCHOOLS INITIATIVE SUPPORTS THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY SCHOOLS AS AN EDUCATIONAL STRATEGY IN THE AMERICAN SOUTH, A REGION WITH PERSISTENT PATTERNS OF UNDERINVESTMENT IN PUBLIC EDUCATION AND THE HIGHEST CHILD POVERTY RATE IN THE NATION. COMMUNITY SCHOOLS ARE CO-CREATED THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS AMONG EDUCATORS AND SCHOOL LEADERS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND LOCAL BUSINESS AND INSTITUTIONS TO MEET STUDENTS' ACADEMIC AND NON-ACADEMIC NEEDS. THROUGH ITS INITIATIVE, THE FOUNDATION HAS BUILT A REGIONAL COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY SCHOOLS ACROSS ARKANSAS, LOUISIANA AND MISSISSIPPI.Expenses $1,197,475 · grants $1,004,422
- GRANTS TO EDUCATORS - TO IMPROVE STUDENT LEARNING, THE FOUNDATION PROVIDES GRANTS TO INDIVIDUALS AND TEAMS OF EDUCATORS TO SUPPORT INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICE AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACROSS ALL SUBJECT AREAS AND GRADE LEVELS. BY DIRECTLY FUNDING EDUCATOR-CONCEIVED AND LED PROJECTS, THE FOUNDATION ENABLES EDUCATORS TO CHART THEIR OWN COURSE TO SOLVE TEACHING AND LEARNING CHALLENGES. THE FOUNDATION GLEANS KNOWLEDGE FROM THESE GRANTS TO SHARE WHAT WORKS WITH THE FIELD AND TO INFORM OUR BROADER BODY OF WORK.Expenses $825,143 · grants $767,051
- AWARDS FOR TEACHING EXCELLENCE - THE FOUNDATION PRESENTS THE AWARDS FOR TEACHING EXCELLENCE AT OUR ANNUAL GALA TO HONOR THE CRITICAL WORK THAT PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATORS DO EVERY DAY. IN 2025, WE CELEBRATED 48 EXEMPLARY EDUCATORS, ALL FROM DIFFERENT STATES, IN FRONT OF AN AUDIENCE OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ONLINE.Expenses $646,260 · grants $90,000
- PROGRAM ADMINISTRATIONExpenses $2,016,685
- GLOBAL LEARNING FELLOWSHIPExpenses $376,140
- RESPONSIVE GRANTMAKINGExpenses $166,000 · grants $166,000
- PARTNERSHIPSExpenses $217,000 · grants $217,000
What it must file and when
IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in August, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.
| Tax year | Year ended | Due | IRS public records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | August 31, 2026 | January 15, 2027 | Not due yet |
| 2024 | August 31, 2025 | January 15, 2026 | 990 on file |
| 2023 | August 31, 2024 | January 15, 2025 | 990 on file |
IRS record
- EIN
- 23-7035089
- Tax-exempt status
- 501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
- Foundation status
- Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
- Donations deductible (Pub 78)
- Public charity, 50% deduction limit
- Exempt since
- 1969
- Accounting year ends
- August
- Files
- Form 990 or 990-EZ
- Category (NTEE)
- Education (B112)
- Assets (IRS master file)
- $56,235,764
- Income (IRS master file)
- $7,562,349
Filing history
| Form | Year ended | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 990 | August 2025 | $6,815,298 | $6,770,078 | $56,235,764 | XML |
| 990 | August 2024 | $6,658,255 | $6,194,524 | $52,733,359 | XML |
| 990-T | August 2024 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | August 2023 | $3,234,576 | $5,860,697 | $47,215,857 | XML |
| 990-T | August 2023 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | August 2022 | $13,777,530 | $6,620,376 | $46,299,667 | IRS |
| 990-T | August 2022 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | August 2021 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990-T | August 2021 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | August 2020 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | August 2019 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | August 2018 | – | – | – | IRS |
990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 23-7035089).
Questions about THE NEA FOUNDATION FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF EDUCATION
- What is the EIN of THE NEA FOUNDATION FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF EDUCATION?
- The employer identification number (EIN) of THE NEA FOUNDATION FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF EDUCATION is 23-7035089.
- Is THE NEA FOUNDATION FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF EDUCATION tax-exempt?
- Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 1969.
- Are donations to THE NEA FOUNDATION FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF EDUCATION tax-deductible?
- Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
- Which annual return does THE NEA FOUNDATION FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF EDUCATION file?
- Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
- When is the next return of THE NEA FOUNDATION FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF EDUCATION due?
- The return for tax year 2025 (the year ending August 31, 2026) is due January 15, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
- When did THE NEA FOUNDATION FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF EDUCATION last file with the IRS?
- The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended August 2025.
- Who is the principal officer of THE NEA FOUNDATION FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF EDUCATION?
- The 990 for the year ended August 31, 2025 names SARA A SNEED.
- Who are the officers and directors of THE NEA FOUNDATION FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF EDUCATION?
- The 990 for the year ended August 31, 2025 lists 29 people; 5 received compensation from the organization, the highest $304,983 (SARA SNEED, PRESIDENT & CEO).
- How much revenue does THE NEA FOUNDATION FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF EDUCATION have?
- On its 990 for the year ended August 31, 2025 it reported revenue of $6,815,298, expenses of $6,770,078 and total assets of $56,235,764 at year end.
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