Luminos Fund
Luminos Fund reported $14.3 million in revenue and $11.4 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $84.87 went to program services, $10.15 to management and general costs and $4.98 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 98.6% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $379,066 (CEO). 6 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 126% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $11MFor context, the median across 5,499 covered education charities: $85.56 programs, $13.59 management, $0.85 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $14MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 84.9% | 84.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 10.2% | 13.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 5.0% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.04 | $0.04 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 98.6% | 19.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 69.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $379,066 | $331,578 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 3.32% | 1.28% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 6 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 18.2 | 13.3 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 6 of 7 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseLuminos provides transformative education programs to thousands of out-of-school children, helping them to catch up to grade level, reintegrate into government schools, and prepare for lifelong learning. Luminos was founded to ensure all children have equal access to joyful, foundational learning, especially those shut out of education by crisis, poverty, or discrimination. Their vision is of a world where no child is ever denied the chance to learn. To date, luminos has served 377,407 children across ethiopia, ghana, liberia, lebanon, and the gambia. As luminos scales pioneering new…
Highest reported compensation
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $325,212 | $0 | $53,854 | $379,066 |
| GLOBAL PEOPLE OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 32.00 hrs/week | $131,625 | $0 | $39,173 | $170,798 |
| ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $126,563 | $0 | $29,320 | $155,883 |
| SENIOR DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $115,192 | $0 | $32,971 | $148,163 |
| DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $131,625 | $0 | $5,400 | $137,025 |
| VICE PRESIDENT OF DEVELOPMENT & COMMUNICATIONS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $119,216 | $0 | $6,513 | $125,729 |
| DIRECTOR Director/trustee, 1.00 hrs/week | $20,400 | $0 | $0 | $20,400 |
| DIRECTOR, SECRETARY Director/trustee, officer, 1.00 hrs/week | $7,300 | $0 | $0 | $7,300 |
6 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Luminos Fund (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $555K (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2024 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b7 · 6 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 513
- Volunteers Part I, line 66
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| RIPPLING PAYMENTS INC Payroll management services | $1,240,263 |
| IDINSIGHT INC Program data evaluation services | $267,714 |
| DONNALEE DONALDSON Program management services | $137,500 |
| EDUCATION ASSESSMENT AND RESEARCH CENTRE Program data evaluation services | $110,412 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 4 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
4 private foundations reported grants to Luminos Fund totaling $4.3M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Luminos Fund's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Luminos Fund, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Luminos Fund spent in 2024, $84.87 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
Embed on your site
Similar-sized charities in this cause
- The Apogee Georgia School Choice Scholarship FundAtlanta, GA · revenue $14M · programs 98.2% · FY2025
- Union County Charter Education AssociationIndian Trail, NC · revenue $14M · programs 59.5% · FY2025
- California Pacific Charter SchoolsCosta Mesa, CA · revenue $14M · programs 86.4% · FY2025
- Unity Classical Charter School a Challenge Foundation AcademyCharlotte, NC · revenue $14M · programs 60.8% · FY2025
- Jewish Commmunity High School of the BaySan Francisco, CA · revenue $14M · programs 86.3% · FY2025
All education charities · Largest charities in Massachusetts
Questions people ask
How much of Luminos Fund's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Luminos Fund reported that 84.9% of its $11.4 million in expenses went to program services, 10.2% to management and general and 5.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Luminos Fund pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Luminos Fund reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $379,066, for the role of CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Luminos Fund get its money?
Of $14.3 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 98.6% came from contributions and grants and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Luminos Fund a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 36-4817073 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202503159349303425 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202403199349309840 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202313199349307276 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202223199349328887 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202141699349301259 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202032099349300853 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 36-4817073: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.