Commonlit
Commonlit reported $15.9 million in revenue and $20.6 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $85.82 went to program services, $11.64 to management and general costs and $2.54 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 57.3% of the total. Government grants made up 6.3%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $390,275 (PRESIDENT & CEO). 54 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 281% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $21MFor 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 $16MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 85.8% | 84.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 11.6% | 13.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 2.5% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.08 | $0.04 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 40.6% | 19.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 6.3% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 57.3% | 69.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $390,275 | $331,578 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.89% | 1.28% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 54 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | -0.2 | 13.3 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 5 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 expenseHighest 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT & CEO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $368,817 | $0 | $21,458 | $390,275 |
| CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $341,500 | $0 | $13,826 | $355,326 |
| CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $298,121 | $0 | $17,496 | $315,617 |
| CHIEF OF PARTNERSHIPS Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $267,894 | $0 | $13,957 | $281,851 |
| CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER (BOARD CLERK) Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $237,143 | $0 | $26,357 | $263,500 |
| VICE PRESIDENT OF PARTNERSHIPS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $229,775 | $0 | $9,381 | $239,156 |
| SENIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $202,967 | $0 | $13,686 | $216,653 |
| CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $190,426 | $0 | $24,357 | $214,783 |
54 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Commonlit (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.8M (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 · 5 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 5141
- Volunteers Part I, line 612
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| HERKIMER CONSULTING INC Psychometrics consulting | $247,643 |
| TEACHERS COLLEGE COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY Eir grant subaward | $179,585 |
| RUBINO & COMPANY Accounting services | $119,111 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 5 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
5 private foundations reported grants to Commonlit totaling $4.9M 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 Commonlit's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Commonlit, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Commonlit spent in 2024, $85.82 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All education charities · Largest charities in District of Columbia
Questions people ask
How much of Commonlit's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Commonlit reported that 85.8% of its $20.6 million in expenses went to program services, 11.6% to management and general and 2.5% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Commonlit pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Commonlit reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $390,275, for the role of PRESIDENT & CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Commonlit get its money?
Of $15.9 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 40.6% came from contributions and grants (including 6.3% from government grants) and 57.3% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Commonlit a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 46-4255260 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 202522279349301747 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202403179349302135 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202343489349301339 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202233199349303153 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202133199349306303 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019 (amended), object 202043469349300704 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 46-4255260: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.