Core Knowledge Foundation
Core Knowledge Foundation reported $25.3 million in revenue and $7.2 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $55.08 went to program services, $44.76 to management and general costs and $0.16 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 71.6% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $218,633 (PRESIDENT). 6 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 1194% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $7.2MFor 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 $25MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 55.1% | 84.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 44.8% | 13.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.2% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | Not reported | $0.04 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 19.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 71.6% | 69.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $218,633 | $331,578 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 3.06% | 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 | 88.2 | 13.3 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 9 of 9 | 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 expenseThe foundation advances educational excellence and opportunity for all students by creating and sharing rigorous, content-rich, intentionally sequenced curriculum, books, and instructional materials - most available for free - and by partnering with schools, districts, states, and educators nationwide to bring coherent knowledge-based education to life. Specific activities and publications include: the Core Knowledge sequence; curriculum and aligned resources in language arts, history, social studies, science, arts, and math; educator professional learning and support; and advocacy and…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $217,119 | $0 | $1,514 | $218,633 |
| DIRECTOR OF SCIENCE CURRIC Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $141,439 | $0 | $1,176 | $142,615 |
| DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS D Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $131,560 | $0 | $1,123 | $132,683 |
| DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL STUDIES Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $112,550 | $0 | $12,774 | $125,324 |
| DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $120,283 | $0 | $1,130 | $121,413 |
| DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL ENGAGEM Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $120,283 | $0 | $1,130 | $121,413 |
6 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Core Knowledge Foundation (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $219K (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–1b9 · 9 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 2Yes
- 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 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 527
- Volunteers Part I, line 612
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Core Knowledge Foundation's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Core Knowledge Foundation, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Core Knowledge Foundation spent in 2024, $55.08 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
Questions people ask
How much of Core Knowledge Foundation's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Core Knowledge Foundation reported that 55.1% of its $7.2 million in expenses went to program services, 44.8% to management and general and 0.2% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Core Knowledge Foundation pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Core Knowledge Foundation reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $218,633, for the role of PRESIDENT (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Core Knowledge Foundation get its money?
Of $25.3 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 0.0% came from contributions and grants and 71.6% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Core Knowledge Foundation a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 54-1371584 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 202513189349304831 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202413209349302811 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202323199349308742 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202233079349300418 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202133199349309263 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202013219349313061 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 54-1371584: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.