Buck Institute for Education
Also known as Pbl Works
Buck Institute for Education reported $12.4 million in revenue and $14.2 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $84.29 went to program services, $12.98 to management and general costs and $2.73 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 85.3% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $402,314 (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER). 46 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue fell 8% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $14MFor 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 $12MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 84.3% | 84.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 13.0% | 13.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 2.7% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.28 | $0.04 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 11.0% | 19.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 85.3% | 69.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $402,314 | $331,578 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.84% | 1.28% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 46 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 8.1 | 13.3 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 8 of 8 | 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 expenseTeacher professional development services - Buck Institute for education provides professional development services to hundreds of schools yearly in the U.S. And abroad, giving teachers the skills and knowledge needed to design, assess, and manage rigorous, relevant, and standards-based projects through our foundational gold standard pbl 101 workshop and sustained support visits. Project 125
District implementation support services - Buck Institute for education provides pbl implementation support services to dozens of U.S. School districts, supporting more than 20,000 teachers and leaders nationwide. With this three-year partnership, Buck Institute for education not only supports the development of teachers with our teacher professional development services but also focuses on the leadership and organizational development needed to sustain system-wide gold standard pbl implementation. Project 225
Buck Institute for education offers conferences for project based learning (pbl) that include professional learning opportunities for teachers, leaders, and instructional coaches. These events include Buck Institute for education's exemplary workshops, inspiring keynote speakers, and community building opportunities to catalyze transformational change in teaching and learning. Pbl world is hosted by Buck Institute for education and it's the premier conference for project based learning. Pblworld 2021 was hosted in person. Project 700
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $336,741 | $0 | $65,573 | $402,314 |
| CHIEF PRODUCT & TECH. OFFICER Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $212,845 | $0 | $69,400 | $282,245 |
| ED OF TEACHING & ASSESSMENT Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $221,377 | $0 | $14,333 | $235,710 |
| SR. DIR. OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $183,758 | $0 | $51,469 | $235,227 |
| ED OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $197,288 | $0 | $35,161 | $232,449 |
| CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $204,640 | $0 | $15,247 | $219,887 |
| MANAGING DIR. OF DIGITAL CURRICULUM Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $172,936 | $0 | $38,704 | $211,640 |
| SR. DIRECTOR OF DISTRICT SERVICES Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $148,213 | $0 | $42,287 | $190,500 |
46 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Buck Institute for Education (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.2M (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–1b8 · 8 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 5138
- Volunteers Part I, line 69
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| SCHOOLHOUSE PARTNERS Strategic planning & pbl now curriculum | $283,815 |
| PERFECT TIMING PERSONNEL SERVICES INC Personnel services | $261,626 |
| USC UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Consultants and professionals - research | $224,834 |
| BANYAN KITCHEN & CATERING Food and catering | $204,130 |
| TRIVIUM EDUCATION SERVICES PRIVATE LIMIT Consultants and professionals - product | $157,361 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 12 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
2 private foundations reported grants to Buck Institute for Education totaling $2.2M 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 Buck Institute for Education's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Buck Institute for Education, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Buck Institute for Education spent in 2024, $84.29 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Northwest Christian SchoolsColbert, WA · revenue $12M · programs 88.9% · FY2025
- Rocky Hill Country Day SchoolEast Greenwich, RI · revenue $12M · programs 87.1% · FY2025
- Harmony Hill SchoolChepachet, RI · revenue $12M · programs 81.2% · FY2025
- The Northsound Association for Catholic Archbishop Murphy High SchoolEverett, WA · revenue $12M · programs 77.6% · FY2025
- American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions OfficersWashington, DC · revenue $12M · programs 75.9% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of Buck Institute for Education's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Buck Institute for Education reported that 84.3% of its $14.2 million in expenses went to program services, 13.0% to management and general and 2.7% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Buck Institute for Education pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Buck Institute for Education reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $402,314, for the role of CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Buck Institute for Education get its money?
Of $12.4 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 11.0% came from contributions and grants and 85.3% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Buck Institute for Education a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 68-0160429 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 202513169349309376 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202421599349300307 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202333199349312338 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202213159349307621 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202132889349300923 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202023189349300517 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 68-0160429: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.