Attach to Form 990 or Form 990-EZ.
Go to
www.irs.gov/Form990 for the latest information.
| (i) Name of supported organization | (ii) EIN | (iii) Type of organization (described on lines 1- 10 above (see instructions)) | (iv) Is the organization listed in your governing document? | (v) Amount of monetary support (see instructions) | (vi) Amount of other support (see instructions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | No | |||||
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Total |
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Calendar year (or fiscal year beginning in) ![]() |
(a) 2014 | (b) 2015 | (c) 2016 | (d) 2017 | (e) 2018 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gifts, grants, contributions, and membership fees received. (Do not include any "unusual grant.") .. | 1,470,664 | 6,696,000 | 693,538 | 2,989,235 | 1,565,117 | 13,414,554 |
| 2 | Tax revenues levied for the organization's benefit and either paid to or expended on its behalf.... | 0 | |||||
| 3 | The value of services or facilities furnished by a governmental unit to the organization without charge.. | 0 | |||||
| 4 | Total. Add lines 1 through 3 | 1,470,664 | 6,696,000 | 693,538 | 2,989,235 | 1,565,117 | 13,414,554 |
| 5 | The portion of total contributions by each person (other than a governmental unit or publicly supported organization) included on line 1 that exceeds 2% of the amount shown on line 11, column (f).. | 8,495,515 | |||||
| 6 | Public support. Subtract line 5 from line 4. | 4,919,039 | |||||
Calendar year
(or fiscal year beginning in) ![]() |
(a) 2014 | (b) 2015 | (c) 2016 | (d) 2017 | (e) 2018 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Amounts from line 4.. | 1,470,664 | 6,696,000 | 693,538 | 2,989,235 | 1,565,117 | 13,414,554 |
| 8 | Gross income from interest, dividends, payments received on securities loans, rents, royalties and income from similar sources... | 557,185 | 514,925 | 487,208 | 550,029 | 646,420 | 2,755,767 |
| 9 | Net income from unrelated business activities, whether or not the business is regularly carried on.. | ||||||
| 10 | Other income. Do not include gain or loss from the sale of capital assets (Explain in Part VI.).. | 637 | 1,177 | 20,000 | 20,577 | 1,286 | 43,677 |
| 11 | Total support. Add lines 7 through 10 | 16,213,998 | |||||
Calendar year (or fiscal year beginning in) ![]() |
(a) 2014 | (b) 2015 | (c) 2016 | (d) 2017 | (e) 2018 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gifts, grants, contributions, and membership fees received. (Do not include any "unusual grants.") . | ||||||
| 2 | Gross receipts from admissions, merchandise sold or services performed, or facilities furnished in any activity that is related to the organization's tax-exempt purpose | ||||||
| 3 | Gross receipts from activities that are not an unrelated trade or business under section 513 ..... | ||||||
| 4 | Tax revenues levied for the organization's benefit and either paid to or expended on its behalf... | ||||||
| 5 | The value of services or facilities furnished by a governmental unit to the organization without charge | ||||||
| 6 | Total. Add lines 1 through 5 | ||||||
| 7a | Amounts included on lines 1, 2, and 3 received from disqualified persons | ||||||
| b | Amounts included on lines 2 and 3 received from other than disqualified persons that exceed the greater of $5,000 or 1% of the amount on line 13 for the year. | ||||||
| c | Add lines 7a and 7b.. | ||||||
| 8 | Public support. (Subtract line 7c from line 6.) | ||||||
Calendar year (or fiscal year beginning in) ![]() |
(a) 2014 | (b) 2015 | (c) 2016 | (d) 2017 | (e) 2018 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Amounts from line 6... | ||||||
| 10a | Gross income from interest, dividends, payments received on securities loans, rents, royalties and income from similar sources.. | ||||||
| b | Unrelated business taxable income (less section 511 taxes) from businesses acquired after June 30, 1975. | ||||||
| c | Add lines 10a and 10b. | ||||||
| 11 | Net income from unrelated business activities not included in line 10b, whether or not the business is regularly carried on. | ||||||
| 12 | Other income. Do not include gain or loss from the sale of capital assets (Explain in Part VI.) .. | ||||||
| 13 | Total support. (Add lines 9, 10c, 11, and 12.).. | ||||||
| Section A - Adjusted Net Income | (A) Prior Year |
(B) Current Year (optional) |
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| 1 | Net short-term capital gain | 1 | ||||
| 2 | Recoveries of prior-year distributions | 2 | ||||
| 3 | Other gross income (see instructions) | 3 | ||||
| 4 | Add lines 1 through 3 | 4 | ||||
| 5 | Depreciation and depletion | 5 | ||||
| 6 | Portion of operating expenses paid or incurred for production or collection of gross income or for management, conservation, or maintenance of property held for production of income (see instructions) | 6 | ||||
| 7 | Other expenses (see instructions) | 7 | ||||
| 8 | Adjusted Net Income (subtract lines 5, 6 and 7 from line 4) | 8 | ||||
| Section B - Minimum Asset Amount | (A) Prior Year |
(B) Current Year (optional) |
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| 1 | Aggregate fair market value of all non-exempt-use assets (see instructions for short tax year or assets held for part of year): | 1 | ||||
| a | Average monthly value of securities | 1a | ||||
| b | Average monthly cash balances | 1b | ||||
| c | Fair market value of other non-exempt-use assets | 1c | ||||
| d | Total (add lines 1a, 1b, and 1c) | 1d | ||||
| e |
Discount claimed for blockage or other factors (explain in detail in Part VI): |
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| 2 | Acquisition indebtedness applicable to non-exempt use assets | 2 | ||||
| 3 | Subtract line 2 from line 1d | 3 | ||||
| 4 | Cash deemed held for exempt use. Enter 1-1/2% of line 3 (for greater amount, see instructions). | 4 | ||||
| 5 | Net value of non-exempt-use assets (subtract line 4 from line 3) | 5 | ||||
| 6 | Multiply line 5 by .035 | 6 | ||||
| 7 | Recoveries of prior-year distributions | 7 | ||||
| 8 | Minimum Asset Amount (add line 7 to line 6) | 8 | ||||
| Section C - Distributable Amount | Current Year | |||||
| 1 | Adjusted net income for prior year (from Section A, line 8, Column A) | 1 | ||||
| 2 | Enter 85% of line 1 | 2 | ||||
| 3 | Minimum asset amount for prior year (from Section B, line 8, Column A) | 3 | ||||
| 4 | Enter greater of line 2 or line 3 | 4 | ||||
| 5 | Income tax imposed in prior year | 5 | ||||
| 6 | Distributable Amount. Subtract line 5 from line 4, unless subject to emergency temporary reduction (see instructions) | 6 | ||||
| Section D - Distributions | Current Year | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Amounts paid to supported organizations to accomplish exempt purposes | ||
|
2
Amounts paid to perform activity that directly furthers exempt purposes of supported organizations, in excess of income from activity |
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| 3 Administrative expenses paid to accomplish exempt purposes of supported organizations | ||
| 4 Amounts paid to acquire exempt-use assets | ||
| 5 Qualified set-aside amounts (prior IRS approval required) | ||
| 6 Other distributions (describe in Part VI). See instructions | ||
| 7Total annual distributions. Add lines 1 through 6. | ||
|
8
Distributions to attentive supported organizations to which the organization is responsive (provide details in Part VI). See instructions |
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| 9 Distributable amount for 2018 from Section C, line 6 | ||
| 10 Line 8 amount divided by Line 9 amount | ||
| Section E - Distribution Allocations (see instructions) |
(i) Excess Distributions |
(ii) Underdistributions Pre-2018 |
(iii) Distributable Amount for 2018 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
Distributable amount for 2018 from Section C, line 6 |
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2
Underdistributions, if any, for years prior to 2018 (reasonable cause required-- explain in Part VI). See instructions. |
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| 3 Excess distributions carryover, if any, to 2018: | ||||
| a From 2013....... | ||||
| b From 2014....... | ||||
| c From 2015....... | ||||
| d From 2016....... | ||||
| e From 2017....... | ||||
| fTotal of lines 3a through e | ||||
| g Applied to underdistributions of prior years | ||||
| h Applied to 2018 distributable amount | ||||
|
i
Carryover from 2013 not applied (see instructions) |
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| j Remainder. Subtract lines 3g, 3h, and 3i from 3f. | ||||
| 4Distributions for 2018 from Section D, line 7: | ||||
| $ | ||||
| a Applied to underdistributions of prior years | ||||
| b Applied to 2018 distributable amount | ||||
| c Remainder. Subtract lines 4a and 4b from 4. | ||||
|
5
Remaining underdistributions for years prior to 2018, if any. Subtract lines 3g and 4a from line 2. If the amount is greater than zero, explain in Part VI. See instructions. |
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6
Remaining underdistributions for 2018. Subtract lines 3h and 4b from line 1. If the amount is greater than zero, explain in Part VI. See instructions. |
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7 Excess distributions carryover to 2019. Add lines 3j and 4c. |
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| 8 Breakdown of line 7: | ||||
| a Excess from 2014...... | ||||
| b Excess from 2015..... | ||||
| c Excess from 2016..... | ||||
| d Excess from 2017..... | ||||
| e Excess from 2018..... | ||||
| Facts And Circumstances Test |
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| Return Reference | Explanation |
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| PART II, LINE 17A | WHILE SOUTHERN EDUCATION FOUNDATION, INC. ("FOUNDATION") FAILED TO MEET THE MECHANICAL "ONE-THIRD OF SUPPORT" TEST IN 2018, IT CLEARLY SATISFIED THE ALTERNATIVE "FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES" TEST OUTLINED IN SECTION 1.170A-9(F)(3) OF THE TREASURY REGULATIONS. SPECIFICALLY, THE TWO REQUIRED FACTORS ARE PRESENT IN THIS CASE: 1. THE ORGANIZATION MUST RECEIVE AT LEAST 10% OF ITS SUPPORT IN THE FORM OF PUBLIC SUPPORT. AS NOTED IN SCHEDULE A TO FORM 990, IN 2018 THE FOUNDATION RECEIVED APPROXIMATELY 30.34% OF ITS TOTAL SUPPORT IN THE FORM OF PUBLIC SUPPORT - AN AMOUNT FAR IN EXCESS OF THE 10% THRESHOLD. 2. THE ORGANIZATION MUST HAVE AN ACTIVE "CONTINUOUS AND BONA FIDE" FUNDRAISING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO ATTRACT NEW AND ADDITIONAL PUBLIC SUPPORT. THE FOUNDATION CARRIED ON AN ACTIVE PROGRAM OF PUBLIC SOLICITATION IN 2018 AND RAISED OVER $1,400,000 FROM MORE THAN A DOZEN DIFFERENT SOURCES. IN ADDITION, ALL OF THE "FAVORABLE FACTORS" DESCRIBED IN THE TAX REGULATIONS RELEVANT TO NON-MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATIONS ARE PRESENT IN THIS CASE: 1. THE HIGHER THE PERCENTAGE OF SUPPORT ABOVE 10%, THE LESSER THE BURDEN OF THE ORGANIZATION IN ESTABLISHING THAT IT IS PUBLICLY SUPPORTED. IN THIS CASE, THE FOUNDATION'S PUBLIC SUPPORT PERCENTAGE IS SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE 10%. (THE FOUNDATION NEARLY SATISFIED THE MECHANICAL "ONE-THIRD" TEST.) 2. THE ORGANIZATION RECEIVES SUPPORT FROM A REPRESENTATIVE NUMBER OF PERSONS RATHER THAN FROM MEMBERS OF A SINGLE FAMILY OR FROM A LIMITED BASE OF SUPPORT. OVER THE YEARS, THE FOUNDATION HAS ATTRACTED CONTRIBUTIONS FROM A LARGE AND VARIED NUMBER OF SOURCES, INCLUDING DOZENS OF THE NATION'S MOST WELL-KNOWN AND RESPECTED CHARITIES. 3. THE COMPOSITION OF THE ORGANIZATION'S GOVERNING BODY IS REPRESENTATIVE OF BROAD PUBLIC INTERESTS. THE FOUNDATION'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS A DIVERSE MEMBERSHIP WHICH INCLUDES FOUNDATION EXECUTIVES, COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND PERSONS WITH SPECIAL EXPERTISE IN EDUCATION. ITS GOVERNING BODY REPRESENTS THE INTERESTS OF THE LARGER PUBLIC RATHER THAN THE PERSONAL OR PRIVATE INTERESTS OF A LIMITED NUMBER OF DONORS. 4. THE ORGANIZATION CONDUCTS PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO AND THAT APPEAL TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. (THE FACT THAT A RESEARCH OR EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATION CONDUCTS SCHOLARLY STUDIES WHICH ARE USED BY EDUCATORS OR THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS EVIDENCE OF PUBLIC SUPPORT.) THE FOUNDATION CONDUCTS ANALYSES OF EDUCATION ISSUES, TRENDS, AND POSSIBILITIES AND DISSEMINATES THE DATA IN ACCESSIBLE FORMATS TO THE LAY PUBLIC AND TO POLICY MAKERS. ADDITIONALLY, THROUGH ITS WEBSITE, CONFERENCES, AND DIRECT DISSEMINATION OF ITS PUBLICATIONS, THE FOUNDATION PROVIDES ESSENTIAL INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT EDUCATIONAL PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS. IN SUM, THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES IN THIS CASE CLEARLY DEMONSTRATE BROAD PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR, AND INTEREST AND INVOLVEMENT IN, THE FOUNDATION'S MISSION AND PROGRAMS. THEREFORE, THE FOUNDATION CONTINUES TO QUALIFY AS A "PUBLICLY SUPPORTED CHARITY" DESCRIBED IN SECTIONS 509(A)(1) AND 170(B)(1)(A)(VI) OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE. |
| Software ID: | |
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Attach to Form 990 or 990-EZ.
Go to www.irs.gov/Form990 for the latest information.
| Return Reference | Explanation |
|---|---|
| PART III, LINE 4A (1) | CONTINUED FROM FORM 990, PART III, LINE 4A Advancing Public Education: Public education for all children has long been a cornerstone of democracy in the United States, and the American South has been the center of the battle to achieve this goal. A perennial threat is the disinvestment in our public schools and increasing efforts to divert funds to private and charter schools as a hindrance from achieving equity in education for all, and we work to push back on these efforts and advance well-funded, safe, supportive, and diverse public schools that are held to meaningful and fair standards. Our Strategy: Informing and supporting public education campaigns across the South, to help engage, connect, and align diverse coalitions within and across states to employ multi-strategy approaches to advance public education; Regionalizing efforts through policy research and communications efforts, to help marshal evidence about what works in the region and strengthen the public education narrative; and Advancing ideas about teaching and learning to provide education advocates with where defensive battles can become offensive ones that shift from simply protecting public education to re-envisioning public education systems that support all children. In 2018, SEF used a number of initiatives to implement this strategy support for advocacy campaigns, communications, policy research and data sharing across the country and across the South. Most of this work was done by working closely throughout the year with both national and regional stakeholders interested in education justice in the American South (the, Advancement Project, the Alliance for Education Justice, the American Federation of Teachers, the Education Justice Network, the Opportunity Institute, the Center for Popular Democracy and the Partnership for the Future of Learning.) and others who have a history of advocacy and organizing work in the region. Collaborating with the Opportunity Institute and its major K12 initiative, Partners for Each and Every Child, SEF provided assistance in the initial months following the passage of Each and Every Student Act, commonly referred to as ESSA, both in Mississippi and Georgia. The early opportunity was to provide opportunities for stakeholder groups to access and inform state level ESSA planning efforts just as they were getting underway. With Partners For, guides for stakeholder engagement were provided to state officials, to facilitate their efforts to work with advocacy groups. Following this, SEF served on the Georgia Department of Educations ESSA State Advisory Council. As we got into this effort, it became apparent that marginalized groups (civil rights organizations, child advocate groups, etc.) were not being fully engaged. SEF engaged representatives from over 20 advocacy groups late in the year to discuss the states evolving ESSA plan. A significant outcome of our collaboration with the Center for Popular Democracy and the Institute for Education Leadership was the production of Community Schools: Transforming Struggling Schools into Thriving Schools. This report presents the key evidence-based strategies associated with community schools initiatives and profile community schools across the country that are implementing these evidence-based strategies to make a bigger difference for young people. This report was widely disseminated nationally and across the South. It was especially useful in SEFs efforts to support a coalition formed in opposition to a ballot initiative to establish a statewide school district for low performing schools in Georgia. In that effort, SEF assisted the Coalition in its early stages of formation, served as a source of data and analysis, and staged a series of town halls and community forums to educate the public on the facts associated with the initiative. |
| PART III, LINE 4A (2) | Southern Education Leadership Initiative Embedded across the three programs strategy, is SEFs leadership development initiative, the Southern Education Leadership Initiative (SELI). SELI was developed in 2004 to honor the 50 year anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education. For a decade, SELI has provided intensive trainings and paid summer fellowships to a diverse and inspired group of 175 college and graduate level students interested in working with nonprofit organizations to make systemic changes in education policy and practice. During the summer of 2018, we worked with 10 summer fellows to help build the capacity of organizations across the South. At the end of the summer, the fellows formally presented to their peers and SEF what they learned from this experience at a Closing Meeting in Atlanta, GA July 27-26, 2018. The focus of the meeting was to not only hear about the projects they worked on over the summer, but also provide a space for fellows to think about how they can carry on this mantle of making change in education in their own communities and states. Students were assigned to panels based on the kinds of strategies they were implementing at their placement site and asked to develop their session title as a way of encouraging them to better understand each others work. As with the Orientation, ample time was provided for students to work in small groups and map out individually their thoughts on achieving education equity for all students in the region. We also provided time to visit historical landmarks in Atlanta that included the Martin Luther King Jr. Museum and Ebenezer Baptist Church. Closing conversations focused on examining leadership skills they had developed through the experience and how they might apply what they had learned to their own communities post-summer. All commented that they felt they had bonded as a cohort and were looking forward to staying connected with each other and SEF. |
| PART III, LINE 4A (3) | Racial Equity Leadership Network In districts all over the United States, race and class remain among the most reliable predictors of student success in school. Currently, in southern states, more than half of all the students enrolled in public school are from low-income families, with a growing number of families living in extreme poverty. The majority of public school students in the South are also children of color, rapidly changing the demographics of large and small districts. The increasing diversity and inequities students and families confront, creates an imperative for us to reimagine how we create a system that increases access and opportunity for all children to learn, develop, and thrive. We think the system we need now requires a bold and significant shift in educational leadership and practice. Leaders in every corner of our nation are being called to think, engage and act differently in the face of the complex challenges they navigate. Strengthening the will, skill and capacity of district leaders and their teams is an important lever for advancing authentic and enduring equity-centered system change. Funded by The Atlantic Philanthropies, the Southern Education Foundation is answering this call by launching an innovative Racial Equity Leadership Network to advance the capacity of district leaders committed to enduring equity-centered systems change as a solution to addressing racial, economic and academic disparities in districts across the South. Fellowship Overview: The Racial Equity Leadership Network is an 18-Month Fellowship Program for Executive Leaders in districts who are committed to addressing historical disparities in their system and realizing a compelling vision of educational equity for every student. Fellows will attend five (5) two-day network convening focused on the essential levers for equity leadership and system transformation. In between network convening, Fellows will have access to a comprehensive menu of services and technical support including on-site coaching and strategic consultation to support implementation of their strategies in their home districts. Each cohort of the Racial Equity Leadership Network will be comprised of up to ten leaders (i.e., Superintendents, Deputy Superintendents, Chief Academic Officers, etc.) making an impact on disparities in their district. As members of the Racial Equity Leadership Network, fellows will: Engage and enlist internal and external stakeholders in addressing the factors in the education system that contribute to existing disparities in child well-being and learning outcomes; Leverage community voice and demand, quantitative and qualitative data, and local opportunities, in order to influence and advance strategic goals and practice change; and Advance education policy and practice that is equity-centered and results in student well-being and deeper learning outcomes for children. |
| PART VI, LINE 11A | THE 990 IS REVIEWED BY THE FULL BOARD, THE CEO AND THE CFO. AFTER ALL QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS ARE ADDRESSED THE 990 IS FILED AND A COPY IS PRESENTED TO EACH BOARD MEMBER. |
| PART VI, LINE 12C | Annually, each Trustee and SEF staff member execute a disclosure form identifying any relationships, positions or circumstances in which he/she is involved that could contribute to a real or perceived conflict of interest. Any information regarding business interest of a Trustee is treated as confidential and is generally made available to the Chair, the President, and any committee appointed to address conflicts of interest, except to the extent additional disclosure is necessary in connection with the implementation of this policy. Trustees do not vote on any matter in which they believe there is duality of interest and may, if asked, be called upon to share with fellow Trustees such information related to the duality of interest as may be necessary and appropriate. The minutes of Board meetings will show that the Trustee having a duality of interest disclosed same and abstained from voting on related matters. A copy of this policy is furnished to each person who is or becomes a member of the Board of Trustees or staff. Each such person is required to review a copy of this policy and acknowledge in writing that he or she has done so. |
| PART VI, LINE 15 | IN ORDER TO DETERMINE STAFF COMPENSATION LEVELS FOR ITS SMALL STAFF AND CONSERVATIVE MODEST RESOURCES, SEF CONSULTS SOURCES SUCH AS THE ANNUALLY COMPENSATION SURVEY PUBLISHED BY THE COUNCIL ON FOUNDATIONS, REPORTS IN THE CHRONICLE OF PHILANTHROPY, AND THE CHRONICLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION, RATHER THAN HIRING INDEPENDENT CONSULTANTS TO CONDUCT DETAILED COMPENSATION SURVEYS AND AUDITS. SEF BOARD MEMBERS AND STAFF, AS APPROPRIATE, ALSO CONSULT WITH PEER ORGANIZATIONS TO ASCERTAIN APPROPRIATE COMPENSATION RANGES FOR STAFF. MANY SEF BOARD MEMBERS SERVE, AS WELL, ON OTHER NON -PROFIT ORGANIZATIONAL BOARDS AND BRING THAT KNOWLEDGE AND PERSPECTIVE TO BEAR IN SETTING COMPENSATION FOR SEF STAFF. SEF'S FINANCE, AUDIT AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE REVIEWS COMPENSATION AS PART OF THE ANNUAL BUDGET-SETTING CYCLE AND DETERMINES COMPENSATION OF THE PRESIDENT BASED UPON AN ANNUAL APPRAISAL OF PERFORMANCE. THAT APPRAISAL CONSIDERS ALL ASPECTS OF THE PRESIDENT'S WORK INCLUDING FUNDRAISING, MANAGEMENT, PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION, GOVERNANCE AND COMMUNICATIONS. SEF'S PRESIDENT APPRAISES THE PERFORMANCE OF OTHER SUBORDINATE SEF STAFF ANNUALLY. ALL SEF STAFF ARE PART OF A MERIT PAY PROGRAM IN WHICH THERE ARE NO AUTOMATIC OR COST OF LIVING INCREASES.INCREASES. |
| PART VI, LINE 19 | All SEF public documents are available upon request. Once a request is received the documents can be sent either electronically or through the US postal system. The 2018 CPA audit, conflict of interest policy and whistleblower policy can also be found on the SEF web site in the "Public Documents Listing." |
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