irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2023
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $250KEARLY CAREER FELLOWSHIP - THIS YEAR-LONG FELLOWSHIP ADDRESSES TWO CRITICAL PROBLEMS IN EDUCATION: KEEPING NEW TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM AND THE UNDER-REPRESENTATION OF TEACHERS OF COLOR ACROSS THE PROFESSION. THOSE ACCEPTED JOIN AN INTIMATE COHORT FOR A YEAR OF MASTER CLASSES, WORKSHOPS, AND MENTORING. THEY LEARN ALONGSIDE EACH OTHER AND JOIN OUR LARGER COMMUNITY OF PASSIONATE, VETERAN TEACHERS WHO SERVE AS ROLE MODELS.
- #2 $211KFELLOWS EVENTS - THE ACADEMY FOSTERS COMMUNITY AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH AMONG TEACHERS BY ORGANIZING A VARIETY OF INTELLECTUAL, CULTURAL, AND RECREATIONAL EVENTS. THROUGH LECTURES, PERFORMANCES, WORKSHOPS, BOOK CLUBS, CREATIVE WRITING GROUPS, A SOFTBALL TEAM, AND A CHORUS, THE PROGRAM PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEACHERS TO CONNECT, COLLABORATE, AND ENGAGE IN MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES BEYOND THE CLASSROOM.
named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Early Career Fellowship
Two-year professional learning program for new teachers featuring master classes with Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, and MacArthur Fellows, structured pedagogical workshops, personalized mentoring, and collaborative learning communities designed to increase retention and inspire continued teaching excellence.
Fellows Events
Intellectual, cultural, and recreational gatherings including lectures, performances, book clubs, creative writing groups, a softball team, and a chorus that foster community and professional growth among teacher participants.
Master Classes
Intimate learning sessions led by world-renowned experts and artists across disciplines such as science, literature, economics, and the arts, designed to reignite intellectual curiosity and pedagogical creativity among teachers.
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Teacher Professional Development 4 activities
- Early Career Fellowship programA year-long fellowship program for early career teachers that includes content-focused master classes, structured problem-solving workshops, personalized mentoring, and social events to support professional development, retention, and increased representation of teachers of color. Participants are four times more likely to remain in the profession compared to peers without similar support.
- Online educational resources for teachersMaintains an online video library of master classes and makes published stories about teachers publicly available to support and inspire educators beyond in-person participants.
- Professional development master classesOffers in-person and online master classes led by distinguished experts, including Nobel laureates and MacArthur Fellows, focused on pedagogy and intellectual enrichment for K-12 teachers. Classes are part of a broader effort to build teaching skills and foster cross-subject collaboration.
- Teacher community and cultural eventsHosts free lectures, workshops, performances, book groups, creative writing groups, a chorus, and social gatherings to reduce teacher isolation and build a supportive professional community in the New York metropolitan area.
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Teacher and Staff Appreciation Activities 1 activity
- Annual fundraising galaHosts an annual gala event, “Show Teachers the Love!”, at 583 Park Avenue, which raised over $400,000 in support of teacher programs.
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Arts Education Professional Development 1 activity
- Artist residency program for teachersHosts an annual artist residency for eight teachers, providing housing, meals, and dedicated time to pursue artistic work in a supportive environment.
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Financial Aid and Scholarship Access Programs 1 activity
- Funding fellowships and scholarships for teachersProvides grants and scholarships to teachers, including full scholarships to the Bread Loaf School of English, the Don Quixote Fellowship in partnership with Columbia University, and scholarships to attend the YPC National choral-conducting workshop.
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Recognition and Awards Programs 1 activity
- Teacher recognition and storytelling initiativesCommissions and publishes stories about influential teachers, hosts the 'Stories Out of School' flash fiction contest, awards the Woodridge Award annually to a K-12 teacher, and recognizes outstanding teacher portraits through public contests and prizes.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Research and impact measurementDeveloped and introduced the Inspiration Index, a tool designed to measure the impact of the organization’s programs on teacher retention and professional engagement.
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financials · form 990 · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$1.34M
Contributions & grants$1.10M82%
Program service revenue$195K15%
Investment income$51K4%
Other revenue$-10K
expenses
Total expenses$1.33M
Program expenses82%
Admin / overhead3%
Fundraising15%
Salaries & benefits$901K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.39M
Cash$210K
Investments$942K
Liabilities$25K
Net assets$1.36M
Liquid reserves10.4 mo
5 years on record · 2019–2023 · YoY revenue -17.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAM SWOPE | PRESIDENT | 50 | $177K |
board members · 14
- AISHA HAYNES — SECRETARY
- BARBARA GOODMAN RAHO — CO-CHAIR
- CAROLINE SNEATH MCBRIDE — BOARD MEMBER
- DAN QUIAT — BOARD MEMBER
- DIANA REVSON — CO-CHAIR
- JOY S HURD — BOARD MEMBER
- KATE BURCH — NON-VOTING BOARD MEMBER
- MALLORY NEIDICH — BOARD MEMBER
- MICHAEL GLAZEBROOK — BOARD MEMBER
- PATRICIA HAYOT — BOARD MEMBER
- PETER MARRS — TREASURER
- STEVEN ARESTY — BOARD MEMBER
- TRACY GARRISON FEINBERG — BOARD MEMBER
- WAYNE TOBIAS — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 62
Who they work with
- Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Partner — Faculty member Robert Battle is artistic director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
- American Museum of Natural History Partner — Hosts master classes as part of the network of cultural and academic institutions supporting teacher recognition and development.
- Barnard College Partner — Faculty member Linda Bell is provost of Barnard College.
- Bread Loaf School of English at Middlebury College Partner — Jointly offers scholarships with The Academy for Teachers for graduate-level literature study
- Bread Loaf School of English at Middlebury College Partner — Provides full scholarships to Academy Fellows through a partnership with the Bread Loaf School of English at Middlebury College.
- Bucknell University Partner — Faculty member Nina Banks is associate professor of economics at Bucknell University.
- Carnegie Hall Partner — Hosts master classes as part of the network of cultural and academic institutions supporting teacher recognition and development.
- Classical Theatre of Harlem Partner — Hosts workshops for Academy Fellows in the YPC choral-conducting program
- Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School Partner — Sustaining partner in the Private Schools and Public Education Partnership supporting teacher enrichment programs.
- Columbia University Partner — Faculty member Casey Nelson Blake is professor at Columbia University.
- Columbia University Partner — Hosts master classes as part of the network of cultural and academic institutions supporting teacher recognition and development.
- Duke University Partner — Faculty member Richard H. Brodhead served as president of Duke University; Lawrence Carin is affiliated with Duke.
- Electric Literature Partner — Collaborated as partner for the 2020 Stories Out of School flash fiction contest.
- Epiphany Magazine Partner — Partner publication that publishes the winning story from the 'Stories Out of School' flash fiction contest in its print edition.
- Ethical Culture Fieldston School Partner — Sustaining partner in the Private Schools and Public Education Partnership supporting teacher enrichment programs.
- Foundation House Partner — Partner organization hosting the Artist Residency for Teachers program
- Friends Seminary Partner — Sustaining partner in the Private Schools and Public Education Partnership supporting teacher enrichment programs.
- Gaten Matarazzo Partner — Participated in a fireside chat at the annual gala, reflecting on the influence of his former teacher.
- Gaten Matarazzo Partner — Presenter of the 2026 Woodridge Award for Great Teachers.
- Gloria Steinem Partner — Conducted a master class titled “Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions: Fighting for Women’s Rights” for teachers.
- Grace Church School Partner — Sustaining partner in the Private Schools and Public Education Partnership supporting teacher enrichment programs.
- Harvard University Partner — Faculty member Rubén Blades graduated from Harvard Law School; Linda Bell held a visiting faculty appointment at Harvard’s Kennedy School.
- Incite Institute at Columbia University Partner — Collaborates with The Academy for Teachers to fund and support Don Quixote Fellowships
- Jane Goodall Partner — Led a discussion on her work with primates and conservation for teachers who pass her message on to students.
- Kronos Quartet Partner — Led a master class exploring contemporary chamber music pieces commissioned for its “Fifty for the Future” project.
- Lincoln Center Partner — Hosts master classes and workshops for Academy Fellows participating in the YPC choral-conducting program
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology Partner — Faculty member Tanja Bosak is professor of geobiology at MIT.
- Museum of Modern Art Partner — Hosts master classes as part of the network of cultural and academic institutions supporting teacher recognition and development.
- NPR Partner — Faculty member Neal Carruth is NPR’s general manager of podcasts.
- NYC High Schools and District 79 Partner — Collaborates with the Early Career Fellowship to support over 100 new teachers through the program.
+ 32 more
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Cross-Sector Collaboration to Broaden Professional Perspectivemethodology: cross-sector_educator_collaborationBy bringing together teachers from public, private, and charter schools, the organization fosters mutual learning and shared understanding because diverse contexts enable richer dialogue and strengthen collective professional identity.
- Expert-Led Master Classes with Peer Collaboration to Reignite Engagementmethodology: expert-led_peer_learningBy offering intimate, expert-led master classes that combine deep content knowledge with peer interaction, the organization renews teacher enthusiasm and improves instructional practice because modeling by luminaries evokes inspiration and collaborative learning reinforces professional growth.
- Inspiration-Cycle Model for Sustained Teacher Motivationmethodology: inspiration-cycle modelBy structuring professional development around a three-phase cycle of inspiration—evocation, insight, and action—the organization sustains early-career teachers’ motivation because initial emotional engagement is deepened through reflection and translated into sustained professional practice.
- Supportive Community and Enrichment to Improve Retentionmethodology: supportive_community_and_enrichmentBy providing intellectually enriching experiences and fostering a supportive professional community, the organization improves teacher retention, particularly for early-career educators, because these conditions reduce isolation, reignite motivation, and sustain professional commitment.