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MOSAIC - WE ARE BORN TO LEARN

WHITE PLAINS, NY · EIN 871700033 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE E60 · Health Care · Small ($100K-$1M) · weareborntolearn.org
revenue
$699K
expenses
$727K
net assets
$-152K
employees
0
volunteers
5
program ratio
67%
mission · from form 990

MOSAIC WAS ESTABLISHED TO EDUCATE AND SUPPORT PARENTS AND YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT A DIFFERENT PATHWAY OF LEARNING KNOWN AS SELF-DIRECTED EDUCATION (SDE).

profile · synthesized from sources

MOSAIC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and supporting parents and young people about self-directed education (SDE). It provides a platform and community for families practicing independent, meaningful learning through resources, events, and membership services. The organization operates primarily online, serving a geographically dispersed population interested in alternative education pathways.

named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Events
Organized gatherings and activities to support families in their self-directed learning journey
Membership Services
Platform providing resources, events, and community support for families practicing self-directed education, accessible through paid membership
Resource Platform
Online hub offering content, tools, and information to support independent meaningful learning for parents and young people
activities · 8 groups

What they do

  • Leadership & Policy Dialogue Forums 1 activity
    • Advocacy and dialogue on learner-centered education
      Participates in multi-organization dialogues on the future of education, including contributions to discussions on AI and learner-centered education such as "The Future of the Educator."
  • Teacher Professional Development 1 activity
    • Capacity building for educators and families in self-directed learning
      Provides coaching and community-building support to families and educators transitioning to self-directed learning models.
  • Hands-On STEM Education Programs 1 activity
    • Curiosity-driven and interest-based learning programs
      Facilitates hands-on, interest-based learning experiences centered on individual passions, including programs that support future career development in technology, and encourages learning through curiosity-driven dialogue and podcasting.
  • Special Education Support Services 1 activity
    • Inclusive learning environments for neurodivergent children
      Creates inclusive, supportive learning environments and produces educational content specifically focused on neurodivergent learning and children with hypervigilant nervous systems.
  • Parenting Education and Support Programs 1 activity
    • Parent and caregiver education on self-directed education
      Offers education and personalized support to parents and caregivers navigating self-directed learning through coaching, one-on-one sessions, and monthly Guide-moderated gatherings such as Coffee Chats.
  • Podcast and Radio Production 1 activity
    • Podcast and multimedia content production for alternative learning
      Produces a podcast series for families exploring alternative learning approaches, with practical reflections on learner-led home environments, and creates supplementary educational resources summarizing key concepts from episodes. Accepts and publishes community-submitted content including videos, audio, photography, and written reflections via an email-based system.
  • Youth and Community Research Initiatives 1 activity
    • Research on self-directed education
      Conducted a nationally representative survey on self-directed education in 2021, which was peer-reviewed and published in the International Journal of Progressive Education, revealing 74% of U.S. families expressed interest in independent experiential learning.
  • Homeschool Support Services 1 activity
    • Support for self-directed learning for families
      Provides materials, workshops, virtual one-on-one meetings with Guides, and a private community platform with exclusive events, webinars, and a curated resource library to support families engaged in self-directed learning. Offers a 60-day free trial membership and a free welcome series through email subscription.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$699K
Contributions & grants$699K100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$10%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$727K
Program expenses67%
Admin / overhead33%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$150K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$193
Cash$193
Investments$0
Liabilities$152K
Net assets$-152K
Liquid reserves0.0 mo
2 years on record · 2023–2024 · YoY revenue +3.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
BONNIE BENJAMIN-PHARISS BOARD CO-CHAIR/SECRETARY/EXEC. DIR. 20 $150K
board members · 5
  • BRENDA ROBINSON — BOARD MEMBERS
  • EMILY LIEBTAG — BOARD MEMBERS
  • FISH STARK — BOARD MEMBERS
  • JEFFREY WESTPHAL — BOARD MEMBERS
  • JONATHAN SAPPEY — BOARD CO-CHAIR
relationships · 6

Who they work with

  • Collective Membership Network — Network offering free 60-day access to resources and community gatherings for families engaged in self-directed learning
  • International Journal of Progressive Education Partner — Published Mosaic's peer-reviewed research on self-directed education.
  • Kristen Himm Partner — Founder of MOSAIC - WE ARE BORN TO LEARN and lead guide in self-directed education for neurodivergent learners.
  • Paya Government — Third-party payment processing partner used to collect membership fees.
  • Rabbi Shoshana Meira Friedman Partner — Featured guest and collaborator on podcast discussing neurodivergent learning
  • Selfdirect.school Partner — Collaborated on the publication "The Future of the Educator," a dialogue on AI and learner-centered education.
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.