THE JOAN GANZ COONEY CENTER FOR EDUCATIONAL MEDIA AND RESEARCH INC Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

THE JOAN GANZ COONEY CENTER FOR EDUCATIONAL MEDIA AND RESEARCH INC

EIN 20-8783702 · Educational Services (B90)

What they do

NAMED for THE CO-FOUNDER and VISIONARY BEHIND SESAME STREET, THE JOAN GANZ COONEY CENTER is AN INDEPENDENT RESEARCH and INNOVATION LAB WITHIN SESAME WORKSHOP THAT ADVANCES POSITIVE FUTURES for KIDS IN THE DIGITAL WORLD. WE CONDUCT RESEARCH (SEE SCHEDULE O)ON EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES and COLLABORATE WITH TECHNOLOGISTS, DIGITAL MEDIA PRODUCERS, and EDUCATORS to PUT THIS RESEARCH INTO ACTION to SUPPORT CHILDRENS LEARNING and WELL-BEING. WE FACILITATE AN INTERNATIONAL NETWORK of RESEARCHERS and PARTNER WITH YOUNG PEOPLE THEMSELVES, ELEVATING THEIR VOICES IN OUR RESEARCH and ENGAGING THEM IN CO-DESIGNING DIGITAL MEDIA EXPERIENCES. WE ALSO WORK DIRECTLY WITH POLICY MAKERS and INVESTORS to DRIVE NATIONAL CONVERSATIONS and DECISIONS THAT HELP CHILDREN THRIVE WITHIN OUR DIGITAL WORLD.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $75.30 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2024The charity has a recent tax report to read.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders12 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

76.57%of revenue went to mission work75.3% of expenses · Program services

6.43%of revenue went to fundraising6.3% of expenses

$101.64spent for every $100 of revenueSpending was higher than revenue this year.

18.65%of revenue went to management and office costs18.3% of expenses

$11.94in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

54.1%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Worth asking: Expenses exceeded revenue by $46,633 this year. Ask whether that was planned or caused by a one-time event.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $113,401 for VALERIE MITCHELL-JOHNSTON (SECRETARY). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2024

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

$100revenue

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$2,838,885

Mission workProgram services$2,173,66576.57% of revenue75.3% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$529,42218.65% of revenue18.3% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$182,4316.43% of revenue6.3% of expenses

Total expenses$2,885,518101.64% of revenue

Expenses were greater than revenue, so the colored ring fills the available $100 and the total above 100% is shown below.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails

2024CurrentExpense mix: 75.3% mission · 18.3% management · 6.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 101.64% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 72.4% mission · 20.2% management · 7.4% fundraisingTotal expenses: 249.98% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 74.2% mission · 16.1% management · 9.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 154.09% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 65.8% mission · 19.7% management · 14.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 164.36% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 69.7% mission · 22.4% management · 7.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 53.07% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 72.4% mission · 18.7% management · 9.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 1,424.06% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 78.5% mission · 14.2% management · 7.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 514.03% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 78.6% mission · 14.5% management · 6.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 17,328.81% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$2,838,885

Expenses$2,885,518

Annual shortfall $46,633 Expenses were higher than revenue for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$2,173,665 · 75.3% of expenses

Management and office costs$529,422 · 18.3% of expenses

Fundraising$182,431 · 6.3% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$2,838,885

Expenses$2,885,518

Assets$34,455,327

Income$6,151,953

Contributions$1,535,030

Mission work (program services)$2,173,665

Fundraising$182,431

Grants given$379,168

Average grant$29,167

Management and general$529,422

Executive compensation (total)$492,191

Stocks and bonds$9,214,494

Investing fees$152,097

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2024

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

VALERIE MITCHELL-JOHNSTONSECRETARY · 1 hrs/week $113,401Base · Other $113,401

MICHAEL PRESTONEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JGC CENTER · 50 hrs/week $108,129Base · Other $108,129

SHERRIE ROLLINS WESTINCEO/PRESIDENT OF SESAME WORKSHOP · 1 hrs/week $37,006Base · Other $37,006

BRETT ROBINSONTREASURER/CFO OF SESAME WORKSHOP $36,258Base · Other $36,258

JANET WOLFOFFICE MANAGER · 50 hrs/week $29,024Base · Other $29,024

MEDHA TARESR. DIRECTOR, RESEARCH · 50 hrs/week $24,361Base · Other $24,361

STEPHEN YOUNGWOODFORMER DIRECTOR $9,059Base · Other $9,059

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (12)

VALERIE MITCHELL-JOHNSTONSECRETARY

MICHAEL PRESTONEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JGC CENTER

SHERRIE ROLLINS WESTINCEO/PRESIDENT OF SESAME WORKSHOP

BRETT ROBINSONTREASURER/CFO OF SESAME WORKSHOP

JANET WOLFOFFICE MANAGER

MEDHA TARESR. DIRECTOR, RESEARCH

STEPHEN YOUNGWOODFORMER DIRECTOR

DAVID BYERDIRECTOR

ELLEN WARTELLADIRECTOR

ESTEBAN SOSNIKDIRECTOR

HINA TALIBDIRECTOR

JOAN GANZ COONEYDIRECTOR

About this charity

Recognized since: January 2007
Location: 1900 BROADWAY, NEW YORK, NY 10023-7004
County: New York
In care of: % DARYL MINTZ/SESAME WORKSHOP
Primary officer: BRETT ROBINSON, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Phone(212) 595-3456

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: July 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: GRANT THORNTON ADVISORS LLC
NTEE classification: Educational Services (B90)
IRS tax category: Educational Services
Grant-giving organization: Yes