National Institute for Excellence in Teaching
The National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET) is a public charity based in Scottsdale, Arizona. It supports educator effectiveness and student achievement through work with schools, districts, states, and educator-preparation partners, including teacher and leader development and school-improvement systems.
National Institute for Excellence in Teaching at a glance
In short: National Institute for Excellence in Teaching gave $4.4M across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $401K), mostly in Arizona. 36% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $4,413,263
- -1.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 11
- -15.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $401,206
- +16.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $486,945
- Total assets
- $60,277,301
- +12.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 36% first-time grantees (4 of 11, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Arizona (57% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to National Institute for Excellence in Teaching
- Contact
Mailing address: 7333 East Doubletree Ranch Road 25, Scottsdale, AZ 85258
Phone: (800) 575-6438
Website: https://niet.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who National Institute for Excellence in Teaching funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Osborn Elementary ($780K). Together the top 10 received $4.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
93 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 30 grants of 93 (32%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
NIET is based in Scottsdale, Arizona. In its 2025 filing, 57% of grant dollars went to recipients in Arizona and 43% to recipients in Texas. The listed grants also included $10,000 each to recipients in South Carolina, Louisiana, Indiana, and Tennessee.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
Cities
Is National Institute for Excellence in Teaching open to new grantees?
36%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 11 grantees (36%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $194K; repeat grants $519K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $639K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $4.4M (2025) to $11.9M (2021). In 2025 it made 11 grants totaling $4.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Osborn Elementary Phoenix, AZ | Improving Educator Effectiveness | $780,498 |
| Somerset Independent School District Somerset, TX | Improving Educator Effectiveness | $751,195 |
| Gadsden Elementary School District San Luis, AZ | Improving Educator Effectiveness | $747,518 |
| Avondale Elementary School District No 44 Avondale, AZ | Improving Educator Effectiveness | $698,019 |
| Gladewater ISD Gladewater, TX | Improving Educator Effectiveness | $639,009 |
| Crockett ISD Crockett, TX | Improving Educator Effectiveness | $486,945 |
| Miami Unified School District Miami, AZ | Improving Educator Effectiveness | $270,079 |
| Laurens County Laurens, SC | Improving Educator Effectiveness | $10,000 |
| Natchitoches Parish School Board Natchitoches, LA | Improving Educator Effectiveness | $10,000 |
| Shenandoah School Corporation Middletown, IN | Improving Educator Effectiveness | $10,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $60,277,301 | $32,451,572 | $26,695,309 | $4,413,263 | 11 | $2,060,925 |
| 2024 | $53,630,259 | $33,588,125 | $24,916,717 | $4,493,652 | 13 | $1,184,436 |
| 2023 | $43,086,249 | $32,588,290 | $26,506,610 | $8,061,055 | 24 | $450,079 |
| 2022 | $36,544,716 | $32,366,225 | $29,032,340 | $11,874,392 | 29 | $140,717 |
| 2021 | $34,287,957 | $30,387,286 | $22,960,937 | $11,921,486 | 16 | $5,804 |
| 2020 | $27,203,788 | $19,592,938 | $17,709,538 | $8,277,655 | 17 | $271,505 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
NIET’s stated mission is “building educator excellence to give all students the opportunity for success.” Its work focuses on improving educator effectiveness through professional learning systems and support tailored to schools’ needs.
NIET describes five service areas in its 2024 filing: the TAP System for Teacher and Student Advancement; School Improvement Solutions; rubric and observation systems; teacher and leader development; and educator-preparation partnerships. The filing describes the TAP System as a comprehensive approach to building educator excellence and student achievement, and School Improvement Solutions as a model that uses a needs assessment to tailor support. NIET also describes rubrics and observation systems, professional learning and leadership development, and partnerships with universities to prepare aspiring educators.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, NIET reported 11 grants totaling $4,413,263. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $780,498, with a median of $486,945. The listed grants went to schools, school districts, and other education-related recipients; every itemized grant listed “improving educator effectiveness” as its purpose.
The largest grants were $780,498 to an individual recipient in Phoenix, Arizona; $751,195 to Somerset Independent School District in Somerset, Texas; $747,518 to Gadsden Elementary School District in San Luis, Arizona; $698,019 to Avondale Elementary School District No. 44 in Avondale, Arizona; and $639,009 to Gladewater ISD in Gladewater, Texas.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
NIET’s 2025 filing lists Joshua H. Barnett as CEO and Kristan Van Hook as senior vice president. It lists Lowell Milken as chairman until December 2024 and founder, and Gary Stark as vice chairman until December 2024 and chairman. The filing also lists James Guthrie, Wayne D. Lewis, Candice McQueen, and Raymond J. Simon as directors.
National Institute for Excellence in Teaching is led by Joshua H. Barnett, CEO since 2023 (on filings since 2020); 17 of 18 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Joshua H. Barnett
CEO
Co-President & COO → Co-President, COO & CEO, 2022
Co-President, COO & CEO → CEO, 2023
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$280K (2020) → $466K (2025)
Gary Stark
Vice Chairman & Chairman
Director → Chairman, 2024
Chairman → Vice Chairman & Chairman, 2025
On filings since 2020
15 hrs/week
$171K (2020) → $30K (2025)
Lowell Milken
Chairman & Founder
Chairman → Chairman & Founder, 2025
On filings since 2020
15 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Candice McQueen
Director
Chief Executive Officer → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$407K (2020) → $30K (2025)
James Guthrie
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$10K (2020) → $30K (2025)
Bryan Johnson
Director
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
$15K (2023) → $30K (2025)
Wayne D. Lewis
Director
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
$15K (2023) → $30K (2025)
Theresa Hamilton
South Central Regional Director
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$133K (2024) → $147K (2025)
John Theodore Sanders
Director
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
$30K (2025)
Keely Potter
East Regional Director
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$140K (2025)
Raymond J. Simon
Director
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
$30K (2025)
Kristan Van Hook
Senior Vice President Policy
Chief Policy Officer → Senior Vice President Policy, 2021
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$218K (2020) → $269K (2025)
Stephanie Mosqueda
Senior Vice President Strategic Projects
Vice President Virtual & Learning Tech Svcs → Senior Vice President Strategic Projects, 2023
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$128K (2020) → $216K (2025)
Vicky Condalary
Senior Vice President Services & Partnerships
Senior Vice President Services → Senior Vice President Services & Partnerships, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$139K (2020) → $232K (2025)
Patrice Pujol
Senior Executive-In-Residence
Senior Executive-In-Residence → Executive-In-Residence, 2022
Executive-In-Residence → Senior Executive-In-Residence, 2023
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$130K (2021) → $194K (2025)
Molly Kwas
CFO
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$177K (2023) → $170K (2025)
Tanee Hudgens
Vice President of Research & Evaluation
Vice President Research & Evaluation → Vice President of Research & Evaluation, 2025
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$136K (2023) → $173K (2025)
Davita Lancelin
Vice President of Services
Vice President Services → Vice President of Services, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$151K (2024) → $170K (2025)
Former officers (12)
- Former: J. Ted Sanders (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Ray Simon (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Amy Wooten (2023–2024) — Executive Director of Higher Education Partnershp
- Former: Laura Encalade (2020–2023) — Co-President
- Former: Ralph Finerman (2020–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Hank Staggs (2023) — Director of Aced
- Former: Rebecca Sarradet (2023) — Executive Director of Professional Development
- Former: Molly Sears (2020–2022) — CFO
- Former: Sara Gast (2020–2022) — Cos & Exe. Director of Strategic Committee
- Former: Jennifer Kenagy (2022) — Indiana Director
- Former: Ann Shaw (2020) — Exe. Director of Professional Development
- Former: Katie Von Rembow (2020) — CFO
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $466K, to Dr Joshua H Barnett (CEO). 17 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about National Institute for Excellence in Teaching
How much does National Institute for Excellence in Teaching give each year?
National Institute for Excellence in Teaching gave $4.4M across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $4.5M across 13 grants.
What is National Institute for Excellence in Teaching's typical grant size?
National Institute for Excellence in Teaching's median grant in 2025 was $486,945, and its average grant was $401,206, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from National Institute for Excellence in Teaching that year got $194K on average.
Where does National Institute for Excellence in Teaching give grants?
National Institute for Excellence in Teaching gives mostly in Arizona: 57% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was Texas (43%).
Does National Institute for Excellence in Teaching give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on National Institute for Excellence in Teaching's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Improving Educator Effectiveness" (11 grants).
Who are National Institute for Excellence in Teaching's largest grantees?
National Institute for Excellence in Teaching's largest 2025 grantees include Osborn Elementary ($780,498), Somerset Independent School District ($751,195) and Gadsden Elementary School District ($747,518), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 52% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is National Institute for Excellence in Teaching?
National Institute for Excellence in Teaching reported $60.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $32.5M.
What does National Institute for Excellence in Teaching fund?
NIET’s stated mission is “building educator excellence to give all students the opportunity for success.” Its work focuses on improving educator effectiveness through professional learning systems and support tailored to schools’ needs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from National Institute for Excellence in Teaching?
National Institute for Excellence in Teaching has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check niet.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is National Institute for Excellence in Teaching's EIN?
National Institute for Excellence in Teaching's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-2268389. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 22, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 10, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 6, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 6, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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