Raise Your Hand for Public Schools
The organization's mission is to advance public education by igniting fiercely innovative leadership and advocacy for the state's 5 million plus students.
Raise Your Hand for Public Schools at a glance
- Total assets
- $1,662,290
- +1.1% vs 2023
- Revenue (2024)
- $7,919,409
- +4.7% vs 2023
- Expenses (2024)
- $7,726,777
- -2.7% vs 2023
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026.
Who Raise Your Hand for Public Schools funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
11 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 8 grants of 11 (73%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
How Raise Your Hand for Public Schools gives
- Giving grew 47% from 2020 to 2023. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2023, annual grant giving ranged from $73K (2021) to $283K (2022). In 2023 it made 2 grants totaling $177K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Texas Tribune Inc Austin, TX | General Operations | $160,000 |
| Texas Association of School Administrators Austin, TX | General Operations | $16,667 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,662,290 | $7,919,409 | $7,726,777 | — | — |
| 2023 | $1,644,308 | $7,565,847 | $7,943,516 | $176,667 | 2 |
| 2022 | $2,041,472 | $8,101,000 | $8,304,567 | $282,500 | 3 |
| 2021 | $2,029,116 | $4,750,075 | $4,985,621 | $73,232 | 3 |
| 2020 | $2,447,948 | $2,750,000 | $2,020,536 | $120,512 | 3 |
| 2018 | $2,238,079 | $2,600,000 | $2,660,993 | — | — |
About Raise Your Hand for Public Schools
Based on IRS filings
Raise Your Hand for Public Schools is a public charity focused on Arts, Culture & Humanities, based in Austin, TX. IRS filing data is available from 2018 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $1.7M in total assets.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Raise Your Hand for Public Schools is led by Michelle M. Smith, Executive Director & Secretary since 2023 (on filings since 2018); 7 of 12 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Michelle M. Smith
Executive Director & Secretary
Gvt Relations Director → Executive Director, 2021
Executive Director → Executive Director & Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2018
40 hrs/week
$112K (2018) → $449K (2024)
Elizabeth Cohen
Executive Director
Director of Advocacy & Outreach → Executive Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$144K (2020) → $223K (2024)
Charles H. Clines
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2018
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert Popenski
Director of Policy Program
Director of Policy Programs → Director of Policy Program, 2021
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$212K (2020) → $242K (2024)
Jolisa Hoover
Director of Special Projects
Director of Advocacy & Outreach → Director of Special Projects, 2024
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$130K (2022) → $150K (2024)
William Holleman
Director of Govt Relations
Senior Director of Govt Relations → Director of Govt Relations, 2024
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$211K (2023) → $224K (2024)
Barbara Taylor
Director
New on the 2024 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Georgina Podjenski
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Elizondo
Director
New on the 2024 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Charles Gaines
Chief of Staff
Gvt Relations Director → Chief of Staff, 2023
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$148K (2021) → $186K (2024)
Kathryn Anne Lasseigne Tiedt
Communication Specialist
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$160K (2022) → $164K (2024)
Elizabeth Lorenz
Vice President
On filings since 2018
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: David A. Anderson (2018–2021) — General Counsel & Policy Analyst
- Former: Debra S. Salge (2018–2021) — Vice President & Secretary
- Former: Alison Badgett President (2018)
- Former: Marvin Jnicchio (2018) — Gvt Relations Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2018–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $449K, to Michelle Smith (Executive Director/Sec (Until 05/24)). 7 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Raise Your Hand for Public Schools
How large is Raise Your Hand for Public Schools?
Raise Your Hand for Public Schools reported $1.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $7.9M.
What is Raise Your Hand for Public Schools?
Raise Your Hand for Public Schools is a public charity focused on Arts, Culture & Humanities, based in Austin, TX. It holds $1.7M in total assets as of 2024.
Where does Raise Your Hand for Public Schools operate?
Raise Your Hand for Public Schools has awarded grants in Texas.
What is Raise Your Hand for Public Schools's EIN?
Raise Your Hand for Public Schools's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-8119071. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2018–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2018 (received by the IRS January 31, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from Raise Your Hand for Public Schools's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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