Joan Ganz Cooney Center Foreducational Media and Research Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
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 CHILDREN'S 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.
- Income
- $2.8 million
- Spending
- $2.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 115.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 54%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $1.1 million, ceo/president of sesame workshop
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 79% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 115.4 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 19% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 259% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1575% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 255 of 6 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $2.2 million spent. DURING FISCAL YEAR 2025, THE JOAN GANZ COONEY CENTER (JGCC) ADVANCED ITS MISSION TO SUPPORT THE DESIGN OF DIGITAL MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY THAT PROMOTE CHILDREN'S LEARNING, DEVELOPMENT, AND WELL-BEING. THE CENTER CARRIED OUT RESEARCH, DESIGN-BASED INITIATIVES, PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PROGRAMS, AND FIELD-BUILDING ACTIVITIES THAT TRANSLATED EVIDENCE FROM CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING SCIENCES INTO PRACTICAL GUIDANCE FOR INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS, EDUCATORS, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS WORKING IN CHILDREN'S DIGITAL ENVIRONMENTS.(SEE SCHEDULE O)THE CENTER'S WORK DURING THE YEAR FOCUSED ON LITERACY INNOVATION, RESPONSIBLE TECHNOLOGY DESIGN, AND PROFESSIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING, WITH THE GOAL OF IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF DIGITAL PRODUCTS AND EXPERIENCES AVAILABLE TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.MAJOR INITIATIVES AND PROGRAMMATIC HIGHLIGHTS:SANDBOX FOR LITERACY INNOVATIONSTHE SANDBOX FOR LITERACY INNOVATION SUPPORTED THE DEVELOPMENT OF DIGITAL PRODUCTS FOR CHILDREN BY INTEGRATING RESEARCH ON LITERACY DEVELOPMENT AND PARTICIPATORY DESIGN PRACTICES INTO PRODUCT DESIGN AND TESTING PROCESSES. THROUGH THIS INITIATIVE, THE CENTER PARTNERED WITH DIGITAL MEDIA AND EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPERS TO PROVIDE RESEARCH EXPERTISE, FACILITATE CO-DESIGN ACTIVITIES WITH CHILDREN, AND CONDUCT FORMATIVE EVALUATIONS OF PRODUCT CONCEPTS AND PROTOTYPES.DURING FY25, SANDBOX PROJECTS ADDRESSED A RANGE OF LITERACY-RELATED TOPICS, INCLUDING EARLY READING, WRITING, AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT, AND INCLUDED WORK WITH EMERGING DIGITAL TOOLS SUCH AS AI-ENABLED LEARNING APPLICATIONS. THE CENTER'S STAFF PROVIDED GUIDANCE ON ALIGNING PRODUCT FEATURES WITH EVIDENCE-BASED LITERACY PRACTICES AND SUPPORTED ITERATIVE REFINEMENT BASED ON FEEDBACK FROM CHILDREN AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS.THE SANDBOX CONTINUED TO BE SUPPORTED BY PHILANTHROPIC FUNDING, INCLUDING A MULTI-YEAR INVESTMENT FROM THE WALTON FAMILY FOUNDATION. THIS SUPPORT ENABLED THE CENTER TO EXPAND ITS CAPACITY TO WORK WITH PRODUCT TEAMS AND TO DOCUMENT AND SHARE LESSONS LEARNED FROM APPLIED RESEARCH AND CO-DESIGN ACTIVITIES.RESPONSIBLE INNOVATION IN TECHNOLOGY FOR CHILDREN (RITEC) AND DIGITAL WELL-BEINGIN FY25, THE CENTER CONTINUED ITS PARTICIPATION AS THE U.S.-BASED PARTNER IN THE RESPONSIBLE INNOVATION IN TECHNOLOGY FOR CHILDREN (RITEC) INITIATIVE, AN INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION FOCUSED ON UNDERSTANDING HOW DIGITAL PRODUCTS AFFECT CHILDREN'S WELL-BEING. THE CENTER CONTRIBUTED TO RESEARCH DISSEMINATION, DEVELOPMENT OF PRACTITIONER-ORIENTED RESOURCES, AND ENGAGEMENT WITH INDUSTRY PARTNERS SEEKING TO APPLY CHILD-CENTERED DESIGN FRAMEWORKS.THE CENTER SUPPORTED ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO HELP COMPANIES INTERPRET RESEARCH FINDINGS AND INCORPORATE WELL-BEING CONSIDERATIONS INTO PRODUCT DESIGN PROCESSES. THESE ACTIVITIES INCLUDED WORKSHOPS, CONVENINGS, AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE INVOLVING RESEARCHERS, DESIGNERS, AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS WORKING IN CHILDREN'S DIGITAL PLAY AND MEDIA.THROUGH THIS WORK, THE CENTER ADVANCED ITS CHARITABLE PURPOSE BY SUPPORTING THE RESPONSIBLE DESIGN OF DIGITAL ENVIRONMENTS FOR CHILDREN AND INCREASING ACCESS TO RESEARCH-BASED GUIDANCE FOR PRACTITIONERS.WELL-BEING BY DESIGN FELLOWSHIPTHE WELL-BEING BY DESIGN (WBXD) FELLOWSHIP PROVIDED PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS WORKING IN CHILDREN'S MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY. THE FELLOWSHIP OFFERED A STRUCTURED PROGRAM THROUGH WHICH PARTICIPANTS ENGAGED WITH RESEARCH ON CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND WELL-BEING AND APPLIED THESE CONCEPTS TO PROJECTS THEY WERE ACTIVELY DEVELOPING.DURING FY25, FELLOWS PARTICIPATED IN WORKSHOPS, PEER LEARNING SESSIONS, AND DESIGN REVIEWS, INCLUDING FEEDBACK SESSIONS INVOLVING A YOUTH DESIGN TEAM. THE FELLOWSHIP EMPHASIZED EARLY-STAGE DESIGN DECISIONS AND ENCOURAGED PARTICIPANTS TO CONSIDER CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS THROUGHOUT THE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.THE CENTER CONTINUED TO REFINE THE FELLOWSHIP MODEL BASED ON PARTICIPANT FEEDBACK AND OUTCOMES, WITH SUPPORT FROM PHILANTHROPIC AND CORPORATE FUNDERS. THE PROGRAM CONTRIBUTED TO THE CENTER'S MISSION BY STRENGTHENING PROFESSIONAL CAPACITY AND PROMOTING RESEARCH-INFORMED DESIGN PRACTICES WITHIN THE FIELD.CHILDREN AND AI FUTURESDURING FY25, THE CENTER UNDERTOOK EXPLORATORY RESEARCH RELATED TO THE USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN PRODUCTS AND SERVICES DESIGNED FOR OR USED BY CHILDREN. THIS WORK INCLUDED INTERVIEWS WITH INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS, REVIEW OF EMERGING APPLICATIONS, AND IDENTIFICATION OF RESEARCH AND DESIGN QUESTIONS RELATED TO CHILDREN'S LEARNING, DEVELOPMENT, AND WELL-BEING.THE PURPOSE OF THIS WORK WAS TO INFORM FUTURE RESEARCH, GUIDANCE, AND PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND TO ENSURE THAT CONSIDERATIONS OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT REMAIN CENTRAL AS NEW TECHNOLOGIES ARE INTRODUCED.FIELD-BUILDING, COMMUNICATIONS, AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENTTHE CENTER ENGAGED IN A RANGE OF FIELD-BUILDING AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES DURING FY25. STAFF PARTICIPATED IN CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS, AND MEETINGS WITH RESEARCHERS, INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES, FUNDERS, AND POLICYMAKERS TO SHARE FINDINGS AND DISCUSS RESEARCH-INFORMED APPROACHES TO DESIGNING DIGITAL PRODUCTS FOR CHILDREN.THE CENTER PRODUCED AND DISSEMINATED PUBLICATIONS, BLOG POSTS, AND OTHER RESOURCES INTENDED TO MAKE RESEARCH ACCESSIBLE TO PRACTITIONERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THESE COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORTED THE CENTER'S EDUCATIONAL MISSION BY INCREASING AWARENESS OF EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES AND ENCOURAGING INFORMED DECISION-MAKING RELATED TO CHILDREN'S DIGITAL MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since December 2007.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
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