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"To increase profits" is the obvious answer to the title. Otherwise very mundane, common sense updates. Just an engagement farming article.

lolinder 2y ago
Khan Academy is a 501(c)3 [0] non-profit. "Increase revenue" maybe, or alternatively they may actually believe in their mission. Depends on how cynical you're feeling today I guess. [0] https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/261544963 https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/261...
- ActionHank 2y ago
  Non profit doesn't mean what people think it means. Those expenses could be anything and anyone. They could be increasing rev to further increase expenses like salaries and exec pay. Not "shareholders" in a typical corporate business way, but still driving profits for a handful of key stakeholders. Not a bad thing, just don't think non-profit = altruistic orphan saving factory.
  - lolinder 2y ago
    I accounted for that by conceding that "increase revenue" would be the cynical explanation. "Increase profit" would strictly speaking be illegal. Regardless, the idea that Sal Khan specifically isn't fundamentally serious about education and sees this as his personal golden goose is a special kind of cynicism.
  - seanhunter 2y ago
    Understand and agree with your general point, but Sal Khan quit a job at a hedge fund to be a maths tutor and that's how khan academy got started. I genuinely don't think money is his primary motivation. If it was, he would have just stayed at the hedge fund.
  - SoftTalker 2y ago
    A section 501(c)(3) organization must not be organized or operated for the benefit of private interests, such as the creator or the creator's family, shareholders of the organization, other designated individuals, or persons controlled directly or indirectly by such private interests. No part of the net earnings of a section 501(c)(3) organization may inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual. A private shareholder or individual is a person having a personal and private interest in the activities of the organization. https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-organizations/inurement-private-benefit-charitable-organizations https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-organiz... None of that means that employees of 501(c)(3) organizations can't earn competitive compensation. But I think they'd be on pretty slippery ground if any part of compensation was tied directly to revenue increases.
- RobotToaster 2y ago
  So is Ikea.
  - lolinder 2y ago
    IKEA is a complicated mess of nonprofits and for profits. Khan Academy is just a 501(c)3.
mensetmanusman 2y ago
No. Everyone is better off the more path people know. One of the huge struggles in the west currently is the cancer of risk aversion. People can’t grok statistics, so we spend huge efforts negating 10^-6 risks.
dghlsakjg 2y ago
The non-profit famous for giving away all of its educational material, in multiple languages, with the goal of allowing no-cost world class education to anyone, is trying to juice it's profits?

lolinder 2y ago

Khan Academy is a 501(c)3 [0] non-profit. "Increase revenue" maybe, or alternatively they may actually believe in their mission. Depends on how cynical you're feeling today I guess. [0] https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/261544963 https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/261...

ActionHank 2y ago
Non profit doesn't mean what people think it means. Those expenses could be anything and anyone. They could be increasing rev to further increase expenses like salaries and exec pay. Not "shareholders" in a typical corporate business way, but still driving profits for a handful of key stakeholders. Not a bad thing, just don't think non-profit = altruistic orphan saving factory.
- lolinder 2y ago
  I accounted for that by conceding that "increase revenue" would be the cynical explanation. "Increase profit" would strictly speaking be illegal. Regardless, the idea that Sal Khan specifically isn't fundamentally serious about education and sees this as his personal golden goose is a special kind of cynicism.
- seanhunter 2y ago
  Understand and agree with your general point, but Sal Khan quit a job at a hedge fund to be a maths tutor and that's how khan academy got started. I genuinely don't think money is his primary motivation. If it was, he would have just stayed at the hedge fund.
- SoftTalker 2y ago
  A section 501(c)(3) organization must not be organized or operated for the benefit of private interests, such as the creator or the creator's family, shareholders of the organization, other designated individuals, or persons controlled directly or indirectly by such private interests. No part of the net earnings of a section 501(c)(3) organization may inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual. A private shareholder or individual is a person having a personal and private interest in the activities of the organization. https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-organizations/inurement-private-benefit-charitable-organizations https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-organiz... None of that means that employees of 501(c)(3) organizations can't earn competitive compensation. But I think they'd be on pretty slippery ground if any part of compensation was tied directly to revenue increases.
RobotToaster 2y ago
So is Ikea.
- lolinder 2y ago
  IKEA is a complicated mess of nonprofits and for profits. Khan Academy is just a 501(c)3.

mensetmanusman 2y ago

No. Everyone is better off the more path people know. One of the huge struggles in the west currently is the cancer of risk aversion. People can’t grok statistics, so we spend huge efforts negating 10^-6 risks.

dghlsakjg 2y ago

The non-profit famous for giving away all of its educational material, in multiple languages, with the goal of allowing no-cost world class education to anyone, is trying to juice it's profits?