IZEA Director Lindsay A. Gardner Receives 5,976-Share Award

What Happened
Lindsay A. Gardner, a director of IZEA Worldwide, Inc. (IZEA), was granted 5,976 restricted shares on September 30, 2026. The shares were recorded at $0.00 acquisition price (award) and were valued at approximately $15,000 based on the closing market price of $2.51 per share on the grant date. The award vested immediately.

Key Details

• Transaction date: 2026-09-30; Transaction type/code: Award/Grant (A)
• Shares granted: 5,976 restricted shares; reported acquisition price: $0.00
• Reported fair value: $15,000 (based on $2.51 closing price on grant date) — see footnote F1
• Vesting: Award vests immediately (shares are not subject to future vesting)
• Shares owned after transaction: Not specified in the provided filing
• Filing timeliness: Reported on Form 4 filed 2026-10-01 (appears timely)

Context
This was a compensation award for director fees rather than an open-market purchase or sale, so it reflects routine director compensation rather than a direct bullish or bearish trading signal. Immediate vesting means the director received full ownership of the shares on the grant date and could, in principle, sell them subject to any company trading policies or blackout periods.