Max Warburg Courage Curriculum Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF MAXCOURAGE IS TO EMPOWER STUDENTS TO DISCOVER THE VALUE OF COURAGE AND DEVELOP ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS (ELA) PROFICIENCY. THE PROGRAM, THROUGH ITS MISSION, HELPS STUDENTS RECOGNIZE THEIR CAPACITY TO ADDRESS THE TROUBLING COMPLEXITIES OF THEIR WORLD BY EXPLORING THE CONCEPT OF COURAGE IN LITERATURE, IN THEIR OWN LIVES, AND IN THE BROADER COMMUNITY. AT THE SAME TIME, THIS SEL APPROACH STRENGTHENS THEIR LITERACY SKILLS. MAXCOURAGE'S OVERARCHING VISION IS TO PROVIDE A MODEL ELA CURRICULUM WHICH EMPOWERS STUDENTS TO LEARN ABOUT AND CONTINUE TO EXHIBIT COURAGE IN THEIR LIVES, AND WHICH INSPIRES OTHERS TO MAKE BOLDER AND MORE COURAGEOUS CHOICES.
- Income
- $331,832
- Spending
- $458,871
- Spent on programs
- 61%
- Reserves
- 28.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 77%
- Employees
- 3
- Volunteers
- 175
- Highest pay
- $128,853, executive director thru 01/25
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
Fair: 68 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 28.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 38% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 24% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1561% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 38 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
Fair: 66 out of 100. Higher than 46% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2519 of 19 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give 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
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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)
- $281,660 spent. FOR 34 YEARS, THE MAX WARBURG COURAGE CURRICULUM (MAXCOURAGE) HAS SUPPORTED STUDENTS AND TEACHERS IN BOSTON AND BEYOND WITH OUR FREE ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS (ELA) AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL) CURRICULUM. MAXCOURAGE WAS INITIALLY CREATED TO SERVE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS. IN RECENT YEARS, MAXCOURAGE HAS BEEN CONTINUED IN BOSTON, WHILE EXPANDING TO MASSACHUSETTS GATEWAY CITIES AND NEW ENGLAND STATES. APPROXIMATELY 6,000 CHILDREN WORLDWIDE PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM EACH YEAR.SINCE 2021, MAXCOURAGE HAS EXPANDED NATIONAL PARTICIPATION BY 88% TO MEET THE DEMAND FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS SEL AND ELA ACADEMIC NEEDS POST PANDEMIC. ADDITIONALLY, A NEW OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME PROGRAM, THE MAXCOURAGE WRITER'S WORKSHOP SERIES, OFFERED ACCESS TO CURRICULUM AND AN ESSAY CONTEST FOR THOSE IN AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND SUMMER CAMPS. THE ANNUAL PUBLICATION OF STUDENT ESSAYS, THE COURAGE OF CHILDREN: BOSTON AND BEYOND, REFLECTED THIS GROWTH WITH A BOOK THAT WAS 33% LARGER THAN IN PRIOR YEARS.
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 March 1995.
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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