Citizen Schools Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- Raising each dollar of donations cost 118 cents.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, THE AGENCY OPERATED AN AMERICORPS MAKER FELLOWSHIP, PLACING 7 AMERICORPS VISTA MEMBERS AT 6 DIFFERENT EDUCATION FOCUSED ORGANIZATIONS IN CA, MA, AND NY. AMERICORPS MEMBERS WORKED ON CAPACITY BUILDING PROJECTS TO EXPAND EXPERIENCE BASED, HANDS-ON LEARNING WITH MENTORS AT THEIR HOST SITES.
- Income
- $773,251
- Spending
- $3.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 70%
- Reserves
- 12.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 54%
- Employees
- 22
- Volunteers
- 50
- Highest pay
- $204,879, ceo
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: 55 out of 100. Higher than 21% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 12.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 282% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 27% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1570% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 118 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: 97 out of 100. Higher than 93% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 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
12 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
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)
- $2.1 million spent. CSI PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES THROUGH ITS NATIONAL OFFICE TO SUPPORT STATE/LOCAL OPERATIONS, INCLUDING NATIONAL RECRUITMENT OF CAMPUS STAFF AND CITIZEN TEACHERS, MANAGEMENT OF NATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND KEY STAKEHOLDERS, NATIONWIDE BEST PRACTICE SHARING, NATIONALLY-BASED STAFF TRAINING, PROGRAM RESEARCH AND EVALUATION, AND CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION, AND TRAINING SUPPORT. THESE SERVICES INCLUDE THE DEVELOPMENT, LAUNCH AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CATALYST PROGRAM, SUPPORTING TEACHERS TO DELIVER HANDS-ON PROJECT-BASED LEARNING DURING SCIENCE CLASSES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AS WELL AS FIELD DEVELOPMENT AND THE MAKERS NETWORK TO MOBILIZE PUBLIC AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR HIGH-QUALITY AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS THROUGH RESOURCE, EVALUATION, INNOVATION, ADVOCACY AND THE LEADERSHIP OF THE MAKERS + MENTORS (FORMERLY US2020 NETWORK). CSI ADVOCATES FOR THE CONTINUED EXPANSION OF SPECIFIC FUNDING AND PUBLIC POLICY INITIATIVES THAT SUPPORT 21ST-CENTURY SKILL DEVELOPMENT, MENTORSHIP, AMERICORPS NATIONAL SERVICE, AND OUT OF SCHOOL TIME, WHILE FOCUSING EFFORTS ON INNOVATION THROUGH THE MAKERS NETWORK, WHICH INCLUDES 20 COMMUNITY COALITIONS THAT OFFER HIGH QUALITY PROJECT-BASED STEM LEARNING WITH MAKERSPACES TO OVER 200,000 STUDENTS. CSI ALSO ENGAGES IN EVALUATION WITH THIRD PARTY INSTITUTIONS TO PROVE THE EFFICACY OF ITS PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES HANDS-ON LEARNING WITH MENTORS AT THEIR HOST SITES.
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 April 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.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.