The Childrens Scholarship Fund
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The Children's Scholarship Fund (CSF) empowers families by providing children in need with scholarships, and by supporting expanded educational opportunities for all children.
- Income
- $31.7 million
- Spending
- $25.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 93%
- Reserves
- 11.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 85%
- Employees
- 34
- Volunteers
- 133
- Highest pay
- $398,541, president & ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 84% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 11.1 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 29% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 20% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 7% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1593% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 25% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2511 of 12 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
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
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 August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Reports results. Its tax return states measurable results. These are its own figures and nobody has checked them.
Results it reports
- Nearly 30,290 children from low-income families benefited from scholarships awarded by CSF and its partner programs.Work delivered
- Over 5,800 Education Freedom Accounts were funded.Work delivered
Read from the return by an AI model and shown only where the wording was found in the return. These are the charity's own figures.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $20.1 million spent. In fiscal year 2025 nearly 30,290 children across the US benefited from scholarships awarded by CSF and its partner programs. These children, all of whom are from low-income families, are receiving the education desired by their families due to the generosity of our donors and the efforts of scholarship programs in 24 communities. Since its inception in 1998, nearly 217,430 children from low-income families have benefited from attending the private school of their choice with more than $1.155 billion in tuition assistance from CSF and its partner programs.
- $2.4 million spent. Program management and administration of New Hampshire Education Freedom (EFA) program: The EFA program provides students who are not enrolled full time in a New Hampshire public school and whose family earns 350% of the poverty line or below with a state grant to spend on eligible education related expenses. CSF administers the funding provided from the State of New Hampshire to each student account. Program staff verifies eligibility of students through the application process, reviews and approves payment of eligible education expenses, and approves educational providers. In addition, program staff provide outreach and support to NH families to inform them about the EFA program. During fiscal year 2025, CSF received approximately $28.7 million from the State of NH to fund over 5,800 EFAs.
- $1.1 million spent. Program management, outreach and support: CSF's program staff works with parents and schools to ensure the integrity and efficient management of the program. The program staff verifies eligibility and student attendance, disburses the tuition assistance payments to schools and annually requalifies returning students. The Children's Scholarship Fund maintains partnerships with local scholarship programs in communities around the country. In addition to providing matching grants to these organizations, the Children's Scholarship Fund also trains local program staff and has developed and maintains specialized software that is used to manage scholarship awards.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 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 August 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 November 1998.
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.