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Creative Education Foundation Inc

EIN 16-0849832 · Marshfield, MA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair59 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO SPARK PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL TRANSFORMATION BY EMPOWERING PEOPLE WITH THE SKILL SET, TOOL SET, AND MINDSET OF DELIBERATE CREATIVITY.

Income
$537,222
Spending
$650,572
Spent on programs
59%
Reserves
4.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 55%
Employees
3
Volunteers
31
Highest pay
$138,131, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 59 out of 100. Higher than 25% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 26% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 21% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 9% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    59% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 34 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 95% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    13 of 13 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 (3)
  1. $288,003 spent. THE FOUNDATION CONDUCTS TWO ANNUAL, INTERNATIONAL CREATIVITY CONFERENCES - THE FLORIDA CREATIVITY CONFERENCE (FLCC) AND THE CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING INSTITUTE (CPSI) - WHICH WELCOME HUNDREDS OF PARTICIPANTS AND WHICH PRESENT DELIBERATE CREATIVITY AND CREATIVE LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS FOR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. THE CREATIVITY SKILLS AND TOOLS TAUGHT AT FLCC AND CPSI APPLY ACROSS SECTORS AND TO BOTH PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL CHALLENGES.
  2. $21,220 spent. THE FOUNDATION PUBLISHES THE ACADEMIC JOURNAL ENTITLED THE "JOURNAL OF CREATIVE BEHAVIOR (JCB)" QUARTERLY. THE JOURNAL INCLUDES SCHOLARSHIP AND CURRENT RESEARCH IN CREATIVE THINKING AND PRACTICE. FOR MORE THAN FIVE DECADES, THE JCB HAS BEEN THE BENCHMARK ACADEMIC PERIODICAL IN THE FIELD. IT PROVIDES UP TO DATE, CUTTING EDGE ACADEMIC RESEARCH ABOUT CREATIVITY IN EDUCATION, PSYCHOLOGY, BUSINESS, THE ARTS, AND MORE.
  3. $74,777 spent. CEF PROVIDES EDUCATION SERVICES THROUGH TRAINING AND CONSULTING ABOUT CREATIVE THINKING TECHNIQUES AND HOW PEOPLE CAN DEVELOP CREATIVITY ENVIRONMENTS TO SUPPORT CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING AND INNOVATION: 1. CEF'S EDUCATOR TRAINING PROGRAMS TRAINS EDUCATORS HOW TO INTEGRATE CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING TOOLS AND SKILLS IN THE CLASSROOM. 2. CEF'S EDUCATOR FACILITATION PROGRAMS FACILITATE EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATORS IN CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING SO THEY CAN BUILD INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO COMPLEX CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES. 3. CEF'S YOUTHWISE PROGRAM TEACHES YOUNG PEOPLE HOW TO APPLY CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING AND OTHER DELIBERATE CREATIVITY TECHNIQUES THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES. 4. CEF'S NOLLER PRIZE RECOGNIZES CUTTING EDGE RESEARCH IN THE FIELD OF CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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 October 13, 2026.

  2. 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 October 13, 2026.

  3. 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 October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since July 1955.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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 21, 2026.

  7. Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.

    A much larger organization has a similar name: Educational Foundation Inc (Chapel Hill, NC), EIN 56-6058412. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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.