Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Democracy Prep Public Schools

EIN 20-2629354 · New York, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair65 out of 100GovernanceGood75 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO EDUCATE RESPONSIBLE CITIZEN SCHOLARS FOR SUCCESS IN THE COLLEGE OF THEIR CHOICE AND A LIFE OF ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP.

Income
$19.8 million
Spending
$19.6 million
Spent on programs
87%
Reserves
6.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 87%
Employees
169
Volunteers
7
Highest pay
$477,504, ceo thru 06/30/25

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: 65 out of 100. Higher than 36% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 6.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 69% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 24% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    87% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 5% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 7 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

    0 of 10

    Did not give 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

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 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)
  1. $17.1 million spent. THE ORGANIZATION OPERATES AS A CHARTER MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS AND FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES FOR THE FOLLOWING CHARTER SCHOOLS: DEMOCRACY PREP NEW YORK CHARTER SCHOOLS, DEMOCRACY PREP BATON ROUGE, DEMOCRACY PREP AGASSI CAMPUS, AND DEMOCRACY PREP TEXAS. DEMOCRACY PREP CHARTER SCHOOLS EDUCATE RESPONSIBLE CITIZEN-SCHOLARS FOR SUCCESS IN THE COLLEGE OF THEIR CHOICE AND FOR LIVES OF ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP.IN CLOSE PARTNERSHIP WITH FAMILIES, WE EMPOWER YOUNG PEOPLE WITH THE SKILLS AND VALUES TO FLOURISH AS COMMUNITY LEADERS WHO WILL STRENGTHEN OUR AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND CHANGE THE WORLD!

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

  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 November 6, 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 June 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 June 2007.

    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 November 4, 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.