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Partners Program

EIN 20-2973102 · Oakland, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong95 out of 100GovernanceGood80 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

WE PROVIDE TRANSFORMATIVE PROGRAMS THAT BOLSTER ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND IMPROVE ACCESS TO EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES FOR UNDER-RESOURCED OAKLAND PUBLIC MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS. TO DO THIS, WE BRING MIDDLE SCHOOLERS TOGETHER WITH TRAINED HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE MENTORS, WITH THE GOAL OF FURTHERING EDUCATIONAL EQUITY AND SUCCESS FOR ALL.

Income
$540,437
Spending
$502,053
Spent on programs
66%
Reserves
107.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 64%
Employees
0
Volunteers
80
Highest pay
$889,938, head of school

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

Strong: 95 out of 100. Higher than 82% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 107.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 7% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 7% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 4% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    66% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 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: 80 out of 100. Higher than 66% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 8 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • 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 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 (3)
  1. $206,143 spent. SUMMER ACADEMY (SA) PROGRAM: THE 40TH CONSECUTIVE PARTNERS SUMMER ACADEMY AT COLLEGE PREP RAN FROM JUNE 2 TO JULY 3, 2025. SUMMER ACADEMY 2025 FEATURED 12 TEACHERS, SIX COLLEGE INTERNS, AND 17 HIGH SCHOOL-AGE ASSISTANT TEACHERS. IN ADDITION TO RUNNING OUR STANDARD FOUR-WEEK PROGRAM FOR RISING 7TH - 9TH GRADE STUDENTS, PARTNERS LAUNCHED A ONE-WEEK PILOT PROGRAM FOR RISING 6TH GRADE STUDENTS. IN TOTAL, 86 SCHOLARS ENGAGED IN CORE COURSES IN MATH AND ENGLISH, AS WELL AS STEAM CLASSES INCLUDING DIGITAL MEDIA, ENGINEERING AND CODING, MODERN DANCE, VISUAL ARTS, AND A COURSE IN SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING THAT INCLUDED TOPICS SUCH AS IDENTITY, WELLNESS, FINANCIAL LITERACY AND DECISION-MAKING. CLASSES ARE ACADEMICALLY RIGOROUS AND DESIGNED TO SPARK SCHOLARS' CURIOSITY AND CULTIVATE THEIR LOVE OF LEARNING. SCHOLARS ALSO PARTICIPATED IN ELECTIVE CLUB ACTIVITIES, OUTDOOR SPORTS, AND FIELD TRIPS TO EXPLORE THE BAY AREA. SUMMER ACADEMY IS A SAFE, NURTURING ACADEMIC SPACE WHERE SCHOLARS USE THEIR UNIQUE VOICES TO TELL THEIR STORIES, BUILD UP THEIR CONFIDENCE AND FEEL EMPOWERED TO MAKE THEIR DREAMS COME TRUE.
  2. $114,557 spent. ACADEMIC YEAR MENTORING (AYM) PROGRAM: IN 2024-25, THE PARTNERS PROGRAM PARTNERED WITH 12 LOCAL MIDDLE SCHOOLS FOR ITS ACADEMIC YEAR MENTORING (AYM) AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM. IN THE AYM PROGRAM, THE CONSISTENT PAIRING OF THE SAME MENTOR AND MENTEE PROVIDES A HIGH QUALITY AND INDIVIDUALIZED ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT EXPERIENCE. AYM MENTORS AND MENTEES CONTINUED TO USE RESOURCES FROM FRECKLE EDUCATION, AN ONLINE SOFTWARE PLATFORM THAT "DIFFERENTIATES INSTRUCTION ACROSS MATH, LANGUAGE ARTS, SOCIAL STUDIES, AND SCIENCE." MENTORS BUILD PROFOUND RELATIONSHIPS AND SUPPORT THEIR MENTEES WITH CUSTOMIZED LEARNING PLANS, AS WELL AS WITH THEIR POSITIVE ROLE-MODELING AND UPLIFTING SUPPORT. A MENTOR-MENTEE TUTORIAL MAY INCLUDE REVIEWING CLASS NOTES OR PAST TESTS, PREPARING FOR STANDARDIZED EXAMS, ETC. DURING THE SPRING SEMESTER, SCHOLARS ALSO ENJOYED AFTER-SCHOOL ELECTIVE WORKSHOPS.
  3. $8,598 spent. HIGH SCHOOL ADVISING (HSA) PROGRAM: IN 2024-25, THE PARTNERS PROGRAM HIGH SCHOOL ADVISING (HSA) PROGRAM SUPPORTED 25 8TH GRADE SCHOLARS WITH THE FOLLOWING: HIGH SCHOOL OPTIONS COUNSELING AND ADVISING FOR ALL OUSD TRADITIONAL COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLS; OUSD CHARTER HIGH SCHOOLS; INDEPENDENT, NON-RELIGION-AFFILIATED PRIVATE SCHOOLS; AND RELIGION-AFFILIATED HIGH SCHOOLS. IN ADDITION, FOR THE PRIVATE SCHOOL APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS, PARTNERS PROVIDED STUDENT SECTION AND FAMILY SECTION SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE, FINANCIAL AID FORMS WORKSHOPS, STANDARDIZED TEST PREP FOR HSPT AND INTERVIEW SIMULATIONS.

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 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 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 March 2006.

    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.

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.