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Meeting Street Schools

EIN 20-4587841 · Charleston, SC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood84 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceReports resultsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

EMPOWERING CHILDREN WITH THE EXCELLENT, LIFE-CHANGING EDUCATION THEY DESERVE.

Income
$46.8 million
Spending
$53.0 million
Spent on programs
96%
Reserves
64.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 60%
Employees
496
Volunteers
430
Highest pay
$327,352, founding principal

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

Good: 84 out of 100. Higher than 79% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 64.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 13% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 0% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    96% 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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 of 8 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 June 30, 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

  • Four schools served about 1,700 students.Work delivered
  • The scholarship fund helped more than 300 high-achieving students with financial need attend college.Change achieved
  • More than 500 teachers earned excellence in teaching awards.Work delivered
  • An additional 13 schools participated in the awards program.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)
  1. $41.4 million spent. PRE-K3-8TH GRADE INSTRUCTION: MEETING STREETS SCHOOL OPERATES FOUR SCHOOLS SERVING ABOUT 1,700 STUDENTS ACROSS CHARLESTON AND SPARTANBURG, SC. THE NETWORK WAS FOUNDED IN 2008 TO GIVE HARD-WORKING STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE AN EDUCATION THAT WILL TRANSFORM THEIR LIVES. MEETING STREET SCHOOLS IS KNOWN FOR ITS COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE AND HIGH EXPECTATIONS. MEETING STREET SCHOOLS' MODEL IS CENTERED ON RIGOROUS INSTRUCTION BEGINNING WITH A FULL-DAY PROGRAM FOR 3-YEAR-OLDS AND CONTINUING THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE. SCHOOLS ALSO EMPHASIZE STRONG FAMILY PARTNERSHIPS. THANKS TO THE GENEROSITY OF DONORS, MEETING STREET SCHOOLS PROVIDED $6,137,502 IN TUITION ASSISTANCE TO FAMILIES WITH DEMONSTRATED FINANCIAL NEED DURING THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR.
  2. $5.6 million spent. PHILANTHROPIC INVESTMENTS: MEETING STREETS SCHOOLS MAKES STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS IN PROJECTS AND CAUSES THAT FURTHER ITS MISSION. THE LARGEST OF THESE COMMITMENTS IS THE MEETING STREET SCHOLARSHIP FUND, WHICH PROVIDES UP TO $40,000 FOR COLLEGE THAT CAN BE USED FOR TUITION, FEES, HOUSING OR FOOD. IN 2024-25, THIS HELPED MAKE COLLEGE DREAMS A REALITY FOR MORE THAN 300 HIGH-ACHIEVING STUDENTS WITH DEMONSTRATED FINANCIAL NEED. THE SCHOLARSHIP IS AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS WHO: GRADUATE FROM A CHARLESTON COUNTY PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL; DEMONSTRATE FINANCIAL NEED AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT; AND ENROLL IN ONE OF SOUTH CAROLINA'S BEST COLLEGES. MEETING STREET SCHOOLS ALUMNI ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE MEETING STREET ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP.
  3. $4.0 million spent. EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AWARDS: THE EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AWARDS RECOGNIZES TEACHERS WHO MAKE A MEANINGFUL IMPACT ON THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF STUDENTS IN SCHOOLS. THE AWARDS ARE PHILANTHROPICALLY FUNDED IN MEETING STREET SCHOOLS AND CHARLESTON COUNTY, AND THEY ARE PROVIDED ON TOP OF TEACHERS' BASE SALARIES. DURING THE 2024-25 SCHOOL YEAR, MORE THAN 500 TEACHERS EARNED A TOTAL OF $3.9 MILLION IN AWARDS - $1.8 MILLION IN CHARLESTON COUNTY SCHOOLS AND $2.1 MILLION IN MEETING STREET SCHOOLS. SUPPORT FOR THIS INNOVATIVE COMPENSATION MODEL IS GROWING ACROSS SOUTH CAROLINA, WITH AN ADDITIONAL 13 SCHOOLS PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM DURING THE 2024-25 SCHOOL YEAR; THE FUNDING FOR THOSE AWARDS IS PROVIDED BY THE STATE AND OTHER PRIVATE DONORS.

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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since July 2007.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.