College Success Foundation-District of Columbia
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Prepare low-income students to finish high school, graduate college and succeed in life.
- Income
- $2.2 million
- Spending
- $3.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 67%
- Reserves
- 28 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 65%
- Employees
- 27
- Volunteers
- 10
- Highest pay
- $265,852, ceo(term 6/25)
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: 63 out of 100. Higher than 44% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 28.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 13% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 41% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 54% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1567% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 37 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 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 258 of 10 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
10 of 10Gave 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 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 (2)
- $1.6 million spent. Middle Schools and High Schools Program: Beginning as early as 7th grade and continuing through college graduation, CSF-DC provides academic advising, mentoring and early college awareness through a comprehensive series of supports designed to ensure high school graduation and college admission and increase college development. The CSF-DC team provides support directly in the schools to ensure that available academic and leadership competencies are utilized and appropriately packaged. Through a unique system of integrated advisement and academic support, students are provided customized academic assistance, wraparound case management support and youth development services. The middle school and high school programs include weekly in-school academic advising and monitoring meetings; a 20-week Saturday academy in language arts, mathematics, and STEM fields; a six-week summer academic enrichment program; and college tours. Students in the high school program also receive SAT test preparation, identification of colleges of best fit, college admissions and financial support, and scholarship identification and packaging assistance.
- $513,820 spent. College Programs: Remove the financial barriers, increase college retention and graduation rates for low-income students. All CSF-DC students enrolling in college are assigned a college support advisor who provides coaching and guidance on a monthly basis. The advisors and students co-author plans to address academic, social, emotional, and financial barriers to matriculation and college completion. College support advisors visit college campuses to assess student progress and connect students with support provided by their institutions. Annually, the college support team hosts DC-based events to promote leadership, networking and professional development opportunities for the college students.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since September 2007.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 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.