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Wallin Education Partners

EIN 20-8505156 · Saint Paul, MN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair67 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO ENSURE COLLEGE AND CAREER SUCCESS FOR HIGH-POTENTIAL STUDENTS FROM LOW-INCOME BACKGROUNDS, AND THROUGH OUR EFFORTS HELP BUILD DIVERSE, EQUITABLE, AND VIBRANT COMMUNITIES. WE DO THIS THROUGH A COMPREHENSIVE MODEL OF FINANCIAL AID AND HOLISTIC SUPPORT, AND COLLABORATION WITH OUR BUSINESS, EDUCATION, COMMUNITY, AND PHILANTHROPIC PARTNERS.

Income
$9.9 million
Spending
$10.7 million
Spent on programs
83%
Reserves
6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 90%
Employees
54
Volunteers
146
Highest pay
$240,337, president & ceo

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: 67 out of 100. Higher than 49% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 6.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 8% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 31% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    83% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 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 25

    15 of 15 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

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. $8.9 million spent. WALLIN EDUCATION PARTNERS' (WALLIN) ACTIVITIES FOCUS ON BREAKING DOWN THE BARRIERS TO ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS FACED BY UNDER-RESOURCED STUDENTS. WALLIN IS THE ONLY PROGRAM IN MINNESOTA THAT PROVIDES A HOLISTIC COMBINATION OF STUDENT SUPPORT - FINANCIAL AID, INDIVIDUALIZED ADVISING, PERSONALIZED WRAPAROUND SERVICES, AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT - TO ENSURE SUCCESS THROUGHOUT COLLEGE AND LAUNCH MEANINGFUL CAREERS. WE SUPPORTED 1,744 ACTIVE WALLIN SCHOLARS IN FY2025, 89% OF WHICH ARE STUDENTS OF COLOR AND 78% ARE THE FIRST IN THEIR FAMILY TO ATTEND COLLEGE. WALLIN PROGRAMS INCLUDE: SCHOLAR ADVISING: SCHOLARS RECEIVE COLLEGE AND CAREER ADVISING FROM A WALLIN ADVISOR. THE SCHOLAR ADVISOR RELATIONSHIP BEGINS WHEN A STUDENT IS ADMITTED INTO OUR PROGRAM DURING THEIR SENIOR YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL AND CONTINUES UNTIL THEY GRADUATE COLLEGE AND OFTEN BEYOND. FIRST YEAR STUDENTS AND ADVISORS MEET SIX TO EIGHT TIMES TO CHECK IN ON PROGRESS, DEVELOP GOALS, AND ADDRESS EACH STUDENT'S NEEDS AS THEY CONTINUE TO MEET THROUGHOUT THE SCHOLAR'S TENURE. CURRENTLY, THE SIX YEAR GRADUATION RATE FOR WALLIN SCHOLARS COMPLETING A BACHELORS PROGRAM IS 87% COMPARED TO A 65% GRADUATION RATE FOR ALL STUDENTS NATIONALLY. WALLIN CONTINUES TO DEVELOP PROGRAMMING FOR OUR TWO-YEAR STUDENTS AND SHOW A 66% GRADUATION RATE WITH THE MOST-RECENTLY COMPLETED COHORT COMPARED TO A 35% GRADUATION RATE FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS IN MINNESOTA. FINANCIAL AID: SCHOLARS RECEIVE FINANCIAL AID DISTRIBUTED TERM BY TERM THROUGHOUT COLLEGE. FUNDS ARE ADMINISTERED DIRECTLY TO COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, PROVIDED THE STUDENT MEETS MINIMUM GPA REQUIREMENTS AND REMAINS ON TRACK FOR GRADUATION. OUR LONGSTANDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR PARTNER COLLEGES HELP US TO LEVERAGE ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO ENSURE THAT OUR FUNDING DOES NOT REPLACE INSTITUTIONAL FUNDING. CAREER SERVICES: WITH THE ADDITION OF THE UPTURNSHIPS PROGRAM IN FY2024, WALLIN EXPANDED CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES THAT PROVIDE SUPPORT TO STUDENTS IN THE AREAS OF CAREER DISCERNMENT AND EXPLORATION, CORE PROFESSIONAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT, SECURING INTERNSHIPS AND APPRENTICESHIPS, DIRECT ACCESS TO CORPORATE PARTNERS' WORKFORCE PIPELINES, AND ALUMNI SUPPORT. BY WAY OF THESE SUPPORT AREAS, WALLIN PROVIDED CAREER SERVICES TO 266 STUDENTS, PLACED SCHOLARS IN 60 INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, AND HAD 20 CORPORATE PARTNERS AND 239 STUDENTS ATTENDING THE WALLIN CAREER FAIR. IN ADDITION TO THE ROBUST CAREER PROGRAMMING EMBEDDED IN OUR CORE MODEL, WE ALSO HOSTED NINE CAREER WORKSHOPS AND TWO EMPLOYER SITE VISITS. PATHWAYS AND PARTNERS: WALLIN IS EXPANDING OUR PROGRAM WITH UNIQUE PATHWAYS THROUGH SCHOLARSHIPS THAT BRIDGE EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE NEEDS IN HIGH DEMAND FIELDS SUCH AS HEALTH CARE, SOCIAL WORK, TECHNOLOGY, AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT. THROUGH INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMPANIES, THESE PATHWAYS OFFER STUDENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GAIN VALUABLE EXPERIENCE AND MENTORSHIP, WHILE PREPARING FOR A FULL-TIME CAREER IN THEIR FIELD OF STUDY. FORTY-TWO SCHOLARS PARTICIPATED IN A PATHWAY PROGRAM IN FY2025. OPPORTUNITY PATHWAYS (OP): AT WALLIN, WE KNOW COLLEGE AND CAREER SUCCESS DOES NOT LOOK THE SAME FOR EVERYONE. OP PROVIDES ANOTHER PATHWAY FOR SCHOLARS HEADED TO A COMMUNITY COLLEGE. SCHOLARS RECEIVE THE SAME HOLISTIC SUPPORT OUR TRADITIONAL PROGRAM USES TO INCREASE ACCESS TO CAREER READY PROGRAMS AND INCREASED GRADUATION RATES FOR OUR OP STUDENTS. CURRENTLY, 382 STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM. HIGHLIGHTS: -WE ARE CURRENTLY SERVING 1,744 STUDENTS. -OVER 6,500 STUDENTS HAVE RECEIVED SUPPORT SINCE 1992. -WE PARTNER WITH 78 HIGH SCHOOLS. -65% OF OUR 4-YEAR GRADUATING SCHOLARS REPORTED NO DEBT COMPARED TO MINNESOTA'S 40%. -THE AVERAGE DEBT FOR WALLIN 4-YEAR SCHOLARS IS AROUND $5,000, ROUGHLY 1/4 OF THE $24,000 AVERAGE COLLEGE STUDENT IN MINNESOTA.

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 May 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 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.