Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Paterson Education Foundation Inc

EIN 22-2464316 · Paterson, NJ

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak40 out of 100GovernanceStrong95 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE PATERSON EDUCATION FUND (PEF) IS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION WHOSE MISSION IS TO STIMULATE COMMUNITY ACTION FOR CHANGE SO THAT THE PATERSON PUBLIC SCHOOLS ENSURE THAT ALL PATERSON CHILDREN ACHIEVE HIGH STANDARDS.PEF'S GOALS ARE:TO BUILD OUR COMMUNITY'S CIVIC CAPACITY TO SUPPORT, MONITOR AND ADVOCATE EDUCATION REFORM.TO EDUCATE AND ENABLE COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP TO UNDERSTAND AND ACT ON CHANGING EDUCATION NEEDS.TO PROVIDE A FORUM FOR THE COMMUNITY TO EFFECTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES CONCERNING EDUCATION.FOUNDED IN 1983, PEF'S ACTIVITIES BUILD AND NOURISH A CONSTITUENCY FOR SYSTEMATIC SCHOOL REFORM BY EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY ON THE IMPORTANCE OF HIGH STANDARDS AND EXPECTATIONS IN PROVIDING QUALITY EDUCATION FOR ALL CHILDREN. PEF CONVENES AND BROKERS RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE PATERSON SCHOOL DISTRICT AND PRIVATE SECTOR ENTITIES INTERESTED IN PUBLIC EDUCATION IN PATERSON.

Income
$860,442
Spending
$1.0 million
Spent on programs
88%
Reserves
1 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 60%
Employees
36
Volunteers
30
Highest pay
$89,487, executive director & 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

Weak: 40 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 35% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 21% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 24% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    88% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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: 95 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    6 of 6 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

    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 (4)
  1. $487,912 spent. THE NITA M. LOWEY 21ST CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTERS (21ST CCLC): PEF OPERATES 21ST CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTERS IN TWO SCHOOLS, PROVIDING AFTER-SCHOOL AND SUMMER TUTORING, ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT, CULTURAL, ARTISTIC, AND SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL WELLBEING OPPORTUNITIES. THE PROGRAMS ARE STEAM BASED AND USE INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING TO FULLY ENGAGE STUDENTS IN THEIR OWN GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. THE PROGRAM BEGAN IN OCTOBER 2020 AND SERVES 151 STUDENTS IN GRADES 3 THROUGH 8. PROGRAMS SUPPORT: ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES THAT CAN HELP STUDENTS MEET STATE AND LOCAL ACHIEVEMENT STANDARDS.A BROAD ARRAY OF ADDITIONAL ENRICHMENT SERVICES DESIGNED TO REINFORCE AND COMPLEMENT THE REGULAR ACADEMIC PROGRAM, SUCH AS: DRUG AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAMS, CAREER AND TECHNICAL PROGRAMS, COUNSELING PROGRAMS, ART, MUSIC PROGRAMS, STEM PROGRAMS, AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND NUTRITION EDUCATION PROGRAMS.LITERACY AND RELATED EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO THE FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WHO ARE SERVED IN THE PROGRAM.
  2. $261,105 spent. OUR RESTORATIVE PRACTICES STRATEGY PROVIDES TRAINING AND IMPLEMENTATION FOR PATERSON PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO IMPROVE CULTURE AND CLIMATE. BY BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND ENGAGING IN SMALL GROUP COMMUNITIES, SCHOOLS ARE EXPERIENCING DECREASES IN DISCIPLINARY INFRACTIONS THAT LEAD TO SUSPENSIONS AND EXPULSIONS. WE ALSO OFFER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES (ACES), TRAUMA INFORMED CARE, AND HEALING CENTERED ENGAGEMENT. 300 EDUCATORS AND ADMINISTRATORS RECEIVED MASTER TRAINING. THEY IN, TURN TRAINED APPROXIMATELY 1,200 OF THEIR PEERS. THE PROGRAM IMPACTED APPROXIMATELY 10,000 STUDENTS.
  3. $123,644 spent. PEF IS THE CONVENER FOR PATERSON READS, A CITY-WIDE COALITION USING A COLLECTIVE IMPACT MODEL TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY IN ENSURING THAT EVERY PATERSON CHILD READS ON GRADE LEVEL BY THE END OF 3RD GRADE. PATERSON READS ALIGNS COMMUNITY RESOURCES TO IMPROVE SUMMER LEARNING, INCREASE EARLY LEARNING, AND IMPROVE ATTENDANCE BY REDUCING CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM. TALK READ SING PROVIDED TOTE BAGS WITH TIPS AND TOOLS FOR 500 PARENTS OF CHILDREN AGES BIRTH THROUGH THREE. THE INFORMATION HELPS WITH LANGUAGE ACQUISITION AND BRAIN DEVELOPMENT. THIRTY COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS ARE ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS, SERVING MORE THAN 15,000 CHILDREN. PATERSON READS IS PART OF THE NATIONAL GRADE LEVEL READING CAMPAIGN. TALK READ SING IS AN INITIATIVE OF THE CLINTON FOUNDATION
  4. $39,612 spent. ALL OTHER PROGRAMS: IDEA/DOE STEAM

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 April 1986.

    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.

  7. Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.

    A much larger organization has a similar name: Educational Foundation Inc (Chapel Hill, NC), EIN 56-6058412. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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.