Pencil Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
NEW YORK CITY SCHOOLS ARE FILLED WITH STUDENTS WHO HAVE POTENTIAL AND AMBITION TO GO FAR AND WE ENVISION A CITY FILLED WITH STUDENTS WHOSE OPPORTUNITIES MATCH THEIR AMBITIONS. SINCE 1995, WE'VE PLAYED A CRITICAL ROLE IN BRINGING TOGETHER BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS, EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS TO OPEN EYES, OPEN MINDS, AND OPEN DOORS. BY DOING SO, WE CONNECT STUDENTS TO SUCCESS.
- Income
- $2.6 million
- Spending
- $3.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 4.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 54%
- Employees
- 35
- Volunteers
- 580
- Highest pay
- $264,648, ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 19% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 15% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 27% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 25% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1575% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 24 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2521 of 25 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 December 31, 2024, 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)
- $2.5 million spent. THROUGH ITS SCHOOL-BASED PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS, PENCIL SERVED 1,048 STUDENTS ACROSS 39 NYC PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THESE PROGRAMS LEVERAGE THE TALENTS AND RESOURCES OF NYC'S BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO IMPROVE STUDENTS' COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS. 86% OF STUDENTS SAW AN INCREASE IN ONE OR MORE OF PENCIL'S "KEYS TO SUCCESS." 99% OF STUDENTS AGREED THAT PENCIL HELPED THEM DEVELOP THE SKILLS ESSENTIAL FOR THEIR GROWTH AND SUCCESS. PENCIL PROVIDED 669 STUDENTS COLLEGE AND CAREER TRAINING THROUGH ITS INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS. PENCIL PLACED 422 STUDENTS IN SIX-WEEK REMOTE OR IN-PERSON INTERNSHIPS AT OVER 100 BUSINESSES ACROSS NEW YORK CITY. PENCIL PROVIDED 50 ADDITIONAL STUDENTS WITH PAID WORK-BASED EXPERIENCES THROUGH ITS CAREER EXPLORERS PROGRAM. PARTICIPANTS EARNED APPROXIMATELY $1.2M DURING THESE SUMMER EXPERIENCES. PENCIL HOSTED PRINCIPAL FOR A DAY ON MAY 9TH, 2024. THESE EVENTS CREATED SPACE FOR PRINCIPALS AND BUSINESS EXECUTIVES TO DISCUSS THE ONGOING CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN THEIR SCHOOLS. OVER 144 EXECUTIVES CONNECTED WITH 135 SCHOOLS, SUPPORTING AN ESTIMATED 563 TEACHERS AND 4,871 STUDENTS. PENCIL ALSO SUPPORTED SIX SCHOOLS AS PART OF NYC PUBLIC SCHOOLS' FUTURE READY NYC INITIATIVE. THESE COACHINGS SUPPORTED PRINCIPALS AND EDUCATORS IN INTEGRATING CAREER READINESS INTO THEIR CURRICULA AND PROVIDED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, IMPROVING THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE OF OVER 4,979 STUDENTS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since September 1995.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.