Chester Education Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
OPERATE PROGRAMS TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN THE CHESTER-UPLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT.
- Income
- $2.0 million
- Spending
- $1.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 86%
- Reserves
- 2.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 68%
- Employees
- 129
- Volunteers
- 24
- Highest pay
- $100,868, executive director
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: 75 out of 100.
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 6% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 27% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1586% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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
Good: 85 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 13 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
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (4)
- $624,386 spent. SUCCESS TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM (STEP) :STEP INCLUDES PAID SUMMER AND SCHOOL-YEAR INTERNSHIPS, ACADEMIC, COLLEGE ACCESS AND CAREER READINESS SUPPORT FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AGES 1618. STUDENTS EARN $15/HOUR FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM. PARTICIPANTS GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL ON-TIME AND ACHIEVE COLLEGE ENROLLMENT AND/OR FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT AT A HIGHER RATE THAN NON-PARTICIPANTS. STEP INTERNSHIPS CONTRIBUTE APPROXIMATELY $250,000 TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY.
- $542,230 spent. BLUEPRINT FOR SUCCESS: THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES OUT-OF-SCHOOL YOUTH AGES 1824 WITH A STRUCTURED AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT TO PURSUE THEIR EDUCATIONAL AND CAREER GOALS. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES INTENSIVE, CULTURALLY RELEVANT SERVICES AND ASSISTS YOUTH IN DISCOVERING AND PURSUING CAREER PATHWAYS, EDUCATION, AND TRAINING IN IN-DEMAND FIELDS TO IMPROVE LONG-TERM SOCIO-ECONOMIC OUTCOMES.
- $410,780 spent. BOOST: BOOST IS A LEADERSHIP PROGRAM FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE CHESTER UPLAND COMMUNITY. IT INCORPORATES EVIDENCE-BASED PREVENTION PROGRAMS SUCH AS LIFE SKILLS, FINANCIAL LITERACY, AND DIGITAL LITERACY, ALONG WITH MONTHLY CULTURAL/COLLEGE FIELD TRIPS, COMMUNITY PARTNER-LED WORKSHOPS, AND STUDENT-SELECTED ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES.
- $65,724 spent. OTHER CEF PROGRAMS: A) COMMUNITIES THAT CARE NETWORK (CTC) , B) DIGITAL NAVIGATOR NETWORK (DNN) , C) DELCO RESOURCE ONLINE DIRECTORY AND COMMUNITY RESOURCE HUB (CRH)
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 August 1993.
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.
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.