Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SEE SCHEDULE O
- Income
- $6.7 billion
- Spending
- $3.5 billion
- Spent on programs
- 100%
- Reserves
- 92.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 86%
- Employees
- 121
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $608,684, president
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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, over $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 92.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 47% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 4% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 15100% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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 38% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, over $100m).
Independent board
25 of 255 of 5 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 (1)
- $3.5 billion spent. VANGUARD CHARITABLE IS A LEADING U.S. NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT FULFILLS ITS MISSION TO INCREASE PHILANTHROPY AND MAXIMIZE ITS IMPACT OVER TIME BY ADMINISTERING A DONOR-ADVISED FUND, A TAX-EFFECTIVE WAY TO CONSOLIDATE, ACCRUE, AND GRANT ASSETS TO CHARITY. THE UNIQUE STRUCTURE OF OUR PERSONAL PHILANTHROPIC ACCOUNTS ALLOWS DONORS TO BE STRATEGIC ABOUT GIVING AND MANAGE THEIR CHARITABLE DONATIONS IN A TAX-EFFECTIVE, FLEXIBLE, AND CONVENIENT WAY. THOSE ATTRIBUTES, COUPLED WITH OUR LOW COSTS AND MEANINGFUL CHARITABLE GUIDANCE, HELP DONORS MAXIMIZE THEIR PHILANTHROPIC IMPACT. THROUGH THESE PHILANTHROPIC ACCOUNTS, WE HELP DONORS FULFILL CHARITABLE MISSIONS THAT REFLECT THE PEOPLE AND CAUSES THEY CARE ABOUT MOST, AND TOGETHER, WE SUPPORT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS EVERY YEAR. OUTSIDE THE IMMEDIATE BENEFITS, SUCH AS A CHARITABLE TAX DEDUCTION THAT CAN ENABLE GREATER GENEROSITY, OUR PHILANTHROPIC ACCOUNTS ALSO OFFER CHARITABLE ASSETS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW TAX-FREE THROUGH A RANGE OF HIGH-QUALITY INVESTMENT OPTIONS THAT SPAN THE RISK SPECTRUM. VANGUARD CHARITABLE MAKES IT EASIER TO MANAGE CHARITABLE DONATIONS BY ALLEVIATING THE ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN AND TIME REQUIRED TO INVEST ASSETS, CONDUCT CHARITY DUE DILIGENCE, AND ISSUE GRANTS. OUR PHILANTHROPIC ACCOUNTS REDUCE WORK AND STREAMLINE COSTS FOR DONORS WITHOUT SACRIFICING CHARITABLE IMPACT. DURING THIS FISCAL YEAR, VANGUARD CHARITABLE DISTRIBUTED APPROXIMATELY 13.4% OF ASSETS (BASED ON A 5-YEAR ROLLING AVERAGE) IN GRANTS FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES, PRINCIPALLY TO OTHER QUALIFIED 501(C)(3) PUBLIC CHARITIES AND GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS EXCLUSIVELY FOR PUBLIC PURPOSES. VANGUARD CHARITABLE ISSUED 247,736 GRANTS TOTALING OVER $3.5 BILLION. THESE GRANTS BENEFITED LOCAL, REGIONAL, NATIONAL AND GLOBAL CAUSES. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1997, VANGUARD CHARITABLE HAS GRANTED MORE THAN $22.9 BILLION TO QUALIFIED CHARITABLE DONEES.
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 October 13, 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 December 1997.
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 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.