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William Rainey Harper College Educational Foundation

EIN 23-7348228 · Palatine, IL

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood83 out of 100GovernanceStrong95 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE HARPER COLLEGE EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1973 AS A NON-PROFIT (501 (C)(3)) ORGANIZATION TO PROVIDE FUNDING AND RESOURCES FOR THE COLLEGE NOT AVAILABLE THROUGH NORMAL GOVERNMENT AND TAX SOURCES.VISION THE HARPER COLLEGE EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION STRIVES TO PROVIDE ALL HARPER COLLEGE STUDENTS WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO TRANSFORM THEIR LIVES AND ENRICH THE COMMUNITY THROUGH EDUCATION WITHOUT FINANCIAL BARRIERS. MISSION CONNECTING COLLEGE AND COMMUNITY THROUGH PHILANTHROPHY TO SUPPORT TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATION AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES.

Income
$3.3 million
Spending
$3.4 million
Spent on programs
92%
Reserves
Over 10 years of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 53%
Employees
0
Volunteers
185
Highest pay
$187,958, (ex-officio) chief adv. officer

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: 83 out of 100. Higher than 70% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover more than ten years of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 24% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    92% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 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. Higher than 69% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    29 of 29 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 (3)
  1. $2.9 million spent. SCHOLARSHIPS: THE FOUNDATION ADMINISTERS MORE THAN 250 SCHOLARSHIPS, AWARDING FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO OVER 1,298 STUDENTS ANNUALLY. THESE SCHOLARSHIPS HELP REMOVE FINANCIAL BARRIERS TO HIGHER EDUCATION AND PROVIDE CRITICAL SUPPORT TO STUDENTS PURSUING ACADEMIC AND CAREER GOALS. BY INVESTING DIRECTLY IN STUDENTSPARTICULARLY THOSE FACING ECONOMIC, PERSONAL, OR SYSTEMIC CHALLENGESTHE FOUNDATION ADVANCES EDUCATIONAL ACCESS, STUDENT SUCCESS, AND LONG-TERM ECONOMIC MOBILITY.
  2. $198,501 spent. PROGRAM GRANTS: THROUGH THE RESOURCES FOR EXCELLENCE GRANT (RFE) PROGRAM, THE FOUNDATION PROVIDES SEED FUNDING FOR INNOVATIVE TEACHING, FACULTY DEVELOPMENT, AND NEW ACADEMIC PROGRAMMING THAT MEETS THE RAPIDLY CHANGING NEEDS OF STUDENTS AND THE WORKFORCE. GRANTS SUPPORT FACULTY TRAINING IN EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES SUCH AS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, WORKFORCE READINESS TOOLS FOR STUDENTS, EXPANDED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADULT LEARNERS AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS, AND HIGH GROWTH PROGRAMS SUCH AS DRONE TECHNOLOGY. RFE GRANTS ALSO SERVE AS A PROOF OF CONCEPT, ENABLING SUCCESSFUL INITIATIVESSUCH AS THE HAWKS CARE STUDENT BASIC NEEDS PROGRAMTO BE SCALED AND INCORPORATED INTO THE COLLEGE'S ONGOING OPERATIONS.
  3. $40,000 spent. COMMUNITY IMPACT FUND GRANTS (CIFG): THE FOUNDATION AWARDS APPROXIMATELY $50,000 ANNUALLY THROUGH ITS COMMUNITY IMPACT FUND GRANT (CIFG) PROGRAM, SUPPORTING EXTERNAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WHOSE MISSIONS ALIGN WITH HARPER COLLEGE'S COMMITMENT TO ECONOMIC MOBILITY, EQUITY, AND DIVERSITY. THE CIFG PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED USING FUNDS FROM A TRANSFORMATIONAL GRANT AWARDED BY MACKENZIE SCOTT AND IS DESIGNED TO EXTEND HARPER COLLEGE'S IMPACT BEYOND CAMPUS BY INVESTING IN COMMUNITY-BASED PARTNERS. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, THE FOUNDATION STRENGTHENS THE REGIONAL ECOSYSTEM SUPPORTING STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES, WHILE ADVANCING SHARED GOALS RELATED TO ACCESS, OPPORTUNITY, AND INCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ADVANCEMENT.

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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since January 1974.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 2026.

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