Earn to Learn
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
EARN TO LEARN'S MISSION IS "EMPOWERING STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS AND BE WORKFORCE READY WITH LITTLE TO NO STUDENT DEBT".
- Income
- $2.8 million
- Spending
- $5.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 87%
- Reserves
- -2.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 66%
- Employees
- 82
- Volunteers
- 62
- Highest pay
- $237,415, chief executive 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
Weak: 25 out of 100. Higher than 1% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 66% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 89% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 21% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1587% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 14 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 65% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 258 of 8 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)
- $4.6 million spent. FIRST ACCOMPLISHMENT OVERVIEW: EARN TO LEARN WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2013 TO FOSTER UPWARD ECONOMIC MOBILITY FOR DIVERSE POPULATIONS. THE MODEL, ANCHORED BY A MATCHED SAVINGS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, MAKES POST-SECONDARY PATHWAYS MORE FINANCIALLY AFFORDABLE FOR STUDENTS WHO MAY NOT OTHERWISE FEEL THEY CAN AFFORD THE COST OF EDUCATION. EARN TO LEARN EMPOWERS STUDENTS AND FAMILIES TO BE FINANCIALLY AND ACADEMICALLY SUCCESSFUL, THEREBY DISRUPTING THE CYCLE OF POVERTY FOR HARDWORKING FAMILIES.OVER THE PAST DECADE, EARN TO LEARN HAS PROVIDED A MATCHED-SAVINGS SCHOLARSHIP THAT INCREASES POSTSECONDARY ENROLLMENT AND ATTAINMENT WHILE ENSURING STUDENTS GRADUATE WORKFORCE-READY WITH LITTLE TO NO DEBT. EARN TO LEARN PROVIDES THESE SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES TO PELL-ELIGIBLE STUDENTS OF ALL AGES ENROLLED IN MULTIPLE POST-SECONDARY PATHWAYS WITH PARTNERED HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS. THE PROGRAM COMPLEMENTS FORMS OF TRADITIONAL FINANCIAL AID THAT HAVE PROVED INSUFFICIENT TO COVER THE TOTAL COST OF ATTENDANCE. STUDENTS DEPOSIT $500 INTO A SAVINGS ACCOUNT ANNUALLY AND RECEIVE AN 8:1 MATCH FOR $4,500 PER YEAR FOR TUITION, ROOM AND BOARD, CHILDCARE, AND OTHER APPROVED EDUCATIONAL-RELATED EXPENSES. THE SUCCESS COACHING MODEL, WHICH INCLUDES FINANCIAL WELLNESS TRAINING, COLLEGE READINESS, AND WORKFORCE READINESS TRAINING IS INTENDED TO ENHANCE THE MATCHED SAVINGS SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY.BACKGROUND:ARIZONA IS THE FIRST STATE IN THE COUNTRY TO IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM LIKE EARN TO LEARN TO SUPPORT STUDENTS WITH MATCHED COLLEGE SAVINGS.DURING THE LAST SCHOOL YEAR EARN TO LEARN EXPANDED TO 4 ADDITIONAL STATES INCLUDING: MICHIGAN, NEVADA, UTAH, GEORGIA, COLORADO, VIRGINIA, AND OKLAHOMA. BETWEEN THE 7 STATES EARN TO LEARN SUPPORTS STUDENTS AT 19 DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS.EARN TO LEARN IS BASED ON A PUBLIC PRIVATE FUNDING MODEL WITH A 50/50 SPLIT WHICH LAUNCHED IN THE 2019/2020 ACADEMIC YEAR. EARN TO LEARN MAY BE CONSIDERED A SUPPLEMENT TO THE FEDERAL PELL GRANT PROGRAM - HELPING STUDENTS TO FURTHER OFFSET EDUCATIONAL RELATED EXPENSES, EFFECTIVELY PICKING UP WHERE PELL IS FALLING SHORT. THE PURCHASING POWER OF FEDERAL PELL GRANTS HAS FALLEN PRECIPITOUSLY OVER THE YEARS.PROGRAM SUCCESS:EARN TO LEARN HAS A PROVEN TRACK RECORD OF SUCCESS, OPERATING FOR OVER A DECADE IN ARIZONA TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH MATCHED-SAVINGS SCHOLARSHIPS AND COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT SERVICES. OUR PROGRAM CONSISTENTLY OUTPERFORMS NATIONAL AVERAGES FOR PELL-ELIGIBLE STUDENTS. FOR INSTANCE, EARN TO LEARN BOASTS A SIX-YEAR GRADUATION RATE OF 80%, COMPARED TO THE NATIONAL AVERAGE OF 62%. ADDITIONALLY, THE FIRST-YEAR RETENTION RATE STANDS AT 90%, WELL ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE OF 77%. THIS SUCCESS HAS NOT GONE UNNOTICED; IT HAS LED TO THE INTRODUCTION OF THE EARN TO LEARN ACT IN CONGRESS, WHICH, IF PASSED, COULD PROVIDE A LONG-TERM FUNDING SOLUTION FOR THE PROGRAM.SUCCESS METRICS:EARN TO LEARN USES AN ELECTRONIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TO TRACK, MONITOR, AND REPORT STUDENT OUTCOMES. THIS CENTRALIZED DATA MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ENABLES US TO MEASURE AND EVALUATE FUNDING SOURCES, MONITOR PARTICIPANT ACTIVITY AND SAVINGS, TRACK SERVICES AND REFERRALS PROVIDED TO PARTICIPANTS, AND IDENTIFY CHARACTERISTICS OF PARTICIPANTS WHO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THE PROGRAM. EARN TO LEARN TRACKS AND MONITORS PARTICIPANT DEMOGRAPHIC DATA, NUMBER OF HOURS OF PERSONAL FINANCE TRAINING, RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION RATES, ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, ENCOUNTERS WITH PROGRAM STAFF, SERVICES/REFERRALS RECEIVED, AND COMPLIANCE WITH PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS. EARN TO LEARN UTILIZES NATIONAL STUDENT CLEARINGHOUSE DATA TO VERIFY STUDENT ENROLLMENT, RETENTION AND COMPLETION DATA. EARN TO LEARN MEASURES OUR IMPACT THROUGH SEVERAL KEY METRICS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: TOTAL STUDENT SAVINGS (MATCH 8:1): SINCE INCEPTION, PARTICIPANTS HAVE INVESTED NEARLY $3.8M IN THEIR EDUCATION EARNING OVER $40M IN ADDITIONAL GRANT AID. THIS IS MONEY THAT THE STUDENTS DID NOT BORROW AND DO NOT HAVE TO PAY BACK. HOURS OF PERSONAL FINANCE TRAINING: 58,000 HOURS FOR APPROXIMATELY 7,556 STUDENTS FIRST-YEAR RETENTION RATES: RETENTION RATE FOR EARN TO LEARN STUDENTS IS NEARLY 87%, A KEY INDICATOR OF A STUDENT'S LIKELIHOOD TO GRADUATE. 6-YR GRADUATION RATES: THE SIX-YEAR GRADUATION RATE FOR EARN TO LEARN STUDENTS IS NEARLY 80% COMPARED TO THE NATIONAL PELL COMPLETION RATES OF LESS THAN 40% (DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION). STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICS: 63% OF EARN TO LEARN STUDENTS ARE FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS; 72% PURSUE STEM MAJORS; 84% ARE MINORITY STUDENTS. NATIONAL INTEREST:EARN TO LEARN HAS SUCCESSFULLY EXPANDED ITS PROGRAM INTO VIRGINIA, MICHIGAN, OKLAHOMA, NEVADA, GEORGIA, UTAH AND COLORADO. THE ORGANIZATION HAS ESTABLISHED OFFICIAL PARTNERSHIPS, FORMALIZED THROUGH SIGNED MOUS, WITH FOUR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN THESE STATES: WESTERN COLORADO UNIVERSITY, WESTERN GOVERNORS UNIVERSITY, FRONT RANGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION, AND NEVADA STATE UNIVERSITY.LONG-TERM, EARN TO LEARN SUPPORTS THE EARN TO LEARN ACT TO CREATE A FEDERALLY FUNDED PROGRAM HOUSED IN THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO SUPPORT UP TO 250,000 SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES NATIONWIDE. A BIPARTISAN COALITION OF SENATE SPONSORS AND CO-SPONSORS INTRODUCED THE EARN TO LEARN ACT, WHICH WILL HELP TACKLE THREE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS CONFRONTING THE COUNTRY: THE STUDENT LOAN DEBT CRISIS, COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY, AND THE LABOR SHORTAGE. THE U.S. HOUSE WILL INTRODUCE MIRROR LEGISLATION, WITH BIPARTISAN SPONSORS INCLUDING REPS. DAVID SCHWEIKERT (R-ARIZ.), SUSIE LEE (D-NEV.), GREG STANTON (D-ARIZ.) AND JUAN CISCOMANI (R-ARIZ.).KEY DEFINITION:EARN TO LEARN'S FIRST-YEAR RETENTION RATE - A KEY FIRST YEAR RETENTION RATE: IS THE PERCENTAGE OF AWARDED SAVERS WHO STARTED AT THE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION IN ONE ACADEMIC YEAR AND LIVE THE SOLUTION 26-1151754 RETURNED TO ENROLL IN COURSES AT THE SAME EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION IN THE NEXT CONSECUTIVE ACADEMIC YEAR.
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 May 2009.
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.
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.