Colorado Education Initiative
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SEE SCHEDULE O.CEI'S MISSION IS TO CHAMPION, EMPOWER, AND IGNITE COLORADO LEADERS TO DELIVER ON THE PROMISE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION TO DEVELOP THRIVING YOUNG PEOPLE AND FLOURISHING COMMUNITIES. CEI'S LONG-TERM VISION IS THAT ALL YOUNG PEOPLE IN COLORADO EXIT K-12 EDUCATION BOLDLY TAKING THEIR NEXT STEPS TOWARD HOPEFUL, EQUITABLE, AND PROSPEROUS FUTURES.
- Income
- $7.9 million
- Spending
- $7.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 86%
- Reserves
- 4.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 53%
- Employees
- 43
- Volunteers
- 12
- Highest pay
- $267,862, president and 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
Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 58% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 8% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 0% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 3% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1586% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 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 (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2511 of 11 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 (5)
- $1.7 million spent. STRATEGIC CONSULTING AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENTCEI PARTNERS WITH SCHOOL, DISTRICTS, NONPROFITS, AND STATE AGENCIES TO DEVELOP COMPREHENSIVE, COMMUNITY-BASED, AND STUDENT-CENTERED APPROACHES THAT ENSURE COLORADO STUDENTS ARE PREPARED TO THRIVE. USING A HUMAN-CENTERED DESIGN LENS, WE ENSURE THAT OUR WORK IS DEEPLY INFORMED BY STAKEHOLDER PERSPECTIVES AND LIVED EXPERIENCES. WE DESIGN AND FACILITATE MULTI-PHASE PROCESSES THAT PRIORITIZE AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, ARE INFORMED BY DATA, AND BUILD ON EXISTING EFFORTS THAT PRODUCE EFFECTIVE OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS. CEI OFFERS A RANGE OF SCHOOL AND SYSTEMS IMPROVEMENT SERVICES, STRATEGIC CONSULTING AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, INCLUDING RESEARCH-BASED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SUPPORTS, STRATEGIC PLANNING AND FACILITATION, PERSONALIZED LEADERSHIP AND EXECUTIVE COACHING, AND SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT DESIGN AND FACILITATION.
- $2.5 million spent. RELEVANT LEARNING CEI SUPPORTS SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS ALL COMPONENTS OF COLORADO'S CAREER-CONNECTED LEARNING CONTINUUM, OFFERING COMPREHENSIVE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERVICES FROM PROGRAM DESIGN THROUGH IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION. OUR APPROACH INCLUDES DESIGNING PROGRAMS THAT ENSURE ALIGNMENT ACROSS THE K-12 EDUCATION SYSTEM, COVERING ASPECTS SUCH AS POST-SECONDARY PLANNING, CAREER AWARENESS AND EXPLORATION, CAREER PREPARATION, CAREER PATHWAY DEVELOPMENT, AND POSTSECONDARY CAREER PIPELINES. WE PROVIDE COACHING AND IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT, FACILITATE STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, AND CONDUCT MEASUREMENT AND EVALUATION TO ASSESS PROGRAM QUALITY, IDENTIFY STUDENT OUTCOMES, AND DRIVE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT.
- $1.0 million spent. SOCIAL EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT CEI PARTNERS WITH SCHOOLS AND DISTRICTS ACROSS COLORADO TO ENHANCE EDUCATORS AND SCHOOLS' CAPACITY TO CREATE A CULTURE AND CLIMATE THAT MEETS STUDENTS' SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, AND ACADEMIC NEEDS. WE SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF STRONG SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL ECOSYSTEMS BY FOCUSING ON FOUR CORE AREAS: CREATING LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS THAT ARE PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY SAFE, TRUST-FILLED, RELATIONSHIP-RICH, AND DEDICATED TO BUILDING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SKILLS; BUILDING MULTI-TIERED SUPPORTS AND STRONGER CONNECTIONS WITH COMMUNITY RESOURCES TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS AND STAFF WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS RECEIVE THE NECESSARY SERVICES; ENGAGING YOUTH TO TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN DRIVING CLIMATE AND CULTURE CHANGE WITHIN THEIR SCHOOLS WHILE STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS WITH TEACHERS AND STAFF TO BRING ABOUT THIS TRANSFORMATION; AND ACTIVELY INVOLVING FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF AN INCLUSIVE SCHOOL CULTURE.
- $1.5 million spent. ECOSYSTEM CAPACITY BUILDING CEI COLLABORATES WITH TEACHERS, SCHOOL AND DISTRICT LEADERS, POLICY AND ADVOCACY LEADERS, AND OTHER EDUCATION ORGANIZATIONS AND STAKEHOLDERS ACROSS COLORADO TO ENHANCE K-12 SYSTEMS. THIS HAPPENS THROUGH CONVENINGS, STRATEGIC DATA AND COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORTS, AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING. THE PURPOSE IS TO BUILD COHERENT AND SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS, ALIGNED POLICIES, AND RESPONSIVENESS TO EMERGING NEEDS.
- $96,191 spent. THE COLORADO LEGACY SCHOOLS (CLS) INITIATIVE WORKS WITH HIGH SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE TO DRAMATICALLY INCREASE THE NUMBER AND DIVERSITY OF COLORADO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO ARE SUCCEEDING IN AP MATH, SCIENCE, AND ENGLISH COURSES -- ESPECIALLY STUDENTS TYPICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED IN AP COURSES, SUCH AS FEMALES, AND STUDENTS OF POVERTY AND COLOR. CLS COURSEWORK ALSO ENCOURAGES STUDENTS TO PURSUE MAJORS AND CAREERS IN THE RAPIDLY-GROWING STEM FIELDS -- SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH.
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 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 December 2024.
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 February 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.