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Pencils of Promise Incorporated

EIN 26-3618722 · New York, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong93 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

WE BELIEVE EVERY CHILD DESERVES ACCESS TO QUALITY EDUCATION. WE CREATE SCHOOLS, PROGRAMS, AND GLOBAL COMMUNITIES AROUND THE COMMON GOAL OF EDUCATION FOR ALL. WE ACCOMPLISH THESE ACTIVITIES BY DEDICATING SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF TIME, LABOR, AND EFFORT TO RAISING MONEY IN THE U.S. THROUGH YOUTH AND PROFESSIONAL ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS AND SPECIAL EVENTS. THROUGH THE YOUTH AND PROFESSIONAL ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS AND SPECIAL EVENTS. THE FUNDS RAISED ALLOW US TO INCREASE OUR DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL REACH AND IMPACT. AT THE CONCLUSION OF 2025, WE HAVE BROKEN GROUND ON OVER 600 SCHOOLS AROUND THE WORLD. OUR SCHOOLS ARE OPEN TO STUDENTS IN EACH COUNTRY AND THE STAGES OF PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION ARE UNDERWAY IN SEVERAL NEW COMMUNITIES ACROSS GHANA, GUATEMALA, AND LAOS.

Income
$6.6 million
Spending
$3.9 million
Spent on programs
82%
Reserves
7.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
7
Volunteers
15
Highest pay
$200,206, chief development officer

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 77% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 7.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 41% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 133% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    82% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 (international, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    11 of 12 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

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • 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 December 31, 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. $2.1 million spent. THE FIRST OF OUR CORE PROGRAMS IS SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION. WE PARTNER WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND GOVERNMENTS TO STRENGTHEN EDUCATION INFRASTRUCTURE WHERE IT IS MOST NEEDED. IN THE SHORT TERM, OUR GOAL IS TO REPLACE INADEQUATE FACILITIES WITH SAFE, RELIABLE SCHOOL BUILDINGS. OVER THE LONG TERM, WE AIM TO IMPROVE STUDENT ATTENDANCE, PROGRESSION, AND TEST SCORES. THE PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES OF THIS PROGRAM ARE STUDENTS LEARNING IN POOR-QUALITY STRUCTURES AND TEACHERS WORKING IN THOSE SAME CONDITIONS. BY THE END OF 2025, WE HAD BROKEN GROUND ON 621 SCHOOLS ACROSS OUR PARTNER REGIONS.
  2. $654,533 spent. OUR SECOND CORE PROGRAM IS TEACHER SUPPORT. WE INVEST IN TEACHER DEVELOPMENT THROUGH IN-SERVICE AND WORKSHOP TRAINING SESSIONS. TWICE EACH MONTH, OUR STAFF VISIT GOVERNMENT TEACHERS IN PARTNER COMMUNITIES TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE IN LESSON PLANNING, METHODOLOGY TRAINING, AND BUILDING STRONGER CONNECTIONS WITH STUDENTS. TEACHERS ALSO ATTEND WORKSHOPS FOR GROUP TRAINING AND PEER NETWORK BUILDING. OUR APPROACH EMPHASIZES INTERACTIVE TEACHING METHODS THAT INCREASE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT, BECAUSE ENGAGED STUDENTS PERFORM AT HIGHER LEVELS. IN THE SHORT TERM, OUR TEACHER SUPPORT PROGRAMS FOCUS ON HELPING TEACHERS CREATE AND USE EFFECTIVE LESSON PLANS, ENCOURAGING INTERACTIVE METHODOLOGIES TO STRENGTHEN RAPPORT WITH STUDENTS, SUPPORTING PEER NETWORKS THROUGH WORKSHOPS, AND PROVIDING CLASSROOMS WITH TEACHING AND LEARNING MATERIALS. OVER THE LONG TERM, OUR GOAL IS TO RAISE PRIMARY STUDENT LITERACY SCORES ACROSS ALL OF OUR REGIONS. THE MAIN BENEFICIARIES OF OUR TEACHER SUPPORT PROGRAM ARE THE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES. BY THE END OF 2025, WE HAD SUPPORTED OVER 4,000 TEACHERS AND DELIVERED OVER 24,000 TEACHER COACHING SESSIONS ACROSS ACROSS LAOS, GUATEMALA, AND GHANA.
  3. $419,319 spent. OUR THIRD CORE PROGRAM IS THE WASH PROGRAM, WHICH FOCUSES ON WATER, SANITATION, AND HYGIENE. WASH IS AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED INITIATIVE ADOPTED BY UNICEF IN 2005 TO ADDRESS HYGIENE NEEDS IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD. WE BEGAN IMPLEMENTING WASH PRACTICES IN LAOS IN 2010 AND HAVE SINCE EXPANDED TO GUATEMALA AND GHANA. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, WE BUILD SANITATION FACILITIES FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERSSUCH AS HANDWASHING STATIONS AND BATHROOMSALONGSIDE NEW CLASSROOM CONSTRUCTION. OUR STAFF ALSO VISIT CLASSROOMS TWICE PER MONTH DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR TO TEACH LESSONS ON WATER, SANITATION, AND HYGIENE. THE PRIMARY GOALS OF THE WASH PROGRAM ARE TO ENSURE ACCESS TO SAFE TOILETS, POTABLE WATER, AND RELIABLE HANDWASHING STATIONS IN SCHOOLS LACKING THIS INFRASTRUCTURE, WHILE ALSO INCREASING PROPER HYGIENIC AND SANITARY BEHAVIOR AMONG PRIMARY STUDENTS. BY THE END OF 2025, WE HAD SUPPORTED OVER 1,200 SCHOOLS AND 70,000 STUDENTS WITH WASH PROGRAMMING.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 October 13, 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 November 6, 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 October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. 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.

  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 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.