Moving Forward Institute
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Moving Forward Institute focuses on students' emotional well-being as a critical strategy for improving their academic achievement. MFI draws together culturally-relevant literacy instruction and social/emotional learning to inspire young people to engage with reading, accelerate their academic achievement, and develop life-changing social and emotional skills.
- Income
- $1.2 million
- Spending
- $1.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 96%
- Reserves
- 8.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 100%
- Employees
- 6
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $168,600, ceo, cfo
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
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 80% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 46% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1596% of spending went to programs.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 87 out of 100. Higher than 47% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
18 of 254 of 4 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
9 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
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 (3)
- $844,974 spent. During 2024, Moving Forward Institute published four new units of its Reading with Relevance curricula. Each unit provides a classroom teacher, intervention specialist, or volunteer with a comprehensive set of lesson plans to explore a single high-interest, culturally-relevant novel, including all of the tools, resources, and activities necessary to help students make meaning of what they've read. As of 2024, thousands of schools across the United States utilize these Reading with Relevance materials in their classrooms.
- $148,476 spent. Moving Forward Institute provided intensive professional development learning opportunities to teachers throughout California school districts, including education on social and emotional learning standards, culturally-relevant literature, and the use of the Reading with Relevance curriculum.
- $94,826 spent. Moving Forward Institute continued to publish a free, open source Reading with Relevance curricular unit, and made it widely available throughout the education community to support teachers to meaningfully leverage literacy instruction as a tool to help students engage students in conversations around systemic racism, police violence, and racial privilege.
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 August 2010.
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.