Ewing Marion Kauffman School Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF THE KAUFFMAN SCHOOL IS TO PREPARE STUDENTS TO EXCEL ACADEMICALLY, GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE AND APPLY THEIR UNIQUE TALENTS IN THE WORLD TO CREATE ECONOMICALLY INDEPENDENT AND PERSONALLY FULFILLING LIVES.
- Income
- $24.2 million
- Spending
- $25.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 71%
- Reserves
- 7.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 76%
- Employees
- 188
- Volunteers
- 7
- Highest pay
- $309,717, ceo
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: 86 out of 100. Higher than 83% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 7.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 9% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 4% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 0% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1571% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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 50% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 6 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)
- $18.0 million spent. ABOUT: THE EWING MARION KAUFFMAN SCHOOL OPENED ITS DOORS IN THE FALL OF 2011. A NEW FIFTH GRADE CLASS OF ABOUT 200 STUDENTS IS ADDED EACH YEAR. THE KAUFFMAN SCHOOL CURRENTLY SERVES STUDENTS IN GRADES 5-12. AS A PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL, THE KAUFFMAN SCHOOL IS FREE AND OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS RESIDING WITHIN THE DISTRICT BOUNDARIES OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI PUBLIC SCHOOLS (KCPS). THE KAUFFMAN SCHOOL CANNOT AND DOES NOT SELECTIVELY ADMIT STUDENTS BASED ON ACADEMIC APTITUDE, RACE, ETHNICITY, INCOME LEVEL, SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS, PRIOR SCHOOL RECORD OR ALMOST ANY OTHER PERSONAL CHARACTERISTIC. THE KAUFFMAN SCHOOL ADMITS STUDENTS UNTIL ITS ENROLLMENT THRESHOLD IS MET. IF THERE ARE MORE APPLICATIONS THAN SEATS, A LOTTERY IS USED TO GIVE EVERY APPLICANT AN EQUAL CHANCE OF ADMISSION. THE KAUFFMAN SCHOOL PROVIDES A GEOGRAPHICAL ENROLLMENT PREFERENCE TO STUDENTS LIVING IN SIX VERY HIGH RISK AND HIGH NEED ZIP CODES: 64123, 64124, 64127, 64128, 64130 AND 64132. THE KAUFFMAN SCHOOL ALSO PROVIDES AN ENROLLMENT PREFERENCE TO SIBLINGS OF ENROLLED STUDENTS AND CHILDREN WHOSE PARENTS/GUARDIANS WORK AT THE SCHOOL AND ALSO RESIDE WITHIN THE KCPS BOUNDARIES. MISSION: THE MISSION OF THE KAUFFMAN SCHOOL IS TO PREPARE STUDENTS TO EXCEL ACADEMICALLY, GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE AND APPLY THEIR UNIQUE TALENTS IN THE WORLD TO CREATE ECONOMICALLY INDEPENDENT AND PERSONALLY FULFILLING LIVES. VISION STATEMENT: THE KAUFFMAN SCHOOL IS RECOGNIZED AS THE PREMIER PUBLIC SCHOOL IN THE STATE OF MISSOURI AND AS A NATIONAL MODEL FOR THE ENTIRE PUBLIC SCHOOL SECTOR.
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since September 2010.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 October 7, 2026.
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