Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Teensharp

EIN 27-2246880 · Wilmington, DE

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak43 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

[REFER TO SCHEDULE O FOR CONTINUATION OF MISSION] - TEENSHARP IS A UNIQUE LEARNING COMMUNITY WHERE BLACK, LATINO, AND LOW-INCOME STUDENTS ARE SUPPORTED TO BE SUCCESSFUL, HIGH-ACHIEVING, AND REACHING POTENTIAL. WE DO SO BY PROVIDING A CALIBER OF COLLEGE ADVISING, ACADEMIC INSTRUCTION, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, AND TUTORING THAT'S TYPICALLY RESERVED FOR PRIVATE SCHOOL SETTINGS. OUR CORE PROGRAMS (DESCRIBED BELOW) ARE STRIVER, G2C ACADEMY, AND PARENT NETWORK. COMBINED, THEY SPAN THE CALENDAR YEAR. SINCE OUR FOUNDING IN 2009, TEENSHARP HAS SENT MORE THAN 400 YOUNG PEOPLE TO FOUR-YEAR COLLEGES, INCLUDING MIT, CORNELL, YALE, PRINCETON, UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, MACALESTER, NORTHEASTERN, AND MANY MORE. OUR VISION IS THAT, ONE DAY, THE DIVERSITY OF THOSE WHO OCCUPY THE NATION'S MOST INFLUENTIAL LEADERSHIP POSITIONS AND HIGHLY-SKILLED JOBS WILL REFLECT THE NATION'S RICH DIVERSITY.

Income
$901,776
Spending
$1.2 million
Spent on programs
55%
Reserves
1.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 81%
Employees
16
Volunteers
8
Highest pay
$154,500, executive director

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: 43 out of 100. Higher than 11% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 10% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 30% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 18% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    54% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 15 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 95% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 of 8 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 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)
  1. $640,444 spent. IN 2024-2025, TEENSHARP CONTINUED ITS MISSION TO PREPARE HIGH-ACHIEVING BLACK, LATINO, AND LOW-INCOME STUDENTS FOR ADMISSION TO TOP COLLEGES AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS. NOW IN ITS 16TH YEAR, TEENSHARP HAS SERVED OVER 500 ALUMNI AND CURRENTLY SUPPORTS 1,500+ STUDENTS AND FAMILIES THROUGH COLLEGE READINESS ASSESSMENTS, A BILINGUAL PARENT NETWORK, PARENT ADVOCACY EDUCATION, AND CULTURAL ENRICHMENT LIKE THE BLACK HISTORY CHALLENGE. TEENSHARP MAINTAINS A 10-YEAR COMMITMENT TO EACH STUDENT AND THEIR FAMILY.THE STRIVER PROGRAM ACCEPTED 109 SCHOLARS FROM 16 STATES (~20% ACCEPTANCE RATE), WITH APPLICANTS NOW BEING RECEIVED FROM OVER 29 STATES. SCHOLARS ENGAGED IN 50+ HOURS OF PERSONALIZED ADVISING ANNUALLY, COMPLETED 5+ SUMMER PROGRAM APPLICATIONS AND 15+ COLLEGE APPLICATIONS EACH, AND FAMILIES PARTICIPATED IN 30+ HOURS OF ENRICHMENT PROGRAMMING.TEENSHARP STRIVER COLLEGE ADMISSIONS OUTCOMES INCLUDE: 100% OF SENIORS ADMITTED TO 4-YEAR COLLEGES. 96% ATTEND TOP INSTITUTIONS THAT MEET FULL FINANCIAL NEED. 95% ARE ON TRACK TO GRADUATE IN 4 YEARS. GRADUATES HAVE AN AVERAGE DEBT UNDER $15,000 - LESS THAN HALF THE NATIONAL AVERAGE FOR BLACK GRADUATES.TEENSHARP CONTINUES TO GROW ITS IMPACT THROUGH THE DELAWARE GOES TO COLLEGE ACADEMY, WHICH IN 2025 HAD CLOSE TO 500 STUDENTS REGISTERED, 314 JOINED AND ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN OUR ONLINE COMMUNITY, AND 226+ PARTICIPATED IN THE WEEKLONG PROGRAM, ALONG WITH OVER 100 PARENTS ATTENDING THE VIRTUAL PARENT WORKSHOP IN ITS 9TH YEAR. NOW IN ITS 10TH YEAR IN DELAWARE, TEENSHARP STUDENTS CONTINUED TO BREAK BARRIERS IN SELECTIVE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS DESPITE NATIONAL DECLINES IN BLACK AND LATINO ENROLLMENT.IN 2024-2025, TEENSHARP ALUMNI PROGRAMMING SHOWED PROMISING RESULTS THROUGH CAREER AND FINANCIAL COACHING. AS A RESULT, 100% OF PARTICIPANTS REPORTED INCREASED FINANCIAL KNOWLEDGE, ALL LEFT WITH A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR NET WORTH AND A COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET, AND CONFIDENCE IN MANAGING FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIPS ROSE. ON AVERAGE, PARTICIPANTS INCREASED THEIR NET WORTH BY $5,544 AND SAVINGS BY $4,558, WITH FULL-TIME WORKERS INCREASING THEIR NET WORTH BY $18,247 AND SAVINGS BY $10,470, DEMONSTRATING STRONG PROGRESS TOWARD LONG-TERM FINANCIAL STABILITY. OUR ALUMNI CONTINUE TO SECURE COMPETITIVE OPPORTUNITIES AT AMAZING INSTITUTIONS BEFORE AND AFTER GRADUATION.

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

  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? Worth knowing.

    Status was revoked on November 15, 2012 for not filing returns for three years, and reinstated on November 15, 2012.

    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 June 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 August 2014.

    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.