Elevate 215
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
ELEVATE 215 IS A CATALYST FOR PREPARING STUDENTS FOR THE WORLD OF TOMORROW BY MODERNIZING THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE IN PHILADELPHIA SCHOOLS TODAY. WE DO THIS BY: SUPPORTING SCHOOLS AND TALENT, COLLABORATING WITH OUR PARTNERS, EXPANDING ACCESS AND RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES, AND ADVOCATING TO CREATE THE CONDITIONS FOR SUCCESS.
- Income
- $4.5 million
- Spending
- $6.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 78%
- Reserves
- 8.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 93%
- Employees
- 16
- Volunteers
- 14
- Highest pay
- $336,205, 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
Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 63% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 12% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 41% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 389% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1578% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 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 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2514 of 14 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 (3)
- $3.9 million spent. School and Talent Grants Elevate 215 makes grants to school operators to support the start-up, expansion, or the capacity building of public, public charter, and catholic schools located in Philadelphia. Grant funding supports the expenses of startup, growth and/or improvement activities over the course of single or multiple years. The Organization screens prospective applications by conducting extensive due diligence on the applicants before approving grants, including examination of school models, quantitative data on academic outcomes, analysis of student attendance, attrition, graduation and matriculation data, financial analysis, review of strategic growth plans, assessment of organizational leadership capacity, interviews with school leaders, and school site visits. The Organization invests in talent development initiatives, which are focused on strengthening the recruitment, retention and skill development of school leaders and teachers. During the year ended June 30, 2025, Elevate 215 supported 22 organizations. Community Resources The Organization develops and maintains two technology-based resources to support families in learning about and selecting a school that is a good fit for their children. GreatPhillySchools.org is a web-based information resource that helps parents and guardians learn about school options in Philadelphia by sharing information on school services and performance ratings for more than 2,000 pre-kindergarten and K-12 schools; it also features advice and answers to frequently asked questions on various topics including school application processes specific by sector, scholarships, how to apply to high schools, interacting with a student's teacher, and other relevant information. Policy and Advocacy To ensure that the conditions exist in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania to support the growth and improvement of quality schools, the Organization educates and advocates for evolved education-related policies and makes grants to support such advocacy. The Organization's advocacy is always nonpartisan; it does not support or advocate on behalf of candidates for elected office or education legislation. SCHOOLS, THE ORGANIZATION EDUCATES AND ADVOCATES FOR EVOLVED EDUCATION-RELATED POLICIES AND MAKES GRANTS TO SUPPORT SUCH ADVOCACY. THE ORGANIZATION'S ADVOCACY IS ALWAYS NONPARTISAN; IT DOES NOT SUPPORT OR ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF CANDIDATES FOR ELECTED OFFICE OR EDUCATION LEGISLATION.
- $1.1 million spent. Apply Philly Charter Elevate 215 operates the Apply Philly Charter For the period ended June 30, 2025, over 150,000 families utilized the website to gather information on over 400 school options in Philadelphia. In addition, Elevate 215 supports the Apply Philly Charter (applyphillycharter.org) technology platform, which is an online enrollment system that facilitates the application and acceptance process for a majority of the public charter schools in Philadelphia. In 2025, over 29,000 families utilized Apply Philly Charter to select a school and submit over 130,000 applications.
- Elevate 215 maintains two web-based platforms to educate families about school options that are available throughout Philadelphia. Greatphillyschools.org is a web-based information system that provides detailed descriptions of 400+ K-12 public (district and charter), parochial, and private schools throughout Philadelphia. The site also provides resource articles that address various topics related to navigating the education system. Topics include but are not limited to frequently asked questions on school applications processed specifically by sector, scholarships, how to interact with a student's teacher, and other relevant information. In 2025, over 150,000 families accessed the website. In addition, Great Philly Schools hosted an annual K-12 Fair in October, where over 6,000 students and families participated and gathered information about school options in Philadelphia. The second technology platform is Applyphillycharter.org. Elevate 215 operates the Apply Philly Charter (www.applyphillycharter.org) platform, an online student enrollment system that manages the application and acceptance process for 71% of the public charter school campuses citywide. In 2025, over 29,000 families submitted 130,000 applications to select a K-12 public charter school.
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 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 October 13, 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 2025.
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 December 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 October 21, 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.