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Cooperative for Education

EIN 31-1545464 · Cincinnati, OH

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

TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT SERVICES AND OTHER CHARITABLE SERVICES TO FINANCIALLY STRESSED COMMUNITIES AND EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS AND EDUCATE NORTH AMERICANS ABOUT GUATEMALA, ITS POVERTY AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES.

Income
$16.8 million
Spending
$4.1 million
Spent on programs
79%
Reserves
8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 97%
Employees
22
Volunteers
138
Highest pay
$133,088, executive director

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 88% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 8.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 11% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 75% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 365% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    79% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 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 50% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    13 of 14 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 (6)
  1. $1.3 million spent. COED'S RISE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM GETS KIDS INTO SCHOOL AND ENSURES THEY CAN REACH THE MILESTONE OF HIGH-SCHOOL GRADUATION (FOCUSING PRIMARILY ON EVENING THE PLAYING FIELD FOR GIRLS, WHO ARE OFTEN THE FIRST TO BE PULLED OUT OF SCHOOL IN GUATEMALA). THE PROGRAM GOES FAR BEYOND A TRADITIONAL SCHOLARSHIP, PROVIDING TUTORING AND MENTORING, COMPREHENSIVE SOCIAL SUPPORT, AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT TRANSFORM STUDENTS INTO THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS. IN 2025, 877 GIRLS AND 274 BOYS BENEFITED FROM RISE.
  2. $553,146 spent. THE BRIDGES PROGRAM CREATES AWARENESS THAT DRIVES PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD TO ACTION THROUGH SERVICE, ENABLING INDIVIDUALS TO DISCOVER HOW THEIR GIFTS AND TALENTS CAN BEST BE CALLED FORTH TO HELP OTHERS. IN 2025, THE BRIDGES PROGRAM EDUCATED MORE THAN 1,065 INDIVIDUALS AROUND THE WORLD THROUGH 57 EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS (BOTH VIRTUALLY AND IN-PERSON) AND INVOLVED 138 VOLUNTEERS IN DIRECT SERVICE ON TRIPS TO GUATEMALA.
  3. $515,429 spent. COED'S SPARK READING PROGRAM TRANSFORMS STUDENTS INTO ENTHUSIASTIC, COMPETENT, AND LIFELONG READERS BY PROVIDING CHILDREN'S BOOKS TO IMPOVERISHED SCHOOLS IN RURAL GUATEMALA AND TRAINING TEACHERS IN BEST PRACTICES FOR EARLY LITERACY INSTRUCTION. THROUGHOUT 2025, THE PROGRAM TRAINED 210 TEACHERS FROM 23 SCHOOLS, BENEFITING 4,894 STUDENTS. STUDIES SHOW THAT KIDS IN SPARK CLASSROOMS TYPICALLY LEARN TWICE AS MUCH AS KIDS IN NON-SPARK CLASSROOMS.
  4. $269,095 spent. COED'S TEXTBOOK PROGRAM PROVIDES RESOURCES AND TRAINING THAT EMPOWER GUATEMALAN MIDDLE SCHOOLS TO TRANSFORM THEIR QUALITY OF TEACHING AND LEARNING. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES TEXTBOOKS USING A SUSTAINABLE "REVOLVING FUND" MODEL ENSURING SCHOOLS BENEFIT FROM THESE RESOURCES IN PERPETUITY AND TRAINS TEACHERS IN DIDACTIC METHODS. MORE THAN 22,613 STUDENTS AT 178 SCHOOLS STUDY EVERY DAY WITH COED TEXTBOOKS, INCLUDING 236 STUDENTS AT 2 SCHOOLS RECEIVING COED TEXTBOOKS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2025.
  5. $279,225 spent. COED'S TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM PROVIDES MIDDLE AND HIGH-SCHOOL YOUTH WITH BADLY-NEEDED DIGITAL LITERACY TRAINING THAT POSITIONS THEM WITH NECESSARY TECH SKILLS FOR FUTURE EMPLOYMENT OR FURTHER EDUCATION, PRIMARILY BY ESTABLISHING COMPUTER CENTERS IN RURAL MIDDLE SCHOOLS THAT LACK THE RESOURCES TO ENABLE STUDENTS TO COMPETE FOR HIGHER-PAYING JOBS. 57 COED COMPUTER CENTERS (INCLUDING 1 ESTABLISHED IN 2025, SERVING 122 STUDENTS) HELP TO BRIDGE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN RURAL GUATEMALA BY PROVIDING HIGH-QUALITY TECHNOLOGY TRAINING TO 13,934 STUDENTS. AN INNOVATIVE SUSTAINABILITY MODEL ENABLES SCHOOLS TO UPGRADE THEIR EQUIPMENT ON A PLANNED REPLACEMENT SCHEDULE WITH MONEY SAVED IN THEIR REVOLVING FUNDS.
  6. $386,402 spent. COED EXPANDS ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY SECONDARY AND POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH CENTRO FORMACIN MULTIPLE (CFM) BOARDING SCHOOL, SERVING 38 FEMALE STUDENTS IN SAN RAYMUNDO, GUATEMALA, AND CASA SOFIA RESIDENCE HOUSE FOR YOUNG WOMEN ATTENDING UNIVERSITY IN GUATEMALA CITY, SERVING ONE RESIDENT IN 2025. IN ADDITION, 8 TEACHERS AT CFM RECEIVED TRAINING IN DIDACTIC BEST PRACTICES TO IMPROVE LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS.

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 October 13, 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 August 1997.

    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 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.