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Community Systems Foundation

EIN 38-1713461 · Ann Arbor, MI

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak48 out of 100GovernanceGood75 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

To improve the quality of life through applied research and technical assistance to communities by pioneering solutions that yield measurable results.

Income
$3.0 million
Spending
$3.0 million
Spent on programs
93%
Reserves
0.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 100%
Employees
1
Volunteers
5
Highest pay
$216,552, executive director and secretary

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

Weak: 48 out of 100. Higher than 11% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    2 of 20

    It owes 95% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 7% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    93% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

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: 75 out of 100. Higher than 26% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 of 10 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no 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

    0 of 10

    Did not give 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, 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 (4)
  1. $394,582 spent. United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF): Technical assistance was provided by Community Systems Foundation to UNICEF HQ for the continued maintenance and enhancement of RAM 3.0 as requested by the UNICEF Division of Analysis Planning and Monitoring. This work covers the continued Maintenance and Enhancement and deployment of RAM Core Moldules the eWorkPlanning Module and the UNICEF Country Strategic Indicators (CSIs) in compliance with the detailed specifications provided by UNICEF.
  2. $162,761 spent. Ministry of Education (MOE) Guyana TVET: Community Systems Foundation provides technical support to MOE Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) on how OpenEMIS can be configured and rolled out to support relevant stakeholders with monitoring, analysis and reporting on students, staff and institutions around the country. Community Systems Foundation deployed the OpenEMIS toolkit to enable MOE to rapidly deploy and use a robust and flexible open source technical solution. This allowed MOE to upgrade to a more efficient information management within the time frame required by this project.
  3. $188,753 spent. Ministry of Education (MOE) TVT Barbados: Community Systems Foundation provides technical support to MOE Technical and Vocational Training (TVT) on how OpenEMIS can be configured and rolled out to support relevant stakeholders with monitoring, analysis and reporting on students, staff and institutions around the country. Community Systems Foundation deployed the OpenEMIS toolkit to enable MOE to rapidly deploy and use a robust and flexible open source technical solution. This allowed MOE to upgrade to a more efficient information management within the time frame required by this project.
  4. $2.0 million spent. Other program services

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

  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 2024.

    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 February 1966.

    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.

  7. Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.

    A much larger organization has a similar name: Oregon Community Foundation (Portland, OR), EIN 23-7315673. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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.