Ken Garff for Good
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
PROMOTE EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION AND HELP UTAH STUDENTS PREPARE FOR POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION.
- Income
- $6.1 million
- Spending
- $4.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 11.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 97%
- Employees
- 25
- Volunteers
- 200
- Highest pay
- $242,181, director of business development
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
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 80% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 11.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 6% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 34% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 54% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1575% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 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
Fair: 65 out of 100. Higher than 18% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2511 of 13 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
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 (5)
- $1.5 million spent. KEYS TO SUCCESS: THE PURPOSE OF KEYS TO SUCCESS IS TO MOTIVATE STUDENTS TO UNLOCK THEIR FUTURE BY CONNECTING THEM TO SCHOLARSHIPS, INTERNSHIPS, AND CAREERS. IN THE FALL OF 2018, THE KEYS TO SUCCESS APP WAS LAUNCHED TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH SCHOLARSHIPS, INTERNSHIPS, AND OTHER CAREER OPPORTUNITIES PERSONALIZED TO THEIR CHOSEN CAREER INTERESTS. STUDENTS CAN TRACK THEIR PROGRESS, RECEIVE PUSH NOTIFICATIONS ABOUT NEW OPPORTUNITIES, AND USE ADDITIONAL TOOLS LIKE ACT PREP AND FASFA HELP TO HELP THEM UNLOCK THEIR FUTURE. THE MORE STUDENTS INTERACT WITH THE APP, THE MORE POINTS STUDENTS EARN THAT CAN BE REDEEMED FOR AWESOME PRIZES LIKE GIFT CARDS TO RESTAURANTS AND VOUCHERS FOR ACTIVITIES. THE APP MAKES IT EASY FOR PARENTS TO ENGAGE WITH THEIR STUDENTS' FUTURE, GOALS, AND CAREER INTERESTS. IN 2025, KEYS TO SUCCESS REACHED NEW HEIGHTS AS STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS WITH SCHOOLS OPENED THE DOOR TO MORE MEANINGFUL STUDENT ENGAGEMENT. PROGRAM MANAGERS AND STUDENT AMBASSADORS PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN INCREASING SCHOOL EVENTS AND FACE-TO-FACE INTERACTIONS, HELPING STUDENTS CONNECT WITH RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES. OUR CAR GIVEAWAY GENERATED MORE EXCITEMENT THAN EVER WITH 3,416 ENTRIES IN ONLY 3 MONTHS, FUELED BY A GREATER PRESENCE BOTH ONLINE AND IN SCHOOLS. THE SCHOLARSHIP PLATFORM ALSO CONTINUED TO GROW, WITH MORE OPPORTUNITIES TAILORED TO SUPPORT DIVERSE STUDENT POPULATIONS AND MORE KEYS TO SUCCESS SPONSORED SCHOLARSHIPS IN PARTNER WITH UTAH'S HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS. ONE OF THE YEAR'S PROUDEST MOMENTS WAS HOSTING OUR FIRST-EVER SCHOLARSHIP CEREMONY, WHERE WE CELEBRATED THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUTSTANDING STUDENTS AND THEIR NEWLY AWARDED SCHOLARSHIPS - A TRADITION WE'RE EXCITED TO CONTINUE AND EXPAND. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WE HAD 22,000 NEW STUDENT DOWNLOADS OF THE APP, 19,800 PRIZES REDEEMED, AND $174,000 of SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED.
- $596,164 spent. THE PURPOSE OF KEN GARFF ESPORTS IS TO ENHANCE AND ENRICH SCHOLASTIC EXPERIENCES THROUGH AND BEYOND GAMING. KEN GARFF ESPORTS MADE HUGE ADVANCEMENTS IN MAKING ESPORTS MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR THE STATE OF UTAH BY PARTNERING WITH THE UTAH HIGH SCHOOL ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATION AND SPECIAL OLYMPICS UTAH. FOR THE 2024-25 SCHOOL YEAR, THE PROGRAM WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE $136,500 IN GRANTS TO SCHOOLS TO HELP FUND TRANSPORTATION, EQUIPMENT, AND OPERATIONAL COSTS. THE PROGRAM SAW OVER 2,700 STUDENTS ENGAGE IN STATEWIDE ESPORTS EXPERIENCES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, CONNECTING THEM WITH COLLEGE AND CAREER RESOURCES IN GAMING, STEAM, AND BEYOND. AT THE END OF THE YEAR, AS A PART OF THE SPRING CELEBRATION, REPRESENTATIVES FROM OVER 10 UNIVERSITIES AND PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS LED 50+ BOOTHS AND WORKSHOPS - STRATEGICALLY LINKING ESPORTS TO REAL-WORLD, POST SECONDARY PATHWAYS.
- $495,807 spent. ROAD TO SUCCESS: ROAD TO SUCCESS IS A K-6 INCENTIVIZED READING PROGRAM THAT SUPPORTS UTAH STUDENTS ACROSS THE STATE OF UTAH BUILD STRONG READING HABITS. EACH SCHOOL THAT PARTICIPATES GAINS ACCESS TO THE PLATFORM BEANSTACK, WHICH SUPPORTS DIGITIAL AND PERSONALIZED. THE ROAD TO SUCCESS PROGRAM PROVIDES EVERY STUDENT PARTICIPATING WITH TANGIBLE REWARDS BY MEETING SPECIFIC READING MILESTONES. THE ROAD TO SUCCESS PROGRAM FOSTERS A CULTURE OF READING IN SCHOOLS ACROSS UTAH THROUGH ENGAGING INCENTIVES AND THE USER-FRIENDLY BEANSTACK PLATFORM. IN ITS THIRD YEAR WITH BEANSTACK, THE PROGRAM SAW AN 88% INCREASE IN PARTICIPATION, GROWING FROM 43 TO 86 SCHOOLS, WITH SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN DISTRICTS LIKE CACHE COUNTY. THE YEAR ENDED WITH 32 MILLION MINUTES READ BY OUR SCHOOLS. THIS YEAR ALSO FEATURED NEW PARTNERSHIPS, INCLUDING AN INITIATIVE LED BY MISS ROY TITLEHOLDER HELENE LAM, IN WEBER SCHOOL DISTRICT. 70 STUDENTS WERE REWARDED WITH BIKES, AS WELL AS COUNTLESS OTHER STUDENTS WITH THOUSANDS OF PRIZES. THE YEAR CONCLUDED WITH A CELEBRATORY EVENT AT THE LOVELAND LIVING PLANET AQUARIUM, RECOGNIZING TOP READERS AND THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS IN A FUN AND MEANINGFUL WAY.
- $433,580 spent. WOMEN WHO SUCCEED: THE PURPOSE OF WOMEN WHO SUCCEED IS TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN TO GROW IN CONFIDENCE AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS. WE DO THIS BY PROVIDING MENTORING, SCHOLARSHIPS, INTERNSHIPS, AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES. WITH SUCCESSFUL EVENTS SUCH AS THE WOMEN WHO SUCCEED CONFERENCE, SUMMER SOIREE, GIRLS GIVE BACK, DIAMONDS ON ICE, FOUNDERS DAY, AND SOCIALS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WE SAW AN AVERAGE OF 88% REGULAR MENTEE ENGAGEMENT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. WE WERE ABLE TO MAXIMIZE NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES WHILE AWARDING OVER $100,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS and other grants AND CONNECTING MENTEES WITH INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES. WOMEN WHO SUCCEED HAS CONTINUED TO MAKE INTENTIONAL EFFORTS THIS YEAR TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG WOMEN TO GROW CONFIDENCE AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS THROUGH THESE MENTORSHIP MEETINGS, PROVIDED CURRICULUM, EVENTS, AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES LIKE SCHOLARSHIPS, WORKSHOPS, SERVICE PROJECTS AND INTERNSHIPS. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WE HAD 156 WOMEN MEMBERS AND 280 MENTEES AS A PART OF THE PROGRAM WITH 35% OF THE MENTEES FROM RURAL COMMUNITIES AND 35% WERE WOMEN OF COLOR.
- (Expenses $ 433,580 including grants of $ 110,763) WOMEN WHO SUCCEED: THE PURPOSE OF WOMEN WHO SUCCEED IS TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN TO GROW IN CONFIDENCE AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS. WE DO THIS BY PROVIDING MENTORING, SCHOLARSHIPS, INTERNSHIPS, AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES. WITH SUCCESSFUL EVENTS SUCH AS THE WOMEN WHO SUCCEED CONFERENCE, SUMMER SOIREE, GIRLS GIVE BACK, DIAMONDS ON ICE, FOUNDERS DAY, AND SOCIALS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WE SAW AN AVERAGE OF 88% REGULAR MENTEE ENGAGEMENT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. WE WERE ABLE TO MAXIMIZE NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES WHILE AWARDING OVER $100,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS and other grants AND CONNECTING MENTEES WITH INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES. WOMEN WHO SUCCEED HAS CONTINUED TO MAKE INTENTIONAL EFFORTS THIS YEAR TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG WOMEN TO GROW CONFIDENCE AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS THROUGH THESE MENTORSHIP MEETINGS, PROVIDED CURRICULUM, EVENTS, AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES LIKE SCHOLARSHIPS, WORKSHOPS, SERVICE PROJECTS AND INTERNSHIPS. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WE HAD 156 WOMEN MEMBERS AND 280 MENTEES AS A PART OF THE PROGRAM WITH 35% OF THE MENTEES FROM RURAL COMMUNITIES AND 35% WERE WOMEN OF COLOR.
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 October 2011.
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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