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City of Fountains School

EIN 45-4093008 · Kansas City, MO

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood72 out of 100GovernanceGood79 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

The City of Fountains School (the School) has a mission which honors the wonder and importance of childhood by (a) engaging and educating the head, heart and hands, (b) fostering creative innovative individuals capable of free independent thought, (c) and nourishing each child's relationship with the natural world and its rhythms thus cultivating a lifelong reverence for what is good beautiful and true.The School integrates arts with academics offering a developmentally appropriate curriculum inspired by Waldorf educational pedagogy. The School educates children to become individual creative thinkers from early childhood through 8th grade. The School's curriculum is filled with the basics such as reading, writing, arithmetic, history and science. It is enriched with music, art, movement, games, nature, exploration, foreign language and handwork classes.

Income
$670,033
Spending
$742,354
Spent on programs
90%
Reserves
6.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 93%
Employees
24
Volunteers
50
Highest pay
$47,757, presider

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: 72 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 6.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 11% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 13% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    90% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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

Good: 79 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    4 of 7 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

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (3)
  1. $394,217 spent. The School's grades program provides an interdisciplinary approach to a wide range of academic subjects including mathematics, grammar, botany, zoology, chemistry, physics, physiology, history and geography in blocks that span multiple weeks per subject. Teachers strive to bring the subjects alive first within themselves and then through their presentation to awaken the enthusiasm and interest of the students.Additionally, students learn through specialty subject classes such as music, foreign language, movement and handwork. The program ran the first Tuesday after Labor Day through the last Friday before Memorial Day.During the year ended June 30, 2025, the grades program served 61 students running from the first Tuesday after Labor Day through the last Friday before Memorial Day with a weekly schedule of Monday to Thursday 8:30 am to 2:55 pm.
  2. $220,896 spent. The School's early childhood program offers two mixed-age Kingergarten classes (ages 3.5 to 6 years old) and a Parent-Child class (infants to 3.5 years old).The School provides a nurturing environment for the children and gives them ample opportunity to learn through play and purposeful activities. Reverence is held for both the natural world and the unfolding child. The day is structured in a rhythmic movement that engages the head, heart and hands.Parents in the Parent-Child class are able to practice mindful parenting while learning about Waldorf Education and child development. Parents are also given the opportunity to connect with one another as the children learn through age-appropriate play.During the year ended June 30, 2025, the early childhood program served 45 kindergarten students and 35 parent-child families running from the first Tuesday after Labor Day through the last Friday before Memorial Day with a weekly schedule of Monday to Friday 8:45 am to 3:00 pm.
  3. $53,005 spent. The School's enrichment program provides an opportunity for homeschooling families to incorporate education inspired by the Waldorf approach into their curricula and homeschool. This program provides the grades students with additional opportunity to come another day to further their education. Each enrichment program class follows a daily Waldorf-inspired rhythm including main lessons, movement, social and outdoor time.During the year ended June 30, 2025, the enrichment program served 33 students running from the first Tuesday after Labor Day through the last Friday before Memorial Day with a weekly schedule of meeting three times per week from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.

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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 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 September 7, 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 7, 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.