Paideia Institute for Humanistic Study Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
THE PAIDEIA INSTITUTE PROMOTES THE STUDY OF THE CLASSICAL HUMANITIES THROUGH ACADEMIC PROGRAMMING ABROAD, US-BASED OUTREACH, PUBLICATIONS, AND DIGITAL INITIATIVES.
- Income
- $4.6 million
- Spending
- $5.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- -5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 78%
- Employees
- 18
- Volunteers
- 18
- Highest pay
- $206,133, president
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 34 out of 100. Higher than 6% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 385% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 10% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 9% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 20 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 19 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 August 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 (3)
- $2.4 million spent. CLASSICAL TOURS. THE PURPOSE OF THESE TOURS IS TO SPREAD HUMANISTIC STUDY AND KNOWLEDGE OF CLASSICAL ANTIQUITY TO A BROADER BASE THAN CAN BE SERVED BY OUR INDEPENDENT PROGRAMMING AND TO MAKE AVAILABLE OUR LOCAL KNOWLEDGE SO AS TO HELP INSTRUCTORS OF LATIN AND GREEK AT HIGH SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES CREATE TRIPS TO EUROPE FOR THEIR OWN STUDENTS. THE LENGTH OF EACH TRIP VARIED FROM 7 TO 21 DAYS.
- $1.3 million spent. THE PAIDEIA INSTITUTE RUNS VARIOUS "LIVING IN" PROGRAMS. THIS INCLUDES LIVING GREEK IN GREECE, LIVING LATIN IN PARIS, LIVING LATIN IN ROME AND LIVING LATIN IN ROME FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.THESE PROGRAMS OFFER THE UNUSUAL PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH OF TREATING LATIN AS A SPOKEN LANGUAGE, COMBINED WITH EXTENSIVE VISITS TO ANCIENT ROMAN SITES. EACH COURSE LASTED TWO WEEKS AND INVOLVED TWO HOURS OF CLASSROOM TIME PER DAY, PLUS TWO OR THREE HOUR SITE VISITS THREE DAYS A WEEK AND ONE AND A HALF HOUR PRACTICE SESSIONS TWICE A WEEK, FOR A TOTAL OF 21 HOURS OF FORMAL TEACHING PER WEEK.
- $332,013 spent. THE PAIDEIA INSTITUTE IS COMMITTED TO EXPANDING ACCESS TO THE CLASSICAL HUMANITIES AND TO BUILDING AND SUPPORTING A NETWORK OF INDIVIDUALS WHO CARE DEEPLY ABOUT ANCIENT LANGUAGES, LITERATURE, HISTORY, AND ART. PAIDEIA'S OUTREACH INITIATIVES FALL INTO THREE MAIN CATEGORIES:TEACHING LITERACY WITH LATIN, CAREERS FOR CLASSICISTS, AND PUBLICATIONS. IN 2023, 600 STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE INSTITUTE'S STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS, AND THE INSTITUTE OFFERED FIVE FULL SCHOLARSHIPS FOR A TOTAL OF $22,000.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 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 August 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 April 2013.
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.
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.