Scholarmatch Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SCHOLARMATCH'S MISSION IS TO SUPPORT UNDERSERVED FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS FROM LOW-INCOME BACKGROUNDS TO EARN A BACHELOR'S DEGREE WITHIN FIVE YEARS, PROVIDING VIRTUAL INDIVIDUALIZED ADVISING, TARGETED FINANCIAL SUPPORT, AND CAREER MENTORING FROM HIGH SCHOOL THROUGH COLLEGE.
- Income
- $4.0 million
- Spending
- $4.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 70%
- Reserves
- 8.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 96%
- Employees
- 29
- Volunteers
- 540
- Highest pay
- $222,793, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 77 out of 100. Higher than 63% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 11% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 2% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1570% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 18 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2514 of 14 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 September 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 (2)
- $1.8 million spent. DESTINED FOR COLLEGE (COLLEGE ACCESS): OUR DESTINED FOR COLLEGE PROGRAM PROVIDES COLLEGE ACCESS COUNSELING TO 1,058 LOW-INCOME HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS APPLYING TO COLLEGE. STARTING THE SPRING OF THEIR JUNIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL, SCHOLARMATCH STUDENTS ARE MATCHED WITH A VOLUNTEER COLLEGE COACH WHO WORKS 1:1 WITH THEM FOR A FULL YEAR. VOLUNTEER COACHES RECEIVE ROBUST TRAINING FROM SCHOLARMATCH AND SUPPORT STUDENTS THROUGH ALL ASPECTS OF THE COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS - FROM CHOOSING WHERE TO APPLY, TO WRITING PERSONAL STATEMENTS, TO EVALUATING FINANCIAL AID. STUDENTS ALSO RECEIVE ACCESS TO COLLEGE ACCESS WORKSHOPS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY RESOURCES DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR LOW-INCOME AND FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS. ON AVERAGE OUR STUDENTS SUBMIT 6 COLLEGE APPLICATIONS AND HAVE 100% COLLEGE ACCEPTANCE RATE.
- $1.3 million spent. SCHOLARS PROGRAM (COLLEGE SUCCESS): STUDENTS WHO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THE DESTINED FOR COLLEGE PROGRAM BECOME ELIGIBLE TO APPLY TO THE SCHOLARS PROGRAM, WHICH CURRENTLY SERVES 246 STUDENTS. SCHOLARMATCH SCHOLARS ARE MATCHED WITH A PROFESSIONAL COLLEGE ADVISOR ON STAFF WHO PROVIDES YEAR-ROUND ADVISING AND WILL RECEIVE UP TO $25,000 IN TARGETED FINANCIAL SUPPORT, INCLUDING STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT, EMERGENCY FUNDS, AND MORE. A TOTAL OF $1,271,663 WAS PROVIDED IN SCHOLARSHIPS THIS YEAR. STUDENTS ALSO PARTICIPATE IN WORKSHOPS TO SUPPORT THEIR WELLBEING, ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, AND CAREER READINESS, AND MAY REQUEST TO BE MATCHED TO A VOLUNTEER CAREER COACH AS THEY CONTINUE THROUGH COLLEGE. 98% OF OUR SCHOLARS PERSIST ACROSS MULTIPLE YEARS AND 80% OF OUR STUDENTS IN THE FULL SCHOLARMATCH PROGRAM GRADUATE WITHIN FIVE YEARS. THE AVERAGE GPA OF OUR SCHOLARS IS 3.31.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 October 13, 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 November 6, 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 October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 2012.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 November 4, 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.