Uaspire Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
UASPIRE'S MISSION IS TO IMPROVE THE ECONOMIC MOBILITY OF UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS BY CREATING FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS TO DIVERSE POSTSECONDARY PATHWAYS.
- Income
- $6.2 million
- Spending
- $10.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 69%
- Reserves
- 9.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 72%
- Employees
- 88
- Volunteers
- 19
- Highest pay
- $342,227, chief executive officer
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
Fair: 59 out of 100. Higher than 40% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 9.6 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 23% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 67% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 44% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1569% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 24 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2519 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 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 (4)
- $3.9 million spent. UASPIRE GUIDES STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES TO NAVIGATE COMPLEX FINANCIAL AID SYSTEMS IN PURSUIT OF EQUITABLE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE POSTSECONDARY PATHWAYS THROUGH IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL ADVISING. UASPIRE PROVIDES POSTSECONDARY FINANCIAL AID ADVISING TO 10,000 STUDENTS IN LOCATIONS ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS (BOSTON, CAMBRIDGE, SOMERVILLE, MALDEN, AND FALL RIVER) AND THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA (SAN FRANCISCO, OAKLAND, AND HAYWARD) AND NEW YORK, NEW YORK. UASPIRE'S HIGH SCHOOL ADVISING PROGRAM, AFFORD, DELIVERS ROBUST, INDIVIDUALIZED SUPPORT IN THEIR HIGH SCHOOLS AND OVER TEXT MESSAGING TO APPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID, MAKE FINANCIALLY INFORMED COLLEGE DECISIONS, AND SUCCESSFULLY ENROLL. UASPIRE'S POSTSECONDARY ADVISING PROGRAM, SUCCEED, SUPPORTS STUDENTS TO MAINTAIN/SECURE FINANCIAL AID AND MANAGE COLLEGE COSTS TO PERSIST AND ULTIMATELY COMPLETE THEIR DEGREES. UASPIRE ADVISORS SUPPLEMENT HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND OTHER COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS WHO DEPEND ON UASPIRE TO HELP WITH THE FINANCIAL ISSUES RELATED TO AFFRODABILITY, MATRICULATION AND PERSISTENCE TO A CERTIFICATE OR DEGREE. (Expenses $ 438,089 including grants of $ 87,829)(Revenue $ 132,600) OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES CONSIST OF OUR: 1) CONSULTING PRACTICE WHERE WE COLLABORATE WITH PARTNERS TO ASSESS THEIR NEEDS AND OFFER UNIQUELY DESIGNED SOLUTIONS IN THE AREAS OF CONTENT DEVELOPMENT, PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT AND SYSTEMS CHANGE, BY LEVERAGING OUR FINANCIAL AID EXPERTISE, STUDENT-ADVISING EXPERIENCE, AND STUDENT-CENTERED RESEARCH; AND 2) SCHOLARSHIP AND EMERGENCY AID SUPPORT WHICH IS INCLUSIVE OF THE DISTRIBUTION AND ADMINISTRATION OF FUNDS AS WELL AS PROGRAM QUALITY AND EVALUATION.
- $1.8 million spent. UASPIRE TRAINS SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND PROGRAM STAFF TO SUPPORT THE STUDENTS THEY WORK WITH THROUGH THE FINANCIAL AID PROCESS. TAILORED TO STAFF'S EXPERIENCE AND STATE CONTEXT, OUR ONLINE AND IN-PERSON COURSES OFFER BEST-IN-CLASS INSTRUCTION, ACTION PLANNING, AND TOOLS TO USE WITH STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. WE ALSO OFFER PRACTITIONERS UNLIMITED ONLINE ACCESS TO UASPIRE'S RESOURCES, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND FINANCIAL AID EXPERTISE THROUGH OUR PARTNER PORTAL. THROUGH THE PORTAL, MEMBERS CAN REQUEST SUPPORT OR ASK A QUESTION TO GET THE BEST SOLUTION FOR THEIR STUDENTS, FIND HOW-TO VIDEOS AND TOOLS TO SHARE WITH STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, AND STAY CURRENT WITH COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY NEWS.
- $906,673 spent. BY LEVERAGING OUR OWN AND OUR STUDENTS' FINANCIAL AID EXPERTISE, UASPIRE ADVOCATES FOR INSTITUTIONAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL POLICY CHANGE TO TRANSFORM FINANCIAL AID AND HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEMS. WE ALSO RUN A PAID POLICY FELLOWSHIP, WHERE COLLEGE STUDENTS BUILD ADVOCACY SKILLS AND INFLUENCE POLICYMAKERS TO MAKE HIGHER EDUCATION MORE AFFORDABLE AND EQUITABLE. (Expenses $ 438,089 including grants of $ 87,829)(Revenue $ 132,600) OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES CONSIST OF OUR: 1) CONSULTING PRACTICE WHERE WE COLLABORATE WITH PARTNERS TO ASSESS THEIR NEEDS AND OFFER UNIQUELY DESIGNED SOLUTIONS IN THE AREAS OF CONTENT DEVELOPMENT, PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT AND SYSTEMS CHANGE, BY LEVERAGING OUR FINANCIAL AID EXPERTISE, STUDENT-ADVISING EXPERIENCE, AND STUDENT-CENTERED RESEARCH; AND 2) SCHOLARSHIP AND EMERGENCY AID SUPPORT WHICH IS INCLUSIVE OF THE DISTRIBUTION AND ADMINISTRATION OF FUNDS AS WELL AS PROGRAM QUALITY AND EVALUATION.
- $438,089 spent. OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES CONSIST OF OUR: 1) CONSULTING PRACTICE WHERE WE COLLABORATE WITH PARTNERS TO ASSESS THEIR NEEDS AND OFFER UNIQUELY DESIGNED SOLUTIONS IN THE AREAS OF CONTENT DEVELOPMENT, PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT AND SYSTEMS CHANGE, BY LEVERAGING OUR FINANCIAL AID EXPERTISE, STUDENT-ADVISING EXPERIENCE, AND STUDENT-CENTERED RESEARCH; AND 2) SCHOLARSHIP AND EMERGENCY AID SUPPORT WHICH IS INCLUSIVE OF THE DISTRIBUTION AND ADMINISTRATION OF FUNDS AS WELL AS PROGRAM QUALITY AND EVALUATION.
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 May 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.
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