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San Marcos Promise

EIN 46-5460510 · San Marcos, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair63 out of 100GovernanceGood84 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

PROJECT NEXT TRANSFORMS HOW HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS PREPARE FOR LIFE AFTER GRADUATION BY EMBEDDING CAREER READINESS AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTLY ON CAMPUS THROUGH FUTURE CENTERS. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND MORE THAN 400 LOCAL PROFESSIONALS AND BUSINESSES, WE EQUIP STUDENTS WITH THE CLARITY, CONFIDENCE, AND CONNECTIONS NEEDED TO TRANSITION SUCCESSFULLY INTO HIGHER EDUCATION, CAREER TRAINING, MILITARY SERVICE, OR LIVING WAGE EMPLOYMENT.

Income
$1.2 million
Spending
$1.4 million
Spent on programs
54%
Reserves
4.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 96%
Employees
14
Volunteers
350
Highest pay
$216,941, executive director

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: 63 out of 100. Higher than 44% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 16% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 18% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    54% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 21 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: 84 out of 100. Higher than 44% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    13 of 13 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

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    9 of 15

    Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.

  • 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 (1)
  1. $742,277 spent. PROJECT NEXT OPERATES FIVE ON CAMPUS FUTURE CENTERS SERVING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ACROSS SAN MARCOS AND ESCONDIDO. THESE CENTERS FUNCTION AS YEAR-ROUND, HIGH TOUCH WORKFORCE READINESS HUBS EMBEDDED WITHIN PARTNER SCHOOLS. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR: STUDENTS VISITED FUTURE CENTERS MORE THAN 5,300 TIMES. CAREER COACHES DELIVERED OVER 1,300 INDIVIDUALIZED COACHING SESSIONS TO NEARLY 900 STUDENTS. 470 STUDENTS COMPLETED THE SUPERSTRONG INTEREST ASSESSMENT TO ALIGN STRENGTHS WITH CAREER PATHWAYS. 392 STUDENTS COMPLETED FAFSA OR CADAA APPLICATIONS WITH DIRECT SUPPORT. MORE THAN 2,400 STUDENT TOUCHPOINTS WERE GENERATED THROUGH 90 CAREER READINESS EVENTS. OVER 400 PROFESSIONALS REPRESENTING 130 PLUS COMPANIES ENGAGED DIRECTLY WITH STUDENTS.EQUITY IS CENTRAL TO OUR MODEL. AMONG PARTICIPANTS IN OUR STRUCTURED COHORT PROGRAMS: 85 PERCENT WERE SOCIOECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED. 64 TO 78 PERCENT WERE FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE BOUND. UP TO 92 PERCENT IDENTIFIED AS STUDENTS OF COLOR.FOCUSED FUTURES, OUR TWO-YEAR COLLEGE AND CAREER EXPLORATION PROGRAM, SERVED 109 STUDENTS. SEVENTY FIVE PERCENT COMPLETED THE YEAR WITH A DEFINED POST-GRADUATION PLAN AND 72 PERCENT ARE PURSUING HIGHER EDUCATION OR CAREER TRAINING.XCELERATE WORKFORCE PATHWAY SERVED 83 STUDENTS WHO WERE NOT INITIALLY PLANNING TO PURSUE COLLEGE. BY YEAR END, 87 PERCENT HAD APPLIED TO OR ENROLLED IN POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, CAREER TRAINING, MILITARY SERVICE, OR EMPLOYMENT PATHWAYS WITH STRONGER WAGE AND GROWTH POTENTIAL.THROUGH INTERVIEW SKILLS DAY, SKILLSHOPS, CAREER CHATS, COMPANY SITE VISITS, AND REGIONAL CONNECT TO CAREERS EVENTS, STUDENTS GAINED PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE IN NETWORKING, INTERVIEWING, FINANCIAL LITERACY, AND PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION.PROJECT NEXT ALIGNS EDUCATION WITH INDUSTRY TO STRENGTHEN THE NORTH COUNTY TALENT PIPELINE. OUR CROSS-SECTOR MODEL ENSURES STUDENTS GRADUATE NOT ONLY WITH A DIPLOMA, BUT WITH A VIABLE, INFORMED PATHWAY TOWARD ECONOMIC MOBILITY.DURING THE 2023 FISCAL YEAR, THE SAN MARCOS PROMISE REBRANDED AS PROJECT NEXT TO REFLECT THE EXPANSION OF ITS MISSION, GEOGRAPHY, AND SERVICES. THE ORGANIZATION RETAINED ITS ORIGINAL EIN AND LEGAL ENTITY STATUS. THE REBRAND ALIGNS WITH A BROADER REGIONAL FOOTPRINT AND AN EVOLVED STRATEGIC FOCUS ON SYSTEMIC COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS. ORIGINALLY FOUNDED IN 2014 TO ADMINISTER THE PACE PROMISE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, THE ORGANIZATION SHIFTED ITS STRATEGY IN 2019 TO ESTABLISH ON CAMPUS FUTURE CENTERS WITHIN SAN MARCOS UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOLS. RECOGNIZING THE NEED FOR EARLIER AND MORE COMPREHENSIVE INTERVENTION, THE ORGANIZATION EXPANDED INTO ESCONDIDO UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT AND NOW OPERATES FIVE FUTURE CENTERS ACROSS MULTIPLE DISTRICTS. THE NAME PROJECT NEXT REFLECTS THE ORGANIZATION'S EXPANDED REGIONAL REACH AND ITS COMMITMENT TO HELPING STUDENTS IDENTIFY AND PURSUE THEIR NEXT BEST STEP AFTER GRADUATION. NO STRUCTURAL OR GOVERNANCE CHANGES ACCOMPANIED THE REBRAND.

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 October 13, 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 November 6, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 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.