Canopy Life International Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Canopy Life International's (the Organization") purpose is to open schools abroad with a particular focus on innovation and leadership. The mission is to adopt a curriculum that focuses on building a country's next generation of leaders. We do this through quality education, intentional relationships and environments that spark the imagination. Specifically, we are integrating design thinking into the national Kenyan curriculum, adjusting the teaching model to promote critical thinking amongst the students, and exposing them to the arts and other worldview experiences otherwise unreachable to students of their economic position. The Organization is also a Christian organization, standing firmly on the values of faith, family and Jesus Christ to guide students into strong character and purpose.
- Income
- $1.3 million
- Spending
- $2.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 74%
- Reserves
- 4.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 97%
- Employees
- 5
- Volunteers
- 37
- Highest pay
- $92,700, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 76% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 16% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1574% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 28 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 47% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 7 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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 December 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 (1)
- $1.7 million spent. In December 2024, our first full graduating class of 16 students completed their senior secondary examinations. We celebrated this milestone with a graduation ceremony in January 2025, which was combined with our 10-year anniversary celebration of Canopy Life International.In 2025, we launched a major campus expansion project in Kenya to support future student growth. This included construction of two additional student residences, a new academic facility, renovation of the current residence to house the Spiritual Life and Counseling Program, and external infrastructure improvements such as a water tower, parking area, new gate, and guardhouse. The purpose of this expansion was to add students to our programs and to expand to offer residential high school services. As of December 2025, the project was approximately 80% complete, with plans for full completion by March 2026.Staff Expansion:To strengthen organizational sustainability and leadership capacity, we hired a full-time Development Director and Chief Operating Officer in the United States, as well as a Finance and Administrative Director in Kenya. We also added a Communications Officer and an Innovation Instructor to our Kenya staff team.Kenya Student Tour to the United States:In November 2025, we hosted a delegation of five students and three staff members from Kenya for a U.S. tour. Students visited donors and partners, shared about Canopy Life programs, and participated in career exposure experiences with various businesses and institutions in Atlanta. Cultural experiences included visits such as the Georgia Aquarium.Academic Achievement:In December 2025, our 9th-grade students took their national high school entrance examinations with strong results: three students achieved perfect scores of all A's, twelve students scored above average, and only one student scored below average. With the completion of campus expansion, students will remain at Canopy Life as they enter senior secondary (10th grade), and the Organization has begun the secondary school registration process.Ministry of Education Compliance:In accordance with Ministry of Education requirements, we secured funding for construction of an additional residence for the Head Teacher in Kenya.Campus Projects Completed in 2025:-Completion of a fume chamber adjacent to the chemistry laboratory for student use.2025 Program EnhancementsShadow a CEO Day:The Kenya Board organized a "Shadow a CEO" program in Nairobi, providing students the opportunity to spend a day with senior business leaders. Students shadowed executives at organizations including Kenya Airways, Peak and Dale Marketing, and the Kenya Securities Exchange. This initiative provided valuable career exposure, leadership insight, and professional development opportunities and was very well received by both students and partner organizations.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 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 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 October 13, 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 December 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 July 2015.
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 October 21, 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.