American Promise Education Fund Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
To educate and empower Americans about the essential role of constitutional amendments in our republican democracy and the importance of a 28th amendment to address the undue influence of money, corporations, unions and superPACs in our political process.
- Income
- $6.4 million
- Spending
- $3.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 69%
- Reserves
- 8.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 1,078
- Highest pay
- $385,589, president
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
Strong: 93 out of 100.
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 9% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 39% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 63% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1569% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 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
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 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 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)
- $2.7 million spent. American Promise Education Fund, Inc. ("APEF") works with Americans to play an active role in our system of self-government, educating citizens on the influence of big money, foreign money, super PACs, corporations and unions in our elections; the historic role that citizen-advocates have played in amending the Constitution; and the ways in which the For Our Freedom Amendment can secure the rights of individual citizens and the interests of our nation. APEF equips grassroots leaders with the skills required to build durable coalitions, communicate effectively, and fully engage in our system of self-government.(See Schedule O) In collaboration with American Promise, Inc. The American Promise Education Fund, Inc. provides civic education across four programmatic areas: Local and National Convenings Each year, APEF hosts a series of convenings featuring leaders from various disciplines ranging from constitutional scholarship to business. These events help APEF reach new audiences, communicate the broad implications of the issue, and enlist new allies in the fight for constitutional reform. Together, we share insights on the crisis of money in politics, receive training to become stronger citizen-advocates, and brainstorm new ways to work together in support of the For Our Freedom Amendment. Citizen Empowerment APEF programming brings together citizens of all backgrounds to learn about the principles of self-government, the influence of money in politics, and the historic role of citizen-led constitutional amendments in the United States. Our programming provides training, resources, and convenings for citizen leaders to engage at the local level, publish op-eds and letters to the editor, and maximize the impact of their civic engagement efforts. With ongoing support from staff, volunteers connect with and educate their communities and peers about the issues and the proposed amendment. Partnerships APEF works across the political spectrum as well as with individuals, organizations, and entities that help to move our constitutional solution forward. Partnerships is a key way that we build awareness as well as support with various constituencies. Research & Communications APEF continues to scale its media and visibility footprint, focused on communicating the influence of big and dark money, as well as the efficacy and feasibility of a constitutional amendment. These efforts are underpinned by rigorous research, which includes gold-standard opinion polling, issue briefings, and white papers.
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 November 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.