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Afcea Educational Foundation

EIN 52-1580757 · Colorado Spgs, CO

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceGood84 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO OFFER ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIPS AND GRANTS FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATH (STEM).

Income
$1.1 million
Spending
$551,808
Spent on programs
100%
Reserves
Over 10 years of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 64%
Employees
0
Volunteers
13

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

Good: 85 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover more than ten years of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 50% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 83% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    99% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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: 84 out of 100.

  • 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

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Independent check of accounts

    0 of 15

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

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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. $548,825 spent. 2025 ACCOMPLISHMENTS: IN 2025 THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN CHAPTER (RMC) GAINED 212 NEW MEMBERS AND 17 NEW CORPORATE MEMBERSHIPS, FURTHERING THE CHAPTER'S COMMITMENT TO INCREASE ITS PRESENCE IN THE COMMUNITY. THE 2025 ROCKY MOUNTAIN CYBERSPACE SYMPOSIUM RAISED OVER 560K, WHICH ALLOWED THE CHAPTER TO MAKE AN ENORMOUS IMPACT IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY BY DONATING 500K FOR STEM SCHOLARSHIPS, TEACHER GRANTS AND OTHER STEM-RELATED COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES. THIS INCLUDED: DONATING 50K IN STEM SCHOLARSHIPS TO THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO-COLORADO SPRINGS (UCCS), WHICH BENEFITS 20 STUDENTS EACH YEAR WITH OVER A THIRD BEING VETERANS. CHAPTER AWARDS FOR OUR PREMIER PROGRAM, THE MIKE VARNER STEM TEACHER GRANTS, INCREASED FROM TO 189K, PROVIDING SUPPORT TO 72 ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS, RESULTING IN AWARDS TO 39 TITLE 1 SCHOOLS. ADDITIONALLY, WE SUSTAINED OUR STRONG PARTNERSHIP WITH UCCS IN 2025 BY COMMITTING 15,000 AS THE PRINCIPAL SPONSOR FOR THREE UCCS RURAL TEACHER GRANTS; TO DATE, RMC HAS PLACED 9 TEACHERS IN COLORADO RURAL SCHOOLS. WE ALSO SPONSOR THE UCCS MATH CLINIC IN WHICH NINETEEN INTERNS WERE FUNDED FOR PROJECTS WITH THE COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND ACADEMY SCHOOL DISTRICT. THE CHAPTER ALSO PROVIDED A TOTAL OF 103K TO CONTINUE THE GROWTH OF ROBOTICS PROGRAM ACROSS SOUTHERN COLORADO BY FUNDING THE PIKES PEAK ROBOTICS 501 (C)(3) CHARITY OPERATIONS. RMC AFCEA CONTINUES TO BE THE LARGEST NATIONWIDE SUPPORTER OF THE SCRIPPS HOWARD "IF YOU GIVE A CHILD A BOOK" PROGRAM. THE RMC DONATED 65K, PROVIDING 10 BOOKS TO OVER 1,700 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS AT 7 TITLE 1 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH GOODWILL OF COLORADO CONTINUED WITH 50K FOR 20 SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THEIR LIFT IT SCHOLARSHIPS PROGRAM THAT HELPS FILL A CRITICAL NATIONAL SHORTAGE OF CYBERSECURITY PROFESSIONALS. ADDITIONALLY, THE RMC DONATED 2K FOR THE MOUNTAIN WEST CYBER CHALLENGE AND AN ADDITIONAL 1K FOR UCCS MIDDLE SCHOOL CYBER CAMPS AS OUR PARTNERING WITH THE COMMUNITY TO BUILD GREAT STEM PROGRAMS TOGETHER CONTINUES. 2026 GOALS: 1) INCREASE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP BY AT LEAST ONE PERSON 2) INCREASE CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP BY 1 COMPANY 3) ESTABLISH AN AFCEA HEADQUARTERS HOSTED WEBSITE OR MAINTAIN AN EXISTING ONE 4) RAISE AT LEAST 400K THROUGH CHAPTER FUNDRAISING EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR 5) HOLD A QUARTERLY SMALL BUSINESS NETWORKING EVENT 6) DONATE 500K TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY FOR STEM-RELATED EDUCATION ACTIVITIES 7) ATTRACT OVER 2,000 ATTENDEES TO RMCS25 8) HOLD AT LEAST TWO SOCIAL EVENTS DURING THE CALENDAR YEAR FOR EMERGING LEADERS 9) SUBMIT AT LEAST 2 INTERNATIONAL AWARDS DURING THE CALENDAR YEAR 2025 ACCOMPLISHMENTS: IN 2025 THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN CHAPTER (RMC) GAINED 212 NEW MEMBERS AND 17 NEW CORPORATE MEMBERSHIPS, FURTHERING THE CHAPTER'S COMMITMENT TO INCREASE ITS PRESENCE IN THE COMMUNITY. THE 2025 ROCKY MOUNTAIN CYBERSPACE SYMPOSIUM RAISED OVER 560K, WHICH ALLOWED THE CHAPTER TO MAKE AN ENORMOUS IMPACT IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY BY DONATING 500K FOR STEM SCHOLARSHIPS, TEACHER GRANTS AND OTHER STEM-RELATED COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES. THIS INCLUDED: DONATING 50K IN STEM SCHOLARSHIPS TO THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO-COLORADO SPRINGS (UCCS), WHICH BENEFITS 20 STUDENTS EACH YEAR WITH OVER A THIRD BEING VETERANS. CHAPTER AWARDS FOR OUR PREMIER PROGRAM, THE MIKE VARNER STEM TEACHER GRANTS, INCREASED FROM TO 189K, PROVIDING SUPPORT TO 72 ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS, RESULTING IN AWARDS TO 39 TITLE 1 SCHOOLS. ADDITIONALLY, WE SUSTAINED OUR STRONG PARTNERSHIP WITH UCCS IN 2025 BY COMMITTING 15,000 AS THE PRINCIPAL SPONSOR FOR THREE UCCS RURAL TEACHER GRANTS; TO DATE, RMC HAS PLACED 9 TEACHERS IN COLORADO RURAL SCHOOLS. WE ALSO SPONSOR THE UCCS MATH CLINIC IN WHICH NINETEEN INTERNS WERE FUNDED FOR PROJECTS WITH THE COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND ACADEMY SCHOOL DISTRICT. THE CHAPTER ALSO PROVIDED A TOTAL OF 103K TO CONTINUE THE GROWTH OF ROBOTICS PROGRAM ACROSS SOUTHERN COLORADO BY FUNDING THE PIKES PEAK ROBOTICS 501 (C)(3) CHARITY OPERATIONS. RMC AFCEA CONTINUES TO BE THE LARGEST NATIONWIDE SUPPORTER OF THE SCRIPPS HOWARD "IF YOU GIVE A CHILD A BOOK" PROGRAM. THE RMC DONATED 65K, PROVIDING 10 BOOKS TO OVER 1,700 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS AT 7 TITLE 1 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH GOODWILL OF COLORADO CONTINUED WITH 50K FOR 20 SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THEIR LIFT IT SCHOLARSHIPS PROGRAM THAT HELPS FILL A CRITICAL NATIONAL SHORTAGE OF CYBERSECURITY PROFESSIONALS. ADDITIONALLY, THE RMC DONATED 2K FOR THE MOUNTAIN WEST CYBER CHALLENGE AND AN ADDITIONAL 1K FOR UCCS MIDDLE SCHOOL CYBER CAMPS AS OUR PARTNERING WITH THE COMMUNITY TO BUILD GREAT STEM PROGRAMS TOGETHER CONTINUES. 2026 GOALS: 1) INCREASE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP BY AT LEAST ONE PERSON 2) INCREASE CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP BY 1 COMPANY 3) ESTABLISH AN AFCEA HEADQUARTERS HOSTED WEBSITE OR MAINTAIN AN EXISTING ONE 4) RAISE AT LEAST 400K THROUGH CHAPTER FUNDRAISING EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR 5) HOLD A QUARTERLY SMALL BUSINESS NETWORKING EVENT 6) DONATE 500K TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY FOR STEM-RELATED EDUCATION ACTIVITIES 7) ATTRACT OVER 2,000 ATTENDEES TO RMCS25 8) HOLD AT LEAST TWO SOCIAL EVENTS DURING THE CALENDAR YEAR FOR EMERGING LEADERS 9) SUBMIT AT LEAST 2 INTERNATIONAL AWARDS DURING THE CALENDAR YEAR

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

  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 October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Worth knowing.

    Not individually listed by the IRS as eligible, which is usual for local chapters covered by a parent organization's exemption. The master file records contributions to it as deductible.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, 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 December 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 October 1984.

    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 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.