Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Teaching for Change

EIN 52-1616482 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair67 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TEACHING FOR CHANGE PROVIDES TEACHERS AND PARENTS WITH THE TOOLS TO CREATE SCHOOLS WHERE STUDENTS LEARN TO READ, WRITE, AND CHANGE THE WORLD. THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH VARIOUS INITIATIVES INCLUDING SOCIAL JUSTICE BOOKS, CIVIL RIGHTS TEACHING, TEACH CENTRAL AMERICA, ZINN EDUCATION PROJECT (WITH RETHINKING SCHOOLS), AND DC AREA EDUCATORS FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE.

Income
$1.2 million
Spending
$1.4 million
Spent on programs
67%
Reserves
10 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 86%
Employees
15
Volunteers
18
Highest pay
$87,885, deputy 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: 67 out of 100. Higher than 33% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 10.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 4% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 12% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 33% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    67% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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 64% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 7 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.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

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

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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 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 (9)
  1. $658,285 spent. ZINN EDUCATION PROJECT - TEACHING PEOPLE'S HISTORY, COORDINATED WITH RETHINKING SCHOOLS, OFFERS HUNDREDS OF FREE, DOWNLOADABLE TEACHING ACTIVITIES FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOMS TO BRING PEOPLE'S HISTORY TO THE CLASSROOM. THE TEACHING ACTIVITIES AND RESOURCES ARE ORGANIZED BY THEME, TIME PERIOD, AND GRADE LEVEL. THE ZINN EDUCATION PROJECT ALSO COORDINATES TEACHER STUDY GROUPS, WORKSHOPS, AND CAMPAIGNS ON RECONSTRUCTION AND CLIMATE JUSTICE.
  2. $97,996 spent. DC TEACHERS - DC AREA EDUCATORS FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE TEACHING FOR CHANGE COORDINATES PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, TEACHER STUDY GROUPS, AND OTHER ACTIVITIES TO SUPPORT SOCIAL JUSTICE EDUCATORS IN THE DC METRO AREA. INCLUDED IN THIS WORK ARE THE ANNUAL BLACK LIVES MATTER AT SCHOOL WEEK OF ACTION; TEACH THE BEAT: GO-GO IN SCHOOLS; TEACH CENTRAL AMERICA; AND COLLABORATIVE PROGRAMS WITH HOWARD UNIVERSITY, NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN, SNCC LEGACY PROJECT, INTERNATIONAL FILMFEST DC, AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS.
  3. $52,584 spent. SOCIAL JUSTICE BOOKS - OUR SOCIAL JUSTICE BOOKS PROJECT VETS AND PROMOTES SOCIAL JUSTICE BOOKS FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS IN RESPONSE TO THE WIDE DIVERSITY GAP IN CHILDREN'S BOOKS AND THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY. OUR LISTS OF RECOMMENDED BOOKS AND CRITICAL BOOK REVIEWS (FROM TRUSTED ORGANIZATIONS AND OUR OWN STAFF) ARE AVAILABLE TO TEACHERS AND PARENTS AT THE WEBSITE SOCIALJUSTICEBOOKS.ORG. WE OFFER MORE THAN 100 BOOKLISTS ON A VARIETY OF THEMES, A DATABASE OF CRITICAL REVIEWS, AND RECOMMENDED ARTICLES ON MULTICULTURAL CHILDREN'S LITERATURE AND CRITICAL LITERACY. IN ADDITION TO SCREENING BOOKS, TEACHING FOR CHANGE HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN A NUMBER OF EFFORTS TO HAVE BOOKS EDITED. WHILE NOT PRIMARILY INVOLVED IN RESALE, BOOKSHOP.ORG OFFERS A PERCENTAGE OF ITS REVENUE FROM ANY BOOKS SOLD VIA OUR DEDICATED STORE ON THEIR PLATFORM. WE ALSO RECEIVE DONATIONS TO SUSTAIN THE BOOK VETTING AND PROMOTION.
  4. $37,229 spent. CRM
  5. $30,778 spent. OUTSIDE PROJECTS
  6. $25,932 spent. CENTRAL AMERICA
  7. $19,332 spent. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
  8. $880 spent. VIA
  9. $382 spent. ISLAM

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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since October 1989.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.