College Bound Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO PREPARE PUBLIC AND PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE METROPOLITAN WASHINGTON, D.C. AREA TO ENTER COLLEGE, EARN A DEGREE, AND ACHIEVE THEIR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL GOALS.
- Income
- $1.3 million
- Spending
- $1.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 79%
- Reserves
- -1.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 76%
- Employees
- 6
- Volunteers
- 595
- Highest pay
- $166,454, 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: 58 out of 100. Higher than 39% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 17% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 32% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1579% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 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. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2512 of 12 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)
- $996,861 spent. COLLEGE BOUND ACCOMPLISHES ITS MISSION BY PROVIDING SUSTAINED TUTORING, MENTORING, AND COLLEGE PREPARATORY ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES TO OVER 200 STUDENTS IN ITS WEEKLY ACADEMIC MENTORING PROGRAM AND AN ADDITIONAL 250 STUDENTS THROUGH ITS OUTREACH ACTIVITIES. COLLEGE BOUND HAS A PROVEN TRACK RECORD OF SUCCESS FOR STUDENTS IN TERMS OF ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND ENTRANCE TO INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.COLLEGE BOUND'S MULTI-PRONGED APPROACH TO SUPPORTING STUDENTS HAS BEEN HELPING PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS MAKE COLLEGE A REALITY SINCE 1991. ITS ACADEMIC MENTORING PROGRAM MATCHES OVER 200 STUDENTS IN 8TH- 12TH GRADE WITH COLLEGE-EDUCATED PROFESSIONALS WHO BECOME THEIR ACADEMIC MENTORS. PAIRS MEET ONCE A WEEK FOR TWO HOURS DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR AT ONE OF EIGHT COMMUNITY-BASED SITES. MENTOR-STUDENT PAIRS ALSO PARTICIPATE IN MONTHLY ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE OF THE SITE TO REINFORCE AND STRENGTHEN THE MENTORING RELATIONSHIP. THROUGH WRITING WORKSHOPS, WRITING COACHES HELP STUDENTS DEVELOP THE WRITING SKILLS NEEDED NOT ONLY FOR COLLEGE APPLICATIONS AND FINANCIAL SCHOLARSHIPS BUT TO COMMUNICATE MORE EFFECTIVELY. WEEKLY JOURNALING IS ALSO AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE AGENDA FOR STUDENTS AND MENTORS AT THE PROGRAM SITES. SAT PREPARATION IS OFFERED TWICE A YEAR AND PROVIDES PARTICIPANTS WITH ACCESS TO A LOW-COST 10-WEEK TEST PREPARATION COURSE TAUGHT BY INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS. AFTER COMPLETING THE SAT CLASS, STUDENTS ARE ENROLLED IN ONE-ON-ONE SAT TUTORING IN THE NEXT SEMESTER, WHICH IS TAILORED TO ADDRESS THEIR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS, RESULTING IN AVERAGE INCREASES OF 200-400 POINTS ON THE SAT. TWO COLLEGE TOURS, A COLLEGE FAIR, AND A CAREER NIGHT/EXPLORATION EVENT ARE OFFERED TO EXPAND STUDENTS' AWARENESS OF THE VALUE OF A COLLEGE EDUCATION. THE FALL TOUR IS A ONE-DAY VISIT TO TWO TO THREE SCHOOLS WITHIN A SPECIFIED REGIONAL RADIUS, WHILE THE FOUR-DAY SPRING TOUR TAKES PLACE OVER SPRING BREAK, WITH VISITS TO EIGHT TO TEN COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. THE COLLEGE FAIR, WHICH TAKES PLACE IN THE FALL, IS DEVELOPED BY STUDENTS, PARENTS, VOLUNTEERS, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND HOSTED BY OUR PARTNERS WHO ATTEND, REPRESENTING THEIR ALMA MATERS. SEVERAL UNIVERSITY REPRESENTATIVES OFFER ON-SITE ADMISSIONS OR FEE WAIVERS TO SENIORS. CAREER NIGHT, OUR ANNUAL CAREER FAIR, IS HOSTED BY THE UNIVERSITY CLUB FOR 10TH- TO 12TH-GRADE STUDENTS, WHERE THEY PARTICIPATE IN ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS ON CAREER GOALS AND OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO THEM AFTER COLLEGE GRADUATION. DUE TO OUR GROWTH, WE OFFER SEPARATE CAREER EXPLORATION PROGRAMS FOR 8TH AND 9TH GRADERS TO EXPOSE THEM TO A WIDE RANGE OF CAREER PATHS.BOTH EVENTS FEATURE KEYNOTE SPEAKERS WHO HAVE DISTINGUISHED THEMSELVES IN THEIR CHOSEN CAREER PATHS. TO ADDRESS STUDENTS' INTEREST AND THE NEED TO INCREASE THEIR AWARENESS OF STEM OPTIONS, COLLEGE BOUND OFFERS REMEDIATION AND ENRICHMENT TWICE WEEKLY THROUGH ITS "STEM IN YOUR HOOD" PROGRAM. ADDITIONALLY, STEM PROFESSIONALS MEET WITH STUDENTS MONTHLY DURING "MEDITECH TUESDAYS" TO PROVIDE INSIGHT ON CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN STEM. WE OFFER SCHOLARSHIPS TO ASSIST OUR STUDENTS WITH FUNDING THEIR EDUCATION, TOTALING MORE THAN $260,000 FOR THE CLASS OF 2025. SCHOLARSHIPS RANGE FROM $500 TO $20,000. FINALLY, OUR VIRTUAL MENTORING PROGRAM (VMP) OFFERS ALUMNI ACCESS TO SERVICES THAT STUDENTS NEED TO SUCCEED AS THEY PROGRESS THROUGH COLLEGE. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES A "SAFETY NET" TO HELP THEM SUCCEED IN THIS NEW ENVIRONMENT. THE PROGRAM INCLUDES COLLEGE COACHING, COLLEGE TRANSITION SUPPORT, PEER MENTORING, SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION, AND INTERNSHIPS. EACH FRESHMAN RECEIVES AT LEAST ONE CAMPUS VISIT, AND MORE IF NEEDED. THESE SUPPORTS HELP INCREASE COLLEGE RETENTION AND GRADUATION RATES FOR STUDENTS, ENSURING THEIR SUCCESS. STUDENTS ALSO RETURN TO THE HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM WHEN THEY ARE BACK HOME TO SHARE THEIR COLLEGE EXPERIENCES WITH CURRENT PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS DURING "ALUMNI WEEK". WE ALSO OFFER WORKSHOPS AND NETWORKING EVENTS FOR VMP PARTICIPANTS DURING THE WINTER AND SUMMER BREAKS. OUR COLLEGE GRADUATION RATES (4-YEAR: 60%; 6-YEAR: 77%) EXCEED THE NATIONAL AVERAGE FOR ALL STUDENTS AND ARE MORE THAN DOUBLE THOSE FOR THE DEMOGRAPHIC WE SERVE.
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 June 1992.
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.