Carson Scholars Fund Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF CARSON SCHOLARS FUND IS TO RECOGNIZE AND REWARD STUDENTS IN GRADES FOUR THROUGH ELEVEN WHO HAVE EARNED THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND COMMUNITY SERVICE BY PROVIDING THEM WITH COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS. EMPHASIS IS (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O) PLACED ON STUDENTS' PERFORMANCE AND DESIRE TO MAINTAIN A STRONG ACADEMIC RECORD, AS WELL AS HUMANISTIC QUALITIES THAT HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON SOCIETY. CARSON SCHOLARS FUND ALSO PROVIDES FUNDING TO SCHOOLS TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN "BEN CARSON READING ROOMS" - WARM, INVITING ROOMS WHERE CHILDREN CAN DISCOVER THE JOY OF INDEPENDENT, LEISURE READING.
- Income
- $2.6 million
- Spending
- $2.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 91%
- Reserves
- 23.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 55%
- Employees
- 17
- Volunteers
- 551
- Highest pay
- $157,719, executive 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
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 83% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 23.1 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 23% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 31% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1591% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2519 of 22 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 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 (2)
- $1.6 million spent. SCHOLARSHIPS: THE CARSON SCHOLARS FUND HAS AWARDED 12,198 SCHOLARSHIP IN ALL FIFTY STATES AND WASHINGTON, DC. OVER 930 COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES HAVE (OR HAVE HAD) CARSON SCHOLARS. THE CARSON SCHOLARS FUND HAS AN ALUMNI NETWORK OF OVER 9,600 (SCHOLARS OLD ENOUGH TO HAVE GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL). OVER 8,000 SCHOLARS HAVE USED AT LEAST PART OF THEIR SCHOLARSHIP AND MORE THAN $10 MILLION HAS BEEN PAID OUT ON BEHALF OF OUR SCHOLARSHIPS. IN 2025, A TOTAL OF 1,510 SCHOLARS (579 NEW, 931 RECOGNIZED) WERE HONORED AT SIX REGIONAL AWARDS BANQUETS. CURRENTLY, THERE ARE MORE THAN 5,630 SCHOLARS WHO HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED BY THE CARSON SCHOLARS FUND MULTIPLE TIMES.
- $719,265 spent. READING ROOMS: THE BEN CARSON READING PROJECT HAS ESTABLISHED OVER 300 BEN CARSON/THINK BIG READING ROOMS AND SERVES STUDENTS IN 24 STATES AND WASHINGTON, DC. CELEBRATING ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2025, THE PROJECT HAS DISPERSED OVER $4 MILLION TO CREATE READING OASES. OVER 150,000 HIGH-INTEREST BOOKS HAVE BEEN MADE AVAILABLE IN READING ROOMS, INSPIRING STUDENTS TO REACH THEIR FULL LITERACY POTENTIAL.
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
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 June 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 1994.
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.
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