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District of Columbia College Access Program

EIN 52-2132835 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceStrong93 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COLLEGE ACCESS PROGRAM'S (DC CAP'S) PRIMARY PURPOSE IS TO ENCOURAGE AND ENABLE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA STUDENTS TO ATTEND AND GRADUATE COLLEGE.

Income
$43.9 million
Spending
$13.9 million
Spent on programs
78%
Reserves
49.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
investment income, 49%
Employees
42
Volunteers
19
Highest pay
$367,956, president & ceo

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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 94% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 49.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 68% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 301% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    78% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 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: 93 out of 100. Higher than 39% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    19 of 19 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

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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 (2)
  1. $7.2 million spent. DC CAP MAINTAINS ONE MAIN INITIATIVE STUDENT SUCCESS, WHICH PROVIDES SCHOLARS WITH INCREASED FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM DC CAP. IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS PROGRAM, DC CAP PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT FOR A PIPELINE OF "SCHOLARS," THE MAJORITY OF WHOM ENROLL AT ONE OF DC CAP'S "UNIVERSITY PARTNER INSTITUTIONS." THIS STRATEGY WAS DESIGNED TO PAIR FEDERAL, PRIVATE, AND INSTITUTIONAL GIFT AID WITH HIGH-IMPACT, COLLABORATIVE COACHING FROM DC CAP AND UNIVERSITY STAFF. STUDENT SUCCESS COACHES PROVIDE ACADEMIC, FINANCIAL AID, SOCIAL, AND LOGISTICAL SUPPORT WITHIN A COHORT-BASED SCHOLAR COMMUNITY. THIS SUPPORT LEADS TO AN INCREASE IN COLLEGE PERSISTENCE AND GRADUATION RATES FOR DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA STUDENTS. DC CAP'S FLAGSHIP PROGRAM, THE DC CAP UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, WAS ENACTED THROUGH COLLABORATIVE AGREEMENTS WITH 14 HIGH-PERFORMING, FOUR-YEAR INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE COMMITTED TO INCREASING ENROLLMENT AND GRADUATION RATES FOR D.C. STUDENTS. PARTNER INSTITUTIONS MUST DEMONSTRATE HIGH COMPLETION RATES FOR LOW-INCOME (PELL GRANT RECIPIENT) STUDENTS AND OFFER COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT SERVICES FOR LOW-INCOME AND FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS. PARTNERSHIP INSTITUTIONS COLLABORATE CLOSELY WITH DC CAP TO RECRUIT AND SELECT A COHORT OF STUDENTS ANNUALLY, PROVIDE YEAR-ROUND HIGH INTENSITY RETENTION SUPPORT SERVICES AND TRACKING, AND AWARD SUBSTANTIAL FINANCIAL AID PACKAGES TO ENSURE THAT D.C. STUDENTS CAN EARN THEIR DEGREES. DC CAP UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP SCHOLARS ARE SELECTED AS GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS AND RECEIVE RENEWABLE SUPPORT FROM DC CAP FOR UP TO FIVE YEARS. SCHOLARSHIP AMOUNTS VARY BASED ON THE INSTITUTION AND RANGE FROM $5,000 TO $7,500 ANNUALLY PER SCHOLAR.
  2. $3.6 million spent. DC CAP AWARDS "NAMED" SCHOLARSHIPS BASED ON DONOR GIVING AND AGREED UPON STUDENT ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA. ADDITIONALLY, DC CAP MANAGES THE WARD 7&8 SCHOLARS PROGRAM AND THE GEAR UP PROGRAM. WARD 7&8 PROVIDES SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING AND STUDENT SUCCESS COACHING TO INCREASE RETENTION AND GRADUATION RATES AMONG DC CAP SCHOLARS FROM D.C.'S WARD 7&8 HIGH SCHOOLS. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES HIGHLY INTENSIVE SUPPORT SERVICES THROUGH COLLEGE, AS WELL AS ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIPS FOR UP TO FIVE YEARS PER SCHOLAR ($12,000, PER SCHOLAR, PER YEAR). GEAR UP IS A FEDERALLY FUNDED COLLEGE-READINESS PROGRAM POWERED BY DC CAP THAT HELPS DC STUDENTS PREPARE FOR POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION STARTING AS EARLY AS MIDDLE SCHOOL. THROUGH SCHOOL-BASED COACHES, CAMPUS EXPERIENCES, MENTORING, AND HANDS-ON SUPPORT, GEAR UP BUILDS THE ACADEMIC AND PERSONAL SKILLS STUDENTS NEED TO SUCCEED IN POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION.

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 January 1999.

    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.