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Harrisonburg Education Foundation

EIN 54-1746901 · Harrisonburg, VA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceFair59 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

HARRISONBURG EDUCATION FOUNDATION ENHANCES CONNECTIONS BETWEEN OUR COMMUNITY AND HARRISONBURG CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO SUPPORT ENGAGING LEARNING EXPERIENCES, EDUCATOR APPRECIATION, AND STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS.

Income
$97,298
Spending
$87,410
Spent on programs
89%
Reserves
5.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 86%
Employees
0
Volunteers
45
Highest pay
$69,062, 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

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 61% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 10% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 31% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    89% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 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

Fair: 59 out of 100. Higher than 43% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    19 of 19 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • 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 (3)
  1. $53,530 spent. THE INNOVATIVE EDUCATOR GRANT PROGRAM PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDUCATORS TO DESIGN TARGETED, CUTTING-EDGE PROGRAMS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THEIR STUDENTS, WHICH WOULD NOT OTHERWISE BE FUNDED THROUGH THE TRADITIONAL SCHOOL BUDGET PROCESS. THOSE PROGRAMS ARE EVALUATED AND AWARDED BY MEMBERS OF THE HEF BOARD AS WELL AS COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS TO DETERMINE POTENTIAL EFFECTIVENESS. THE GRANTS ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROFESSIONALISM OF CITY EDUCATORS AND TIE COMMUNITY SUPPORT FROM HEF STRAIGHT TO THE CLASSROOM.
  2. $10,882 spent. TEACHER APPRECIATION AND RECOGNITION ACROSS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS A FOCUS YEAR ROUND FOR HEF. WE WELCOME NEW TEACHERS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR WITH A HOT BREAKFAST AND DOOR PRIZES. IN OCTOBER, HEF HELPS STUDENTS MAKE HUNDREDS CANDYGRAMS FOR EDUCATORS. HEF ALSO HOSTS A THANKS-A-LOTTO IN THE SPRING, WHERE EVERY EDUCATOR RECEIVES A SCRATCH OFF THAT HAS SUPPORTIVE MESSAGES FROM THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS PRIZES TO SOME. HEF ALSO LEADS THE CELEBRATION OF OUR EDUCATORS OF THE YEAR THAT ARE SELECTED AT EACH SCHOOL BY HCPS. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, HEF COORDINATES A GROUP OF LIAISONS FOR EACH SCHOOL CALLED THE HEF SUPERFRIENDS TO SHARE FEEDBACK AND UPDATES ON OUR WORK. WE ALSO PROVIDE COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS TO SELECT EDUCATORS TO OUR END OF YEAR EVENT.
  3. $13,757 spent. THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS TO GRADUATING HARRISONBURG CITY PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS IN THE SPRING OF EACH YEAR. FUNDS COME FROM A VARIETY OF SPONSORS AND EACH SPONSOR HAS UNIQUE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS. SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS ARE REVIEWED BY A COMMITTEE APPOINTED BY THE FOUNDATION.

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 June 2004.

    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.