Association for Clinical Pastoral Education Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO POSITIVELY AFFECT PEOPLE'S LIVES BY NURTURING CONNECTIONS TO THE SACRED THROUGH EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION AND SPIRITUAL CARE.
- Income
- $3.3 million
- Spending
- $3.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 60%
- Reserves
- 9.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 94%
- Employees
- 10
- Volunteers
- 132
- Highest pay
- $252,472, associate executive direct
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 9.1 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 18% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 4% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1560% of spending went to programs.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2510 of 10 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
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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, 2024, 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 (4)
- $1.6 million spent. GENERAL EDUCATION - ACPE CERTIFIED CPE IS OFFERED IN MANY KINDS OF SETTINGS: IN HOSPITALS AND HEALTH CARE INCLUDING UNIVERSITY, CHILDREN'S, AND VETERANS' FACILITIES; IN HOSPICES; IN PSYCHIATRIC AND COMMUNITY CARE FACILITIES; IN WORKPLACE SETTINGS; IN GERIATRIC AND REHABILITATION CENTERS; AND IN CONGREGATIONAL AND PARISH-BASED SETTINGS. THE TEXTBOOKS FOR CPE INCLUDE IN-DEPTH STUDY OF "THE LIVING HUMAN DOCUMENTS." BY "LIVING HUMAN DOCUMENTS," WE MEAN BOTH THE PEOPLE WHO RECEIVE CARE AS WELL AS A STUDY OF OURSELVES, THE GIVERS OF CARE. THROUGH THE PRACTICE OF MINISTRY AND THE REFLECTION THEREON WITH SUPERVISOR AND PEERS, THE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING THAT IS CPE TAKES PLACE.SINCE ACPE FORMED IN 1967 (AS A MERGER OF FOUR CPE ORGANIZATIONS), NEARLY 200,000 UNITS OF ACPE CERTIFIED CPE HAVE BEEN OFFERED TO ABOUT 75,000 INDIVIDUALS FROM THE UNITED STATES AND MANY OTHER COUNTRIES INTERNATIONALLY. APPROXIMATELY 9,000 UNITS OF ACPE CERTIFIED CPE ARE COMPLETED ANNUALLY. CPE STUDENTS COME FROM MANY DIFFERENT ETHNIC AND CULTURAL GROUPS. INDIVIDUALS FROM MANY FAITH TRADITIONS -- PROTESTANT, ROMAN CATHOLIC, JUDAISM, ISLAM, ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN, NATIVE AMERICAN RELIGIONS AND BUDDHISM -- HAVE TAKEN ACPE ACCREDITED CPE.THE ASSOCIATION FOR CLINICAL PASTORAL EDUCATION IS NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AS AN ACCREDITING AGENCY IN THE FIELD OF CLINICAL PASTORAL EDUCATION BY THE U.S. SECRETARY OF EDUCATION THROUGH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.THE ASSOCIATION HOLDS ANNUAL AND REGIONAL CONFERENCES, MEETINGS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION WITH MEMBERS TO ESTABLISH STANDARDS AND LEADERSHIP RELATED TO GENERAL EDUCATION
- $184,794 spent. PROGRAM ACCREDITATION - ACPE IS THE ONLY AGENCY RECOGNIZED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (USDE) TO ACCREDIT PROGRAMS OF CLINICAL PASTORAL EDUCATION (CPE) IN THE UNITED STATES. ACPE CURRENTLY ACCREDITS OVER 300 CPE PROGRAMS OFFERED IN HOSPITALS, PRISONS, CHURCHES, SEMINARIES, COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS, AND OTHER SETTINGS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. ACCREDITATION IS A PRIMARY MEANS OF QUALITY ASSURANCE IN THE FIELD OF CPE. HAVING ORIGINATED IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN NORTH AMERICA, ACCREDITATION IS A VOLUNTARY ACTIVITY IN WHICH INSTITUTIONS AGREE ON STANDARDS OF INSTITUTIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL QUALITY AND HOLD THEMSELVES, AS WELL AS OTHER INSTITUTIONS, ACCOUNTABLE TO THOSE STANDARDS. ACCREDITATION OFFERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO INSTITUTIONS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY ARE COMMITTED TO MAINTAIN A HIGH LEVEL OF QUALITY IN THEIR PROGRAMS AND THAT THEIR PROGRAMS ARE PERFORMING AT THE LEVEL REQUIRED BY THE FIELD. CONTINUED ACCREDITATION BY ACPE PROVIDES LASTING BENEFITS TO STUDENTS, THE INSTITUTION, FACULTY MEMBERS AND EMPLOYEES, THE PROFESSION AND THE LARGER COMMUNITY.
- $145,551 spent. PROGRAM CERTIFICATION - CERTIFICATION AS AN ACPE EDUCATOR BY ACPE IS AN EARNED PRIVILEGE AND RESPONSIBILITY. IT IS ACHIEVED BY MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTIFICATION IN THE ACPE STANDARDS. ACPE CERTIFIED EDUCATORS ARE CLINICAL PASTORAL EDUCATORS WHO ARE ACADEMICALLY PREPARED AND WHO ARE AUTHORIZED BY A RECOGNIZED FAITH GROUP. THEY COMBINE PERSPECTIVES FROM THEOLOGY AND THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES IN CONDUCTING ACCREDITED PROGRAMS OF CLINICALLY SUPERVISED MINISTRY EDUCATION.ACPE ONLY CERTIFIES ACPE EDUCATORS. WE DO NOT CERTIFY CHAPLAINS OR PASTORAL COUNSELORS. CPE IS A PREREQUISITE FOR CERTIFICATION AS CHAPLAIN OR PASTORAL COUNSELOR.
- $69,875 spent. PSYCHOTHERAPY PROGRAM
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since August 1991.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 2026.
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