Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Panhandle Alliance for Education Inc

EIN 61-1416176 · Sandpoint, ID

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceFair64 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

To promote excellence in education and provide broad-based community support for the Lake Pend Oreille School District. As an independent organization, we will create and sustain an endowment to provide resources in support of effective teaching, learning and school management.

Income
$913,711
Spending
$774,276
Spent on programs
82%
Reserves
98.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
4
Volunteers
114

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 85% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 98.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 15% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 6% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    82% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 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: 64 out of 100. Higher than 42% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    25 of 25 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a 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

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (4)
  1. $237,340 spent. District-wide Strategic Programs are collaborative efforts between the Lake Pend Oreille School District (LPOSD) and Panhandle Alliance for Education (PAFE) to address specific district needs. Program requests are submitted by the LPOSD Superintendent and reviewed by the PAFE Executive Committee. To qualify as a strategic program, initiatives must align with the districts strategic plan and PAFEs mission, include measurable performance goals, and have clear methods for evaluating progress. Preference is given to programs that are innovative, research-based, and have a long-term, positive impact on students, teachers, and administrators. Additionally, these programs should improve student outcomes, foster partnerships between LPOSD and PAFE, and not duplicate existing taxpayer-supported services. PAFE funded a total of $172,095 toward district-wide strategic initiatives for 2024-2025. Strategic Initiatives ($132,095) included: Proactive School Safety/Campus Security Officer $65,000; Community Relations Liasison for LPOSD (part-time) Year 3 $49,000; Behavior Support Teams & Training (Year 1 at SMS)/Year 3 at elementary schools) $18,095. Residential Carpentry & Pre-apprenticeship Program: $40,000 (for year 3 of 3). Note: Instructor salary $80K with PAFE paying $40K and LPOSD paying $40K.
  2. $184,977 spent. Community Education and Awareness. The Panhandle Alliance for Education created this program to help inform our local residents about important information regarding education in our community. The program includes both subscription services to a quarterly newsletter, social media postings and a website blog. In addition, PAFE communications are directed to the business community who have a vested interest in knowledge about the Lake Pend Oreille School District, the opportunities that are made available to graduating seniors, and an understanding of the districts performace compared to state and national statistics. The program includes informing the public about school funding and the use of PAFEs fundraising assets to support effective teaching, learning, and school management. Panhandle Alliance for Education also contributed $169,978 in fiscal 2024-2025 toward endowment funds held by the Idaho Community Foundation and the Innovia Foundation for perpetual funding of the operating grants for the Lake Pend Oreille School District.
  3. $172,430 spent. Panhandle Alliance for Education (PAFE) awards Teacher Grants annually to educators who compete for available funding based on criteria such as innovation, collaboration, educational impact, and a cost-benefit analysis. Funded projects include classroom technology, lab and safety equipment, musical instruments, robotics, and math and book clubs. In this fiscal year, 39 teacher grants were awarded, totaling $109,693.32. In the fiscal year 2024-2025, PAFE also provided $40,000 for an Art Room Project at the Sandpoint High School. This project was funded in the prior year by a private donor.
  4. $39,529 spent. PAFEs Early Childhood Literacy Program includes three key initiatives: Born to Read, READY for Kindergarten, and Ready to Read. Born to Read Program includes welcome baby kit distribution, containing reading materials and information on local resources, distributed to parents of newborns visiting pediatricians at Kaniksu Health Community Services and/or Family Health Center. Approximately 345 kits were distributed in the 2024-2025 fiscal year. READY for Kindegarten workshops provide parents, grandparents and caregivers of children aged from birth to five with tools and knowledge to prepare their children for school. Since its inception in 2008, 90% of program graduates have tested at or above Kindergarten readiness levels. Over 300 workshops were completed in the 2024-2025 school year. Ready to Read, launched as a PAFE program in September 2022, provides every 1st grader in the Lake Pend Oreille School District with a stuffed puppy reading buddy to motivate year-round reading. LPOSD schools consistently outperform state

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 October 13, 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 November 6, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since March 2003.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 November 4, 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.