The Education Foundation of Collier County Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION OF COLLIER COUNTY, ALSO KNOWN AS CHAMPIONS FOR LEARNING, IS TO SERVE AS A CATALYST FOR EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS BY INVESTING IN COLLIER'S STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS. THIS MISSION IS REFLECTED (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)IN THEIR COMMITMENT TO CREATING LIFE-CHANGING EARNING EXPERIENCES FOR EVERY STUDENT AND SUPPORTING EDUCATORS TO ENSURE THE HIGHEST IMPACT LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR EVERY CHILD. THEY FOCUS ON EMPOWERING STUDENTS TO CHOOSE AND NAVIGATE THEIR OWN PATHS TO SUCCESS AND PROVIDING EDUCATORS WITH THE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES TO EXPERIENCE PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS
- Income
- $6.2 million
- Spending
- $2.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 79%
- Reserves
- 11.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 99%
- Employees
- 26
- Volunteers
- 445
- Highest pay
- $190,528, ceo/president through 04/25
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 68% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 11.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 54% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 75% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1579% 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 65% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 17 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 (3)
- $1.5 million spent. STUDENT PROGRAMS:STUDENT PROGRAMS INCLUDE TWO COMPLEMENTARY SPHERES: COLLEGE/CAREER ACCESS AND OCCUPATION-BASED LEARNING/SKILL-BUILDING AND ARE DESIGNED TO EQUIP AND PREPARE STUDENTS FOR THEIR FUTURE LEARNING AND CAREER GOALS. THE COLLEGE AND CAREER PREPARATION PROGRAM INTRODUCES 9TH AND 10TH GRADE STUDENTS TO THE VARIOUS OPTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM POST-GRADUATION, INCLUDING TECHNICAL CAREER PATHS AND A BROAD RANGE OF POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES, AND THEN INCORPORATES MORE VIGOROUS WORKSHOPS AND WORKING LAB SESSIONS FOR 11TH AND 12TH GRADE STUDENTS TO GAIN VALUABLE EXPERIENCE IN HOW TO NAVIGATE THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS AND FINANCIAL AID PROCESSES, BUILD LEADERSHIP AND FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS, (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)AND DEVELOP PERSONALIZED ROADMAPS TO NOT ONLY ACHIEVE POST-SECONDARY CREDENTIALS AND/OR DEGREE ATTAINMENT BUT TO DO SO AS CLOSE TO DEBT FREE AS POSSIBLE. TAKE STOCK IN CHILDREN IS AN ACADEMICALLY FOCUSED MENTORING PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO COME FROM HOUSEHOLDS CLASSIFIED AS LOW INCOME THAT ENGAGES VOLUNTEER MENTORS WHO MEET WITH STUDENTS REGULARLY DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR AND PROVIDE GUIDANCE, MOTIVATION, SUPPORT, AND ROLE-MODELING TO GROW THE MENTEES' LIFE SKILLS.
- $764,931 spent. EDUCATOR PROGRAMS:EDUCATOR PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO VALUE, EMPOWER, AND SUPPORT EDUCATORS ACROSS TRADITIONAL PUBLIC, CHARTER, AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS TO EXPERIENCE PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS. THE CLASSROOM GRANTS PROGRAM IS A COMPETITIVE GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS WHICH PROVIDES AWARDED EDUCATORS WITH FUNDING FOR CLASSROOM SUPPLIES OR EQUIPMENT, LOCAL FIELD TRIPS, ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES, SCHOOL-WIDE INITIATIVES, AND OTHER INNOVATIVE CLASSROOM PROJECTS NOT COVERED UNDER THE SCHOOL'S BUDGET THAT ENCOURAGE DEEPER LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT FOR STUDENTS. GOLDEN APPLE IS AN EDUCATOR RECOGNITION PROGRAM THAT UNITES THE COMMUNITY IN HONORING AND CELEBRATING A SELECT COHORT OF TEACHERS EACH SCHOOL YEAR WHO EXEMPLIFY TEACHING EXCELLENCE.
- $50,653 spent. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:RECOGNIZED AS THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION SERVING COLLIER COUNTY BY THE CONSORTIUM OF FLORIDA EDUCATION FOUNDATIONS, CHAMPIONS FOR LEARNING SERVES AS A UNIFYING FORCE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY BY DRIVING COLLECTIVE ACTION TOWARDS THE COMMON GOAL OF STUDENT AND EDUCATOR SUCCESS. TO CARRY OUT OUR WORK, CHAMPIONS FOR LEARNING PARTNERS WITH SEVERAL STATE-WIDE NETWORKS, ALONG WITH COUNTLESS LOCAL COMMUNITY NONPROFITS, BUSINESSES, AND VOLUNTEERS. CHAMPIONS FOR LEARNING IS COMMITTED TO WORKING CLOSELY WITH COLLIER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, ENSURING THAT WE ARE MEETING THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT THROUGH OUR PROGRAMMING. WE HELP FACILITATE COLLIER COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL'S HIGH SCHOOL ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM, (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)WHICH OFFERS UNIQUE CLASSES WHERE STUDENTS COLLABORATE IN TEAMS TO DEVELOP A VIABLE AND MARKETABLE PRODUCT OR SERVICECHAMPIONS FOR LEARNING RECRUITS, TRAINS, AND RETAINS VOLUNTEERS, MANY OF WHOM ARE EITHER CURRENT OR RETIRED BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS IN THE COMMUNITY, AS MENTORS, COACHES, AND JUDGES FOR THE PROGRAM. AS A VOLUNTEER-DRIVEN ORGANIZATION, WE RELY ON NEARLY 450 INDIVIDUALS WHO GIVE THEIR TIME, DEDICATING OVER 6,700 HOURS TO SUPPORT STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS.
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 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 June 2025.
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 January 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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