Buck Institute for Education
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
AT PBLWORKS, WE BUILD THE CAPACITY OF TEACHERS TO DESIGN AND FACILITATE QUALITY PROJECT BASED LEARNING AND THE CAPACITY OF SCHOOL AND SYSTEM LEADERS TO SET THE CONDITIONS FOR TEACHERS TO IMPLEMENT GREAT PROJECTS WITH ALL STUDENTS.
- Income
- $12.4 million
- Spending
- $14.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- 7.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 85%
- Employees
- 138
- Volunteers
- 9
- Highest pay
- $402,314, chief executive officer
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
Fair: 63 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 7.3 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 17% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 14% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 35% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 28 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 258 of 8 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 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)
- $5.2 million spent. TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERVICES - BUCK INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATION PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO HUNDREDS OF SCHOOLS YEARLY IN THE U.S. AND ABROAD, GIVING TEACHERS THE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE NEEDED TO DESIGN, ASSESS, AND MANAGE RIGOROUS, RELEVANT, AND STANDARDS-BASED PROJECTS THROUGH OUR FOUNDATIONAL GOLD STANDARD PBL 101 WORKSHOP AND SUSTAINED SUPPORT VISITS. PROJECT 125
- $2.3 million spent. DISTRICT IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT SERVICES - BUCK INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATION PROVIDES PBL IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT SERVICES TO DOZENS OF U.S. SCHOOL DISTRICTS, SUPPORTING MORE THAN 20,000 TEACHERS AND LEADERS NATIONWIDE. WITH THIS THREE-YEAR PARTNERSHIP, BUCK INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATION NOT ONLY SUPPORTS THE DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHERS WITH OUR TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERVICES BUT ALSO FOCUSES ON THE LEADERSHIP AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT NEEDED TO SUSTAIN SYSTEM-WIDE GOLD STANDARD PBL IMPLEMENTATION. PROJECT 225
- $3.6 million spent. BUCK INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATION OFFERS CONFERENCES FOR PROJECT BASED LEARNING (PBL) THAT INCLUDE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEACHERS, LEADERS, AND INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES. THESE EVENTS INCLUDE BUCK INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATION'S EXEMPLARY WORKSHOPS, INSPIRING KEYNOTE SPEAKERS, AND COMMUNITY BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES TO CATALYZE TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE IN TEACHING AND LEARNING. PBL WORLD IS HOSTED BY BUCK INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATION AND IT'S THE PREMIER CONFERENCE FOR PROJECT BASED LEARNING. PBLWORLD 2021 WAS HOSTED IN PERSON. PROJECT 700
- $826,937 spent. PUBLICATIONS & BOOKS SALES, ONLINE LEARNING PLATFORM
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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since August 2014.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 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.