Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Foundation for Critical Thinking

EIN 68-0225053 · Santa Barbara, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair64 out of 100GovernanceWeak18 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Only 40% of its spending went to programs.
  • Raising each dollar of donations cost 68 cents.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

TO PROMOTE ESSENTIAL CHANGE IN EDUCATION AND SOCIETY THROUGH THE CULTIVATION OF FAIR-MINDED CRITICAL THINKING.

Income
$163,391
Spending
$181,823
Spent on programs
40%
Reserves
38.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 88%
Employees
4
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$1,299, president & ceo

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: 64 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 38.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 11% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 12% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    40% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 68 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

Weak: 18 out of 100. Higher than 2% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    0 of 25

    1 of 2 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

    0 of 10

    Did not give 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 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 (2)
  1. $47,712 spent. HOSTED ANNUAL CONFERENCE STRUCTURED TO PLAY A KEY ROLE IN DEFINING, STRUCTURING, ASSESSING, IMPROVING AND ADVANCING THE PRINCIPLES AND BEST PRACTICES OF FAIRMINDED CRITICAL THOUGHT IN EDUCATION AND IN SOCIETY. THE CONFERENCE PROVIDES A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR PARTICIPANTS TO IMPROVE THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF CRITICAL THINKING, AS WELL AS THEIR ABILITY TO MORE SUBSTANTIVELY FOSTER IT IN THE CLASSROOM AND IN ALL ASPECTS OF THEIR WORK AND LIFE.
  2. $25,019 spent. HOSTED WORKSHOPS TO FOSTER ESSENTIAL CHANGE IN EDUCATION THROUGH THE CULTIVATION OF FAIRMINDED CRITICAL THINKING. THE WORKSHOPS PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ITS PARTICIPANTS TO LEARN OR DEEPEN THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE FOUNDATIONS OF CRITICAL THINKING AND TO CONTEXTUALIZE THEM IN THE PARTICIPANT'S WORK OR TEACHING.

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

  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 December 2024.

    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 October 1995.

    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.