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Ace Mentor Program of America Inc

EIN 81-0558183 · Chicago, IL

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood70 out of 100GovernanceGood80 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO ENGAGE, EXCITE, AND ENLIGHTEN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO PURSUE CAREERS IN ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING, AND CONSTRUCTION THROUGH MENTORING, SCHOLARSHIPS AND CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR THEIR ADVANCEMENT INTO THE INDUSTRY.

Income
$560,408
Spending
$610,865
Spent on programs
77%
Reserves
3.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 96%
Employees
3
Volunteers
361
Highest pay
$69,850, executive director

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: 70 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 28% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 9% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 12% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    77% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 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

Good: 80 out of 100. Higher than 66% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    30 of 30 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

    10 of 10

    Gave 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.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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 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. $264,859 spent. AWARDED 60 COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THE 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR.
  2. $93,800 spent. MENTORING- THIS IS A YEAR-ROUND AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM THAT INTRODUCES HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM THE CHICAGO AREA TO CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN ARCHITECTURE, CONSTRUCTION AND ENGINEERING. THROUGHOUT THE 17 WEEKS OF THE PROGRAM, STUDENTS WORK ALONGSIDE PROFESSIONAL MENTORS AND THEIR PEERS FROM ACROSS THE REGION TO RESPOND TO A DESIGN CHALLENGE. SELECT STUDENTS ARE AWARDED COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS, PAID INTERNSHIPS, AND DESIGN BUILD APPRENTICESHIPS TO ENCOURAGE THEIR CAREER PATHWAY IN THE ACE PROFESSIONS.DURING THE 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR, 309 STUDENTS FROM NUMEROUS CITYWIDE HIGH SCHOOLS (PRIMARILY CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS) PARTICIPATED ON TEAMS WITH MENTORS FROM PROFESSIONAL A/E/C FIRMS.
  3. $94,193 spent. A SELECT GROUP OF THE STUDENTS FROM THE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM APPLY TO AND ARE ACCEPTED INTO A DESIGN BUILD WORKSHOP PROGRAM OVER THE SUMMER. 24 STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS AND 4 TEACHING ASSISTANT SCHOLARSHIPS WERE AWARDED DURING THE 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR FOR A DESIGN BUILD WORKSHOP PROGRAM THAT TOOK PLACE OVER THE SUMMER OF 2024. THE STUDENTS AND COLLEGE AGED TEACHING ASSISTANTS, WHO ARE ACE ALUMNI, WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO DESIGN AND BUILD SOMETHING TO SPECIFICALLY MEET THE NEEDS OF A COMMUNITY-BASED CLIENT. STUDENTS IN THE 6-WEEK PROGRAM ARE AWARDED A ONE-TIME $1,500 COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP, AND TEACHING ASSISTANTS ARE AWARDED A ONE-TIME $2,500 SCHOLARSHIP FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM.
  4. $18,082 spent. ACE HAS PUT MUCH EFFORT INTO TRACKING THE SUCCESS OF OUR ALUMNI - STUDENTS WHO HAVE GRADUATED FROM OUR HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM AND ARE NOW IN COLLEGE OR IN THE PROFESSION. TO THIS END, WE'VE CREATED PROGRAMS THAT ASSIST WITH NETWORKING, INTERNSHIP SEARCHES, AND RESUME AND PORTFOLIO WORKSHOPS TO SUPPORT THESE ALUMNI AND HELP THEM BE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR CAREER PATHWAY.

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? Worth knowing.

    Not individually listed by the IRS as eligible, which is usual for local chapters covered by a parent organization's exemption. The master file records contributions to it as deductible.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 June 2006.

    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.

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