Careerwise Colorado
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
CAREERWISE'S MISSION IS TO FORGE PATHWAYS TO MEANINGFUL CAREERS THROUGH BOLD ADVOCACY, INNOVATIVE APPRENTICESHIPS, AND INDUSTRY LED PARTNERSHIPS, CREATING A DYNAMIC TALENT ECOSYSTEM THAT CONNECTS AMBITION TO OPPORTUNITY FOR EMPOWERED YOUNG PEOPLE.
- Income
- $8.1 million
- Spending
- $12.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 85%
- Reserves
- 5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 60%
- Employees
- 65
- Volunteers
- 16
- Highest pay
- $407,802, president
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 13% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 49% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 22% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2515 of 15 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, 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 (1)
- $10.2 million spent. CAREERWISE IS A PIONEERING NONPROFIT THAT CATALYZES THE DEVELOPMENT OF BUSINESS-LED, MODERN YOUTH APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS AND SYSTEMS IN COMMUNITIES, REGIONS AND STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. IN JUST TEN YEARS, CAREERWISE HAS NOT ONLY SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED AND GROWN A COALITION OF BUSINESSES AND SCHOOLS IN ITS FLAGSHIP LOCATIONS WHO ARE REDEFINING APPRENTICESHIP FOR THE 21ST CENTURY BY IMPLEMENTING THE MODEL, BUT CAREERWISE HAS ALSO BUILT THE CAPACITY TO CONSULT WITH AND SUPPORT OTHER COMMUNITIES LOOKING TO DO THE SAME. CAREERWISE TOOLS, TECHNOLOGIES AND PROCESSES, BUILT AND REFINED IN COLORADO AND NEW YORK, ARE NOW BEING LEVERAGED BY A GROWING NATIONAL NETWORK OF PARTNER INITIATIVES SEEKING TO CLOSE THE GAP BETWEEN EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT TO ENABLE MORE EQUITABLE ECONOMIC AND EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES. COMBINING PAID, ON-THE-JOB TRAINING WITH CONTINUED CLASSROOM EDUCATION AT SECONDARY AND POSTSECONDARY INSTITUTIONS, CAREERWISE'S MODERN YOUTH APPRENTICESHIPS PROVIDE BENEFIT TO EMPLOYERS, STUDENTS AND SOCIETY ALIKE. SUCCESSFUL APPRENTICES ARE EQUIPPED TO SUCCEED IN CAREER AND/OR COLLEGE, WIDENING THE DOOR TO OPPORTUNITY BY MULTIPLYING THEIR OPTIONS AND CULTIVATING A MORE SKILLED WORKFORCE FOR A QUICKLY CHANGING ECONOMY. CAREERWISE IS HONORED TO HAVE BLOOMBERG PHILANTHROPIES, THE CHICAGO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, ICONIQ IMPACT EDUCATION & ECONOMIC MOBILITY CO-LAB, AND THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AMONG NATIONAL FUNDERS WHO HAVE SUPPORTED THE PILOTING OF MODERN YOUTH APPRENTICESHIP IN THE UNITED STATES BY INVESTING IN CAREERWISE'S SYSTEM. WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM LOCAL FUNDERS INCLUDING THE DANIELS FUND, THE BEACON FUND, THE COLORADO HEALTH FOUNDATION, ZOMA FOUNDATION AND THE STATE OF COLORADO, THE ORGANIZATION HAS GARNERED SIGNIFICANT PHILANTHROPIC AND GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT IN RECOGNITION OF ITS STATUS AS A FIELD-BUILDING INNOVATOR. CAREERWISE'S LOCALLY IMPLEMENTED PROGRAMS BROKER FORMAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN BUSINESSES AND STUDENTS AND THE SCHOOLS WHERE THEY LEARN, INCLUDING BOTH K-12 INSTITUTIONS AND INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION. MOREOVER, CAREERWISE'S NATIONAL TEAM ALSO COORDINATES BETWEEN THOSE LOCAL PROGRAMS, WHICH COMPRISE A GROWING NATIONWIDE NETWORK OF LEADERS SEEKING TO IDENTIFY AND CAPTURE BEST PRACTICES FOR SCALE AND IMPACT. AS A RECIPIENT OF FEDERAL FUNDING, CAREERWISE ALSO PLAYS A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN HELPING GROW AND MODERNIZE THE U.S. REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP SYSTEM BY SERVING YOUNGER, MORE DIVERSE POPULATIONS OF APPRENTICES WHO WORK IN MODERN INDUSTRY. CAREERWISE CONTINUES TO RECEIVE NOTABLE ATTENTION FROM LEADING RESEARCH INSTITUTES AND POLICYMAKERS. AFTER A DECADE OF BUILDING, COLLABORATING AND LEARNING, CAREERWISE IS LOOKING AHEAD WITH RENEWED URGENCY AND PURPOSE. IN 2026, WE ARE FOCUSED ON EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES AND PARTNERSHIPS IN HIGH- DEMAND SECTORS LIKE HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, GOVERNMENT/PUBLIC SERVICE, ENTERPRISE BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, AND TECHNOLOGY. CAREERWISE IS A PIONEERING NONPROFIT THAT CATALYZES THE DEVELOPMENT OF BUSINESS-LED, MODERN YOUTH APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS AND SYSTEMS IN COMMUNITIES, REGIONS AND STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. IN JUST TEN YEARS, CAREERWISE HAS NOT ONLY SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED AND GROWN A COALITION OF BUSINESSES AND SCHOOLS IN ITS FLAGSHIP LOCATIONS WHO ARE REDEFINING APPRENTICESHIP FOR THE 21ST CENTURY BY IMPLEMENTING THE MODEL, BUT CAREERWISE HAS ALSO BUILT THE CAPACITY TO CONSULT WITH AND SUPPORT OTHER COMMUNITIES LOOKING TO DO THE SAME. CAREERWISE TOOLS, TECHNOLOGIES AND PROCESSES, BUILT AND REFINED IN COLORADO AND NEW YORK, ARE NOW BEING LEVERAGED BY A GROWING NATIONAL NETWORK OF PARTNER INITIATIVES SEEKING TO CLOSE THE GAP BETWEEN EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT TO ENABLE MORE EQUITABLE ECONOMIC AND EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES. COMBINING PAID, ON-THE-JOB TRAINING WITH CONTINUED CLASSROOM EDUCATION AT SECONDARY AND POSTSECONDARY INSTITUTIONS, CAREERWISE'S MODERN YOUTH APPRENTICESHIPS PROVIDE BENEFIT TO EMPLOYERS, STUDENTS AND SOCIETY ALIKE. SUCCESSFUL APPRENTICES ARE EQUIPPED TO SUCCEED IN CAREER AND/OR COLLEGE, WIDENING THE DOOR TO OPPORTUNITY BY MULTIPLYING THEIR OPTIONS AND CULTIVATING A MORE SKILLED WORKFORCE FOR A QUICKLY CHANGING ECONOMY. CAREERWISE IS HONORED TO HAVE BLOOMBERG PHILANTHROPIES, THE CHICAGO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, ICONIQ IMPACT EDUCATION & ECONOMIC MOBILITY CO-LAB, AND THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AMONG NATIONAL FUNDERS WHO HAVE SUPPORTED THE PILOTING OF MODERN YOUTH APPRENTICESHIP IN THE UNITED STATES BY INVESTING IN CAREERWISE'S SYSTEM. WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM LOCAL FUNDERS INCLUDING THE DANIELS FUND, THE BEACON FUND, THE COLORADO HEALTH FOUNDATION, ZOMA FOUNDATION AND THE STATE OF COLORADO, THE ORGANIZATION HAS GARNERED SIGNIFICANT PHILANTHROPIC AND GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT IN RECOGNITION OF ITS STATUS AS A FIELD-BUILDING INNOVATOR. CAREERWISE'S LOCALLY IMPLEMENTED PROGRAMS BROKER FORMAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN BUSINESSES AND STUDENTS AND THE SCHOOLS WHERE THEY LEARN, INCLUDING BOTH K-12 INSTITUTIONS AND INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION. MOREOVER, CAREERWISE'S NATIONAL TEAM ALSO COORDINATES BETWEEN THOSE LOCAL PROGRAMS, WHICH COMPRISE A GROWING NATIONWIDE NETWORK OF LEADERS SEEKING TO IDENTIFY AND CAPTURE BEST PRACTICES FOR SCALE AND IMPACT. AS A RECIPIENT OF FEDERAL FUNDING, CAREERWISE ALSO PLAYS A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN HELPING GROW AND MODERNIZE THE U.S. REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP SYSTEM BY SERVING YOUNGER, MORE DIVERSE POPULATIONS OF APPRENTICES WHO WORK IN MODERN INDUSTRY. CAREERWISE CONTINUES TO RECEIVE NOTABLE ATTENTION FROM LEADING RESEARCH INSTITUTES AND POLICYMAKERS. AFTER A DECADE OF BUILDING, COLLABORATING AND LEARNING, CAREERWISE IS LOOKING AHEAD WITH RENEWED URGENCY AND PURPOSE. IN 2026, WE ARE FOCUSED ON EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES AND PARTNERSHIPS IN HIGH- DEMAND SECTORS LIKE HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, GOVERNMENT/PUBLIC SERVICE, ENTERPRISE BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, AND TECHNOLOGY.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 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 November 6, 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 2025.
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 June 2016.
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 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.