Scholar Fund
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
To cultivate and establish a positive impact. We primarily accomplish this by connecting community needs to resources and opportunities.
- Income
- $45.3 million
- Spending
- $45.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 94%
- Reserves
- 0.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 99%
- Employees
- 33
- Volunteers
- 10
- Highest pay
- $270,400, ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2023, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 52 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.7 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 50% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 1% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 612% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1594% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2023, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 5% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 255 of 5 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no 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
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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, 2023, 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)
- $27.7 million spent. Best Starts for Kids Child Care Subsidy: Scholar Fund partners with community organizations and public initiatives to ensure working families have access to equitable, high-quality childcare support. Through collaborative efforts, we streamline the administration of family assistance programs, making childcare accessible to those who face systemic barriers.
- $7.0 million spent. King County Relief Fund: Through emergency response programming, Scholar Fund supports community-driven financial resilience initiatives that assist underserved populations facing economic hardship. We administer equitable financial relief efforts to mitigate income disruptions affecting low-income families and workers.
- $3.7 million spent. King County Fee Support: Scholar Fund facilitates access to critical legal and administrative resources for individuals navigating complex documentation processes. By reducing financial barriers, we ensure that underserved communities can access the necessary pathways for economic and civic participation.
- OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES 4: Grassroots Relief Fund: Community Impact: In its tenure, the Grassroots Relief Fund has raised significant financial support, making a direct and tangible difference in the lives of over 6,700 beneficiaries through direct cash assistance. The assistance provided has been pivotal in ensuring that recipients could navigate through challenging times, covering essential costs and ensuring stability. Technological Integration: Recognizing the need for efficient, streamlined processes, our team utilized cutting-edge technology to connect with potential applicants. This allowed us to maintain transparency, ensure timely communication, and facilitate the application process seamlessly. Application Management: Our dedicated team meticulously processed an overwhelming number of applications, totaling around 20,000. This massive undertaking ensured that aid reached those who needed it most, filtering through each application with precision and care. Fund Disbursement: A crucial aspect of our program is the efficient and accountable disbursement of funds. By leveraging state-of-the-art technology, we ensured that financial aid reached its intended recipients promptly and without undue bureaucratic delays. OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES 5: King County Fee Support: Scholar Fund facilitates access to critical legal and administrative resources for individuals navigating complex documentation processes. By reducing financial barriers, we ensure that underserved communities can access the necessary pathways for economic and civic participation. OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES 6: King County Relief Fund: Through emergency response programming, Scholar Fund supports community-driven financial resilience initiatives that assist underserved populations facing economic hardship. We administer equitable financial relief efforts to mitigate income disruptions affecting low-income families and workers. OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES 7: Seattle Relief Fund: In the backdrop of unforeseen challenges, the Seattle Relief Fund, spearheaded by the City of Seattle's Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, emerged as a cornerstone of support for the immigrant community. Demonstrating the City's unwavering commitment to its diverse inhabitants, SRF-01, with its comprehensive approach and massive outreach, has left an indelible mark on thousands. Accomplishments: Profound Financial Commitment: The Seattle Relief Fund received a significant financial infusion of $8 million from the City of Seattle's Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, emphasizing the City's dedication to providing immediate and substantial aid to its immigrant populace. Extensive Reach: SRF-01, with its systematic and targeted approach, succeeded in extending its aid to more than 3,700 immigrants from a vast pool of approximately 15,000 applicants. This broad outreach ensured that those in dire need received financial support, bolstering their resilience during trying times. Comprehensive Administration: Our team took on the mammoth task of end-to-end administration for the relief fund. This included: Outreach: We implemented strategies to ensure widespread awareness of the fund, reaching out to potential beneficiaries. Language Access: Recognizing the diverse linguistic landscape of the immigrant community, we facilitated multiple language access points, ensuring that language was never a barrier to seeking aid. Application Intake and Review: We streamlined the process of application intake, followed by a rigorous review mechanism to ensure that aid reached the most deserving. Payments: Efficient and timely disbursement of funds was a priority, ensuring beneficiaries received aid without undue delays. Customer Support: A robust support system was in place to address queries, concerns, and provide assistance throughout the application process. Data Management: We maintained a comprehensive database, ensuring data integrity, security, and leveraging it to derive insights and improve processes. Technology and Engineering: Our in-house team of engineers developed and maintained the technological backbone that supported the entire operation. From application portals to payment gateways, our tech infrastructure ensured seamless and efficient operations. Administrative Oversight (SRF-02): While SRF-01 was the face of the relief efforts, SRF-02 diligently worked behind the scenes, ensuring the smooth administrative functioning of the program. This included coordination with stakeholders, regulatory compliance, and overall program management. OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES 8: Washington Family Relief Fund: The Washington Family Relief Fund is a program designed to give cash assistance totaling $5.5 million to families at risk of child abuse or neglect, negatively impacted by COVID-19. The Fund is on track to support 20,000 children. OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES 9: Best Starts for Kids Wage Boost Pilot Project: The Pilot will run through 2027 and allocate approximately $5 million annually to provide a wage boost to child care workers at selected sites, working with children ages birth to twelve in King County. The Pilot will study the impact of the wage boost on employee retention, continuity of care, and worker well-being with the intention to assess the impact and use data and learnings to support the holistic health and stability of the child care sector. OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES 10: Other program expenses
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2023, 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 2023.
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 February 2018.
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.