Stem Next Opportunity Fund
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Making out-of-school STEM opportunities a reality for millions of young people to help them thrive in STEM and beyond.
- Income
- $10.5 million
- Spending
- $10.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- 0.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 89%
- Employees
- 37
- Volunteers
- 1,250
- Highest pay
- $336,686, secretary/ed
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: 62 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.5 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 22% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 35% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 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 254 of 5 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 (1)
- $8.7 million spent. STEM Next Opportunity Fund is a national, non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to scaling high-quality STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math) learning to millions of youth. Our mission is expanding exceptional STEM learning opportunities outside the classroom for all children everywhere. Through STEM learning in afterschool and summer PROGRAMS, STEM Next takes a field-building approach to creating pathways to economic opportunity.STEM learning beyond the classroom inspires youth and prepares them for future success in STEM as well as many other fields. Outside the structured school day, hands-on STEM learning provides a fertile environment to experiment, build confidence and develop life skills like critical thinking, collaboration, perseverance, creativity and communication. Despite this power and potential, STEM learning in afterschool and summer is underutilized and under-prioritized across the U.S a critical issue that STEM Next is working to solve as a national nonprofit. What We DoSTEM Next brings together a diversity of partners and leads synchronized efforts to strengthen and advance the out-of-school time STEM field. By leveraging partnerships, STEM Next mobilizes funding and accelerates what works to reach the 10 million young people served in more than 100,000 local afterschool and summer programs across all 50 states. For youth, our work increases STEM access, interest, identity, and career knowledge.Our three big strategic initiatives to Engage Learners Everywhere are: - Growing STEM Leaders: Raising awareness, building skills, and connecting problem-solvers across communities. This includes afterschool and summer educators and system leaders, as well as through our Flight Crew program for young people.- Advancing Policy & Research: Powering lasting change in STEM learning by putting ideas into action. Our Fellows help ensure that STEM is a policy priority in the U.S.- Leading Systems Change: Local, regional, national challenges that create seismic STEM learning shifts for youth and educators, like through our Institute for a STEM Ready America and industry-focused Centers of Excellence.Every $1 invested in STEM Next Opportunity Fund programs: - Enables more youth to build, invent and discover every afternoon.- Sparks summer STEM learning opportunities for youth.- Brings STEM opportunities to more families and communities across the U.S.Nationally and locally, our programs create seismic STEM learning shifts for millions of youth and hundreds of thousands of educators every year.
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 April 2017.
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.