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Competency-Based Education Network Inc

EIN 82-1307652 · Franklin, TN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair53 out of 100GovernanceGood75 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION IS TO CATALYZE A COMPETENCY- AND SKILLS-FIRST SOCIETY FOR ALL INDIVIDUALS BY EQUIPPING THOSE WHO SERVE THEM WITH THE EDUCATIONAL SUPPORTS AND RESOURCES NEEDED TO EXPAND EQUITABLE WORK-LEARN PATHWAYS.

Income
$7.0 million
Spending
$7.2 million
Spent on programs
82%
Reserves
1.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 56%
Employees
17
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$442,000, president

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 53 out of 100. Higher than 33% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 63% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 3% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 15% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    82% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 10 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a 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

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 June 30, 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)
  1. $6.0 million spent. OVER THE PAST YEAR, THE COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION NETWORK (C-BEN) HAS CONTINUED TO LEAD NATIONAL EFFORTS TO ADVANCE A SKILLS-FIRST SOCIETY BY DESIGNING EQUITABLE, WORK-LEARN PATHWAYS AND EQUIPPING EDUCATORS WITH INNOVATIVE TOOLS AND STRATEGIES. OUR TEAM NOW INCLUDES 16 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, ALLOWING US TO EXPAND OUR SUPPORT TO INSTITUTIONS, SYSTEMS, EMPLOYERS, AND STATES COMMITTED TO COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION (CBE). C-BEN CO-FACILITATED NATIONAL WORKSHOPS WITH THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES OF NURSING, AND TO DATE, WE HAVE TRAINED TWO-THIRDS OF ALL U.S. COLLEGES OF NURSING ON HOW TO IMPLEMENT COMPETENCY-BASED MODELS ALIGNED WITH THE ESSENTIALS. IN KENTUCKY, WE COMPLETED A STATEWIDE GRADUATE PROFILE PROJECT IN NOVEMBER 2024 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNCIL ON POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION. THE RESULTING ESSENTIAL SKILLS FRAMEWORK IS NOW INFORMING INSTITUTIONAL STRATEGY AND WORKFORCE ALIGNMENT EFFORTS ACROSS THE STATE. WE DEEPENED OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH TRIBAL COMMUNITIES THROUGH CONTINUED WORK WITH THE NAVAJO NATION, HELPING LEARNERS DESIGN INDIVIDUALIZED EMPLOYABILITY PATHWAYS THAT PROMOTE FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE AND LIFE AUTONOMY. IN ALABAMA, WE SUPPORTED THE STATE'S TALENT TRIAD INITIATIVE-AN AMBITIOUS EFFORT TO CREATE A SKILLS-BASED TALENT MARKETPLACE THAT CONNECTS UNDEREMPLOYED AND UNEMPLOYED RESIDENTS TO LEARNING AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES. C-BEN'S SUPPORT FOR ALABAMA'S WORK HAS BECOME A BLUEPRINT FOR OTHER STATES. ADDITIONALLY, WE ARE CONTRIBUTING TO TENNESSEE'S ZEROTUITION, COMPETENCY-BASED TEACHER APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM, WHICH IS ADDRESSING CRITICAL EDUCATOR SHORTAGES WHILE SERVING AS A NATIONAL MODEL FOR WORKFORCE INNOVATION. C-BEN HOSTED ITS FLAGSHIP EVENT, CBEXCHANGE, WITH OVER 800 ATTENDEESREFLECTING A 40% GROWTH FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR. WIDELY RECOGNIZED AS THE PREMIER NATIONAL EVENT FOR ALL THINGS COMPETENCY-BASED AND SKILLS-FIRST, CBEXCHANGE FOSTERS FIELD-WIDE COLLABORATION AND SHOWCASES INNOVATIVE PRACTICES. OUR ASIA PACIFIC COUNTERPART CONTINUED TO GROW GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT. OUR COMPETENCY PLATFORM HAS SCALED TO INCLUDE 15 ON-DEMAND COURSES ACROSS MULTIPLE CBE TOPICS, DELIVERED THROUGH TWO CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS AND THREE MICRO-CERTIFICATES. THESE OFFERINGS ALLOW US TO PROVIDE FLEXIBLE, ACCESSIBLE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FOR EDUCATORS AND LEADERS. WE HAVE OVER 5,000 MEMBERS IN OUR NETWORK-WHILE MOST ARE IN A NO-COST MEMBERSHIP TIER, THE BROAD ENGAGEMENT REFLECTS GROWING INTEREST IN SKILLSFIRST APPROACHES ACROSS EDUCATION, WORKFORCE, AND POLICY SECTORS. WE ALSO STREAMLINED OUR MEMBERSHIP STRUCTURE AND CONFERENCE REGISTRATION PROCESS TO ENHANCE THE MEMBER EXPERIENCE AND OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY. IN SUMMARY, C-BEN'S WORK OVER THE PAST YEAR HAS FURTHER SOLIDIFIED OUR POSITION AS A NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEADER IN COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION. WITH INCREASING DEMAND FOR SCALABLE, WORKFORCE-ALIGNED LEARNING MODELS, WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO ADVANCING SOLUTIONS THAT BENEFIT ALL LEARNERS AND SUPPORT ECONOMIC MOBILITY THROUGH SKILL DEVELOPMENT.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, 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 June 2025.

    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 September 2017.

    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.