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The Opportunity Trust

EIN 82-1838644 · St Louis, MO

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood72 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE OPPORTUNITY TRUST INVESTS IN EDUCATORS AND SCHOOL SYSTEMS EAGER TO BUILD THE CAPACITY REQUIRED TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT AND MEASURABLE CHANGE.

Income
$21.6 million
Spending
$21.5 million
Spent on programs
96%
Reserves
2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 75%
Employees
32
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$441,418, chief executive officer

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

Good: 72 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 0% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 71% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    96% 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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 7 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

    10 of 10

    Gave 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

    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 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 (3)
  1. $2.2 million spent. OUR FIRST STRATEGIC PRIORITY IS TO ELEVATE THE VOICES OF THOSE MOST UNDERSERVED BY OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND EMPOWER FAMILIES AND STUDENTS TO DESIGN AND DRIVE CHANGE AS PART OF A BROAD AND DIVERSE COALITION. THIS PROGRAM AIMS TO 1) STRENGTHEN PARENT LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY INFRASTRUCTURE BY ORGANIZING AND GROWING NEW NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS FOCUSED ON LOWEST 5% PERFORMING SCHOOLS IN ST. LOUIS CITY, SEEDING EFFORTS TO CREATE DEMAND IN ST. LOUIS COUNTY, AND IMPROVING CHARTER PERCEPTIONS BY ORGANIZING 10K CHARTER PARENT VOICES VIA STATE CHARTER ASSOCIATION, 2) INCREASING TRUST THROUGH DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY COALITIONS, AND 3) CONTINUE INVESTING IN EARLY STAGE GROWTH OF KEY PARTNERS.
  2. $11.8 million spent. OUR SECOND STRATEGIC PRIORITY IS FOCUSED ON INCREASING ACCESS TO WORLD-CLASS SCHOOLS BY GROWING THE CAPACITY OF OUR MOST SUCCESSFUL SCHOOLS, LAUNCHING NEW AND INNOVATIVE SCHOOLS, STRENGTHENING EXISTING SCHOOLS WITH CONDITIONS FOR SUSTAINED SUCCESS, AND HELPING DISTRICTS TO METHODICALLY TRANSFORM THEIR LOWEST PERFORMING SCHOOLS. THIS PROGRAM AIMS TO 1) DRIVE TOWARD GOAL OF 25% STUDENTS IN QUALITY SEATS BY EXPANDING INVESTMENTS IN NEW SCHOOLS, EXPANDING INVESTMENTS TO ADDITIONAL SCHOOLS, AND MAINTAINING INVESTMENTS IN HIGH PERFORMING CHARTERS, 2) CATALYZE SUPPORT FOR DISTRICT AUTONOMOUS MODELS THROUGH COMMUNITY DESIGN AND POST-SECONDARY INTERMEDIARY INITIATIVE, AND 3) EXPLORE PARTNERSHIPS WITH SEVEN COUNTY DISTRICTS REPRESENTING 27K STUDENTS ENROLLED IN LOW-QUALITY SCHOOLS.
  3. $5.1 million spent. OUR FIFTH STRATEGIC PRIORITY IS ADMINISTERING THE "EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES: MISSOURI CHARTER SCHOOL PROGRAM (CSP)" THIS IS A U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION GRANT WITH AN APPROVED BUDGET OF $35.5 MILLION TO HELP MISSOURI EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO ATTEND QUALITY CHARTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS. MISSOURI'S CSP PROGRAM HAS THREE OBJECTIVES: 1) INCREASE THE NUMBER OF QUALITY MISSOURI CHARTER PUBLIC SCHOOL SEATS, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR MOST EDUCATIONALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS; 2) SUPPORT QUALITY CHARTER SCHOOL AUTHORIZING IN MISSOURI, THROUGH THE DISSEMINATION AND SUPPORT OF BEST AUTHORIZER PRACTICES STATEWIDE, AND 3) CODIFY AND SHARE LESSONS FROM HIGH-PERFORMING CHARTER PUBLIC SCHOOLS ACROSS THE EDUCATION ECOSYSTEM.

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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since July 2017.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 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.