Education for Liberation Network
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- Only 31% of its spending went to programs.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
To help underserved young people and communities understand the causes of inequalities and injustice in society and how communities have fought against them, develop both a deep belief in themselves that they can challenge those injustices and the skills necessary to do so.
- Income
- $31,292
- Spending
- $147,861
- Spent on programs
- 31%
- Reserves
- 52.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 55%
- Employees
- 2
- Volunteers
- 14
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: 55 out of 100. Higher than 29% of charities in its peer group (human services, under $250k).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 52.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 373% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 91% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1531% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 29 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
Good: 81 out of 100. Higher than 70% of charities in its peer group (human services, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 7 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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.
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 (3)
- $45,604 spent. Education Projects - When members of the Board of Directors have projects that are deeply meaningful to them and are aligned with the organization's mission and vision, Education for Liberation Network will engage in amplifying and broadening that work. There are currently four Board-led projects which the organization is actively supporting: Ethnic Studies Coalition, Lessons in Liberation, and EdLib Minnesota
- $200 spent. Free Minds Free People (FMFP). Free Minds, Free People (FMFP) is a national conference presented by the Education for Liberation Network that brings together teachers, young people, researchers, parents, and community-based activists/educators from across the country to build a movement to develop and promote education as a tool for liberation. The conference is a space in which these groups learn from and teach each other by sharing knowledge, experience, and strategies. The conference has been held every other year since 2007 in the following cities: Chicago, IL, Houston, TX, Providence, Ri, Oakland, CA, and Baltimore, MD. The conference has grown in participation each time we have convened FMFP. There was no conferene in 2024, and the conference currently remains on pause while being reimagined. A smaller number of gatherings may take place in 2025 to support this visioning process.
- Planning to Change the World: a Plan Book for Social Justice Teachers is a plan book for educators who believe their students can and will change the world. It is designed to help teachers translate their vision of a just education into concrete classroom activities. The planner includes weekly planning pages, references to online lesson plans and resources, inspirational quotes, tips from social justice teachers, essential questions to sparkclassroom discussions, and reproducible social justice awards with students. In the past the Executive Director oversaw coordination, management and editing of the plan book. This year the workload was managed and organized by members of the Board of Directors and a team of volunteers.
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? Worth knowing.
Status was revoked on May 15, 2020 for not filing returns for three years, and reinstated on May 15, 2020.
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 March 2022.
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.