Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Breakthrough Houston

EIN 83-0924608 · Houston, TX

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

The mission of Breakthrough Houston (BTH) is to work with highly motivated students to achieve post-secondary success and empower aspiring leaders to become the next generation of educational advocates.

Income
$1.7 million
Spending
$2.4 million
Spent on programs
71%
Reserves
18.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
49
Volunteers
166
Highest pay
$100,743, executive dir (to 7/28/25)

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 71% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 18.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 8% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 39% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 30% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    71% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 24 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    20 of 20 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 December 31, 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 (4)
  1. $951,781 spent. The Middle School Program offers comprehensive support to rising seventh, eighth, and ninth grade students throughout the summer and school year. During the summer, students participate in an immersive six week summer camp that includes a rigorous academic curriculum. In addition, students are engaged in leadership lessons to support the development of essential professional skills. Throughout the school year students convene on twelve Saturday mornings between September and April to continue building on the academic and social progress developed during the summer. The School Year Program leverages a Project Based Learning (PBL) curriculum, a unique teaching method in which students learn by actively engaging in real-world and personally meaningful projects.
  2. $409,765 spent. The College Bound Program provides holistic support for BTH high school students to thrive in high school and confidently navigate the college admissions process. Established in 2008, the program offers a unique grade level-based approach to support students in the challenges impacting students each year throughout high school. The ninth grade program begins with a Freshman Seminar, which promotes essential and transferable skills to support students during this major change to high school. The tenth grade students begin investigating their personal interests through experiential learning opportunities including career shadowing, college exploration, and summer internships. Continued on Schedule OThe eleventh grade students start the college search process in earnest by building their college list, engaging in free SAT/ACT test preparation, and developing their personal statements for college admissions. The twelfth grade students focus on the final steps in their college admissions process, including polishing their short answers, submitting financial aid applications, weighing decisions, and making a transition plan.
  3. $180,745 spent. To prepare new teachers for a career in education or education advocacy, college students serve as our summer teachers, or Teaching Fellows (TFs) in our Middle School Program. Veteran Instructors serve as coaches during the summer and provide a two week training program for TFs which provides space to learn and apply research-based, effective teaching strategies for lesson planning, classroom management, and relationship building. Throughout the summer, TFs will receive over 50 hours of solo teaching experience, 30 hours of coaching, and 5 hours of targeted professional development.
  4. $162,000 spent. Established in 2019, the College Completion Program provides wraparound support to BTH college students as they navigate the varied challenges that often prevent first generation students from completing their degrees. Support for academics, financial support and belongingness often comes in the form of one-on-one advising. In addition, the College Completion Program offers peer-to-peer mentoring through our Uni-T's program which allows BTH upperclassmen to formally mentor to BTH underclassmen.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 November 6, 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 December 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 January 2019.

    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 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.