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Teaching Tree Early Childhood Learning Center

EIN 84-0598116 · Fort Collins, CO

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood89 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

PROVIDING QUALITY, AFFORDABLE, EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE FOR FAMILIES OF ALL SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS.

Income
$6.2 million
Spending
$5.5 million
Spent on programs
89%
Reserves
8.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 88%
Employees
204
Volunteers
71
Highest pay
$134,982, executive di

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: 89 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 8.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 21% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 10% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 6% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    89% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 27 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.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    14 of 14 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 (1)
  1. $4.9 million spent. TEACHING TREE HAS EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT GROWTH TO MEET THE INCREASING CHILDCARE DEMAND IN OUR COMMUNITY OVER THE LAST 5 YEARS. TOGETHER, OUR TWO CENTERS HAVE THE CAPACITY TO SERVE OVER 600 CHILDREN ANNUALLY. WITH THIS CONTINUED GROWTH, WE'VE EXPANDED OUR TEAM BY BRINGING ON NEW EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHERS, ASSISTANT TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND KITCHEN STAFF. TEACHING TREE CAN NOW EMPLOY APPROXIMATELY 90 TEAM MEMBERS. THIS GROWTH REFLECTS OUR DEDICATION TO DELIVERING HIGH-QUALITY CHILDCARE AND SUPPORTING THE FAMILIES WE SERVE. IN 2025, WE CONTINUED OUR EFFORTS TO MAKE THERAPY SERVICES ACCESSIBLE TO FAMILIES. BY PARTNERING WITH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT SERVICE PROVIDERS, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONNECT FAMILIES WITH MENTAL HEALTH THERAPY, AND SPEECH, OCCUPATIONAL AND PHYSICAL THERAPY FOR THEIR CHILDREN. WE PROVIDE SPACE ONSITE FOR THERAPISTS, AND, WITH PARENT PERMISSION, THEY ARE ABLE TO WORK WITH CHILDREN IN NEED OF SUPPORTS, WITHOUT PARENTS TAKING TIME OUT OF THEIR WORKDAY TO GET CHILDREN TO AND FROM APPOINTMENTS. WE SERVED 543 CHILDREN IN 2025. OF THIS TOTAL, 37% LIVED IN LOW-INCOME FAMILIES, 26% WERE OF DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS, AND 19% LIVED IN SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES. WE SUPPORTED LOW-INCOME FAMILIES' EFFORTS TOWARD SELF-SUFFICIENCY BY PROVIDING THEM WITH 241,534 IN CHILDCARE SCHOLARSHIPS AND 170,075 CHILDCARE ASSISTANCE TO 33 EMPLOYEE CHILDREN. IN ADDITION TO ENABLING PARENTS TO WORK, THIS ASSISTANCE AND SCHOLARSHIPS ENSURED THAT THEIR DISADVANTAGED YOUNG CHILDREN WERE RECEIVING QUALITY CARE AND PARTICIPATING IN AN EVIDENCE-BASED EARLY LEARNING PROGRAM THAT BUILT UPON THEIR STRENGTHS, HELPED THEM OVERCOME ADVERSITY, AND PREPARED THEM TO SUCCEED IN SCHOOL. IN 2025, TEACHING TREE ALSO: HELPED CLOSE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP BY (1) PROVIDING FULL-DAY CARE AND EDUCATION FOR 163 CHILDREN IN THE UPK PROGRAM (2) GRADUATING 82 STUDENTS READY TO ENTER KINDERGARTEN WITH THE SKILLS TO SUCCEED AND (3) INCREASING CHILDREN'S SKILLS IN ALL 6 DEVELOPMENTAL DOMAINS ESSENTIAL TO SCHOOL SUCCESS (PHYSICAL, COGNITIVE, SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL, LANGUAGE, MATH, LITERACY). TEACHING TREE SERVED FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH TO 139 STUDENTS AND PROVIDED CHILDREN WITH 147,815 NUTRITIOUS MEALS AND SNACKS. TO ADDRESS THE CHILDCARE WORKFORCE CRISIS, WE SECURED FUNDING TO CONTINUE A MONTHLY INCENTIVE BONUS PROGRAM. ADDITIONALLY, OUR BOARD APPROVED RAISING STARTING PAY FOR TEACHERS AND AIDES AND GIVING ANNUAL RAISES TO EXISTING STAFF. TEACHING TREE HAS EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT GROWTH TO MEET THE INCREASING CHILDCARE DEMAND IN OUR COMMUNITY OVER THE LAST 5 YEARS. TOGETHER, OUR TWO CENTERS HAVE THE CAPACITY TO SERVE OVER 600 CHILDREN ANNUALLY. WITH THIS CONTINUED GROWTH, WE'VE EXPANDED OUR TEAM BY BRINGING ON NEW EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHERS, ASSISTANT TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND KITCHEN STAFF. TEACHING TREE CAN NOW EMPLOY APPROXIMATELY 90 TEAM MEMBERS. THIS GROWTH REFLECTS OUR DEDICATION TO DELIVERING HIGH-QUALITY CHILDCARE AND SUPPORTING THE FAMILIES WE SERVE. IN 2025, WE CONTINUED OUR EFFORTS TO MAKE THERAPY SERVICES ACCESSIBLE TO FAMILIES. BY PARTNERING WITH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT SERVICE PROVIDERS, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONNECT FAMILIES WITH MENTAL HEALTH THERAPY, AND SPEECH, OCCUPATIONAL AND PHYSICAL THERAPY FOR THEIR CHILDREN. WE PROVIDE SPACE ONSITE FOR THERAPISTS, AND, WITH PARENT PERMISSION, THEY ARE ABLE TO WORK WITH CHILDREN IN NEED OF SUPPORTS, WITHOUT PARENTS TAKING TIME OUT OF THEIR WORKDAY TO GET CHILDREN TO AND FROM APPOINTMENTS. WE SERVED 543 CHILDREN IN 2025. OF THIS TOTAL, 37% LIVED IN LOW-INCOME FAMILIES, 26% WERE OF DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS, AND 19% LIVED IN SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES. WE SUPPORTED LOW-INCOME FAMILIES' EFFORTS TOWARD SELF-SUFFICIENCY BY PROVIDING THEM WITH 241,534 IN CHILDCARE SCHOLARSHIPS AND 170,075 CHILDCARE ASSISTANCE TO 33 EMPLOYEE CHILDREN. IN ADDITION TO ENABLING PARENTS TO WORK, THIS ASSISTANCE AND SCHOLARSHIPS ENSURED THAT THEIR DISADVANTAGED YOUNG CHILDREN WERE RECEIVING QUALITY CARE AND PARTICIPATING IN AN EVIDENCE-BASED EARLY LEARNING PROGRAM THAT BUILT UPON THEIR STRENGTHS, HELPED THEM OVERCOME ADVERSITY, AND PREPARED THEM TO SUCCEED IN SCHOOL. IN 2025, TEACHING TREE ALSO: HELPED CLOSE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP BY (1) PROVIDING FULL-DAY CARE AND EDUCATION FOR 163 CHILDREN IN THE UPK PROGRAM (2) GRADUATING 82 STUDENTS READY TO ENTER KINDERGARTEN WITH THE SKILLS TO SUCCEED AND (3) INCREASING CHILDREN'S SKILLS IN ALL 6 DEVELOPMENTAL DOMAINS ESSENTIAL TO SCHOOL SUCCESS (PHYSICAL, COGNITIVE, SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL, LANGUAGE, MATH, LITERACY). TEACHING TREE SERVED FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH TO 139 STUDENTS AND PROVIDED CHILDREN WITH 147,815 NUTRITIOUS MEALS AND SNACKS. TO ADDRESS THE CHILDCARE WORKFORCE CRISIS, WE SECURED FUNDING TO CONTINUE A MONTHLY INCENTIVE BONUS PROGRAM. ADDITIONALLY, OUR BOARD APPROVED RAISING STARTING PAY FOR TEACHERS AND AIDES AND GIVING ANNUAL RAISES TO EXISTING STAFF.

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 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 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 April 1971.

    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.