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Rise Scholars Incorporated

EIN 84-4738834 · San Rafael, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceFair53 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO EMPOWER STUDENTS AT HAMILTON SCHOOL TO REALIZE THEIR FULL PERSONAL AND ACADEMIC POTENTIAL BY PROVIDING THEM WITH AN ARRAY OF TARGETED AND THOUGHTFUL CURRICULAR AND CO-CURRICULAR OPPORTUNITIES THAT SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A GROWTH MINDSET, A POSITIVE ATTITUDE, AND HIGH ACHIEVEMENT.

Income
$1.0 million
Spending
$752,188
Spent on programs
98%
Reserves
16.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 72%
Employees
26

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

Strong: 100 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 16.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 27% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 73% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    98% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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

Fair: 53 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    6 of 6 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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.

  • 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 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 (5)
  1. $205,854 spent. ATHLETICS PROGRAM-OUR ATHLETICS PROGRAM IS INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL. WE PROVIDE A RECREATIONAL PROGRAM AS WELL AS A COMPETITIVE PROGRAM FOR OUR 2ND THROUGH 8TH GRADE STUDENTS. WE HAVE OVER 250 STUDENTS IN OUR PROGRAM. WE PROVIDE CROSS COUNTRY, BASKETBALL, SOCCER, TRACK AND FIELD, AND VOLLEYBALL.
  2. $160,440 spent. CHESS PROGRAM-OUR CHESS PROGRAM CONTINUES TO THRIVE, ENGAGING OVER 200 STUDENTS WEEKLY AND OFFERING A DYNAMIC BLEND OF ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT, CRITICAL THINKING, AND TEAMWORK. OUR COMPETITIVE AFTER-SCHOOL CHESS TEAM INCLUDES 40 DEDICATED STUDENTS WHO TRAIN RIGOROUSLY AND COMPETE AT HIGH LEVELS. THIS YEAR, OUR UNDER-700 TEAM COMPETED AT THE US CHESS FEDERATION NATONAL TOURNAMENT AND PLACED 4TH OUT OF 36 TEAMS NATIONWIDE-AN EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENT. BEYOND TROPHIES, CHESS BUILDS FOCUS, PATIENCE, AND STRATEGIC THINKING, MAKING IT ONE OF THE MOST IMPACTFUL AND BELOVED PROGRAMS AT RISE.
  3. $136,419 spent. SUMMER PROGRAMMING-OUR FIVE-WEEK SUMMER PROGRAM SERVED OVER 150 STUDENTS, FOCUSING ON CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP IN MATH AND LANGUAGE ARTS. AT HAMILTON SCHOOL, ONLY 23% OF STUDENTS MEET GRADE-LEVEL STANDARDS IN MATH, AND STUDENTS WHO ARE BEHIND BY 3RD GRADE ARE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS LIKELY TO GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE. OUR SUMMER INITIATIVE COMBATS THIS BY ACCELERATING STUDENT PROGRESS-PARTICIPANTS TYPICALLY GAIN MORE THAN ONE FULL ACADEMIC YEAR IN PROFICIENCY. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES TARGETED INSTRUCTION IN SMALL GROUPS, USING DATA-DRIVEN TOOLS AND INDIVIDUALIZED SUPPORT, ENSURING STUDENTS RETURN TO SCHOOL MORE CONFIDENT AND BETTER PREPARD TO SUCCEED.
  4. $235,166 spent. OTHER PROGRAMS RELATED TO OUR MISSION, INCLUDING SCHOOL YEAR MATH AND READING INTERVENTION. IN 2024, OUR INTERVENTION PROGRAM EXPANDED TO REACH MORE STUDENT THAN EVER BEFORE, LIMITED ONLY BY THE NUMBER OF AVAILABLE TUTORS. EVERY 2ND GRADE STUDENT WHO WAS READING BELOW GRADE LEVEL RECEIVED ONE-ON-ONE OR SMALL-GROUP SUPPORT, AND EVERY ONE OF THEM REACHED GRADE- LEVEL PROFICIENCY. IN GRADES 3-5, OUR MATH INTERVENTION STUDENTS IMPROVED BY OVER ONE FULL GRADE LEVEL ON AVERAGE, WITH SOME ADVANCING TWO FULL YEARS. THIS PROGRAM IS CORE TO RISE'S MISSION OF EDUCATIONAL EQUITY, DELIVERING TRANSFORMATIVE ACIDEMIC GROWTH TO THE STUDENTS WHO NEED IT MOST.
  5. OTHER PROGRAMS RELATED TO OUR MISSION, INCLUDING SCHOOL YEAR MATH AND READING INTERVENTION. IN 2024, OUR INTERVENTION PROGRAM EXPANDED TO REACH MORE STUDENT THAN EVER BEFORE, LIMITED ONLY BY THE NUMBER OF AVAILABLE TUTORS. EVERY 2ND GRADE STUDENT WHO WAS READING BELOW GRADE LEVEL RECEIVED ONE-ON-ONE OR SMALL-GROUP SUPPORT, AND EVERY ONE OF THEM REACHED GRADE- LEVEL PROFICIENCY. IN GRADES 3-5, OUR MATH INTERVENTION STUDENTS IMPROVED BY OVER ONE FULL GRADE LEVEL ON AVERAGE, WITH SOME ADVANCING TWO FULL YEARS. THIS PROGRAM IS CORE TO RISE'S MISSION OF EDUCATIONAL EQUITY, DELIVERING TRANSFORMATIVE ACIDEMIC GROWTH TO THE STUDENTS WHO NEED IT MOST.

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

  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 March 2020.

    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.