Junior Achievement of Arizona
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Junior Achievement of Arizona (JAAZ) equipped 176,772 students, Kindergarten through Young Adults, this year with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in work and life. Through our 9,135 programmatic volunteers, JAAZ's critical programs help kids see their potential and give them the skills and knowledge they need to step into that potential. Students are prepared to think critically, manage their money, thrive in their careers, and ultimately pursue the future they deserve.
- Income
- $5.5 million
- Spending
- $5.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 12.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 86%
- Employees
- 55
- Volunteers
- 9,549
- Highest pay
- $391,811, president & ceo
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: 84 out of 100. Higher than 63% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 12.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 8% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 7% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 9% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 15 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 64% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2512 of 12 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a 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.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports 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 (5)
- $1.9 million spent. Through JA's proven in-classroom programs, Junior Achievement of Arizona (JAAZ) empowered 58,458 K-12 learners across 105 schools to take ownership of their future success. These hands-on, age-appropriate programs were delivered by 2,521 unique corporate and community volunteer mentors, who brought real-world experience and inspiration into the classroom. These volunteers generously donated an estimated $2,159,294 worth of time to deliver our programs. While this contribution is not reflected in Part IX expenses, it is highlighted here to demonstrate the significant cost-efficiency of our volunteer-driven delivery model. When the value of volunteer time is included, our program expense ratio increases to 88%, underscoring the effectiveness and sustainability of our approach. Our traditional in-classroom programs equip students with essential knowledge and skills in financial literacy, work readiness, entrepreneurship, and critical thinking. According to post-program surveys, 98% of educators would recommend JA programs to their peers. Moreover, students who participate in JA programs demonstrate an average 19% increase in knowledge across key areas, including financial literacy and critical thinking.
- $1.6 million spent. Junior Achievement of Arizona's JA BizTown is a dynamic, experiential learning program designed for students in grades 4-6. Over the course of 14-20 hours of classroom instruction, students collaborate to develop business plans, calculate operating costs, design marketing campaigns, apply for jobs, vote for city officials, and explore diverse career paths. This immersive curriculum culminates in a hands-on simulation where students run a fully functioning mini-city, applying the skills they've learned in a real-world context. Students who complete JA BizTown demonstrate an average 24% increase in knowledge in key areas such as financial literacy and work readiness. Among participating educators, 99% report they would recommend JA BizTown to fellow teachers, underscoring the program's educational value and impact. This year, 21,740 students from 245 schools participated in JA BizTown. The program was made possible through the support of 5,270 volunteers - including business professionals, parents, and teachers - who generously donated their time and expertise. The estimated value of this volunteer contribution is $2,361,413 which is not reflected in Part IX expenses but is noted here to highlight the cost-efficiency of our volunteer-driven model. When the value of volunteer time is included, our program expense ratio increases to 88%, demonstrating the strategic advantage of leveraging community expertise to deliver high-impact programming at scale.
- $898,469 spent. JA Inspire is Junior Achievement of Arizona's premier career exploration and readiness program, designed to empower students from 5th grade through post-secondary education to explore careers of the future and prepare for success in the workforce. This year, 86,453 students from 457 schools and other learning environments participated in this innovative program. JA Inspire offers a flexible, dynamic experience that includes guided or self-led career readiness curriculum, a career interest inventory, digital badging, and interactive engagement with Arizona employers across all industries and career clusters through virtual career exhibit halls. Through these activities, students develop personalized career plans, build essential soft skills, and gain exposure to real-world opportunities. The curriculum is adaptable to meet the diverse needs of educators and students, aligning with key educational competency standards and career readiness credentials. Participants in JA Inspire demonstrated an average 19% increase in knowledge related to career planning and work readiness. Additionally, 97% of educators who implemented the program reported they would recommend JA Inspire to their colleagues, highlighting its relevance and effectiveness in preparing students for future success.
- $270,591 spent. JA Finance Park is Junior Achievement of Arizona's second capstone experiential learning program, designed to equip middle school students with essential personal financial management skills. Over the course of 14-20 hours of classroom instruction, students explore topics such as budgeting, income, saving, credit, taxes, insurance, and the relationship between education and earning potential. The program culminates in a hands-on virtual simulation, where students are assigned a fictional life scenario-including job, income, family status, and expenses-and must create and maintain a balanced personal budget. This immersive experience helps students understand the real-world implications of financial decisions and prepares them to navigate future financial complexities with confidence. This year, 3,735 students from 36 schools participated in JA Finance Park. Post-program assessments show an average 39% increase in financial literacy knowledge, demonstrating the program's effectiveness in building foundational financial skills. The program was delivered with the support of 600 volunteers from the business community, as well as parents and educators, who donated their time and mileage to mentor students through the simulation. The estimated value of this volunteer contribution is $290,761, which is not reflected in Part IX expenses but is noted here to highlight the cost-efficiency of our volunteer-driven model. Including the value of volunteer time increases our program expense ratio to 88%, underscoring the strategic advantage of leveraging community expertise to deliver high-impact financial education.
- $133,624 spent. JA Money in Motion is a new mobile financial literacy and career readiness program designed to serve students in rural and tribal communities across Arizona grades 3-12. Similar to JA Finance Park, this program brings a realistic budgeting simulation directly to schools, eliminating barriers such as transportation and cost, and ensuring equitable access to critical financial education. Students participate in a hands-on budgeting experience, guided by community volunteers, where they build a personal budget based on a fictional life scenario. The experiential learning simulation is the culmination of JAAZ provided, age-appropriate curriculum teaching foundational money management concepts. This year, 6,386 students from 33 schools participated in JA Money in Motion. The program was delivered with the support of 349 volunteers, including business professionals, parents, and educators, who donated their time and expertise. Their contribution, valued at $70,568, is not reflected in Part IX expenses but is noted here to highlight the cost-efficiency of our volunteer-driven model. Including the value of volunteer time increases our program expense ratio to 88%, demonstrating the strategic advantage of leveraging community expertise to deliver high-impact financial education. Post-program assessments show an average 21% increase in financial literacy knowledge, and 99% of educators reported they would recommend JA Money in Motion to their peers, underscoring the program's effectiveness and relevance.
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
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? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Worth knowing.
Not individually listed by the IRS as eligible, which is usual for local chapters covered by a parent organization's exemption. The master file records contributions to it as deductible.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, 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 June 2025.
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 May 1994.
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.