Catherine Project Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
To provide substantive, high-quality person-to-person teaching to individuals 16 years or older, without fixed cost; to promote and support independent and student-directed learning.
- Income
- $277,153
- Spending
- $172,425
- Spent on programs
- 78%
- Reserves
- 32.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 3
- Volunteers
- 118
- Highest pay
- $78,560, executive director
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 59% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 32.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 38% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 31% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1578% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 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
Fair: 61 out of 100. Higher than 39% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 6 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
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 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)
- $67,568 spent. In July 2025-December 2025, we administered 51 Core Program courses on great books, serving 483 learners free of charge (the Core Program consists of a sequence of four 12-week courses). In each Core Program course, 6-15 participants met weekly over the course of 12 weeks for seminars led by volunteer seminar leaders. Participants who completed the introductory course submitted weekly writing in subsequent courses and received feedback from their seminar leader(s).
- $51,342 spent. In the same period we administered 77 reading groups, serving 980 learners free of charge. 4-15 participants met weekly for discussions of one or more fundamental texts guided by volunteers skilled at modeling skills of close reading and thoughtful discussion. Depending on the text chosen and reading pace, groups lasted between 1-32 weeks.
- $3,957 spent. In that same period, we administered 7 subject tutorials on languages, mathematics, or writing, serving 105 learners free of charge. 4-20 participants met once or twice weekly to study the subject in question. Subject tutorials ran for between 8-14 weeks.
- $11,969 spent. In that same period, we administered 21 community seminars, serving 284 learners free of charge. In each seminar, 8-14 participants met for a 2 hour discussion of a fundamental text guided by volunteers skilled at modeling skills of close reading and thoughtful discussion.
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
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 November 6, 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 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 January 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 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.