Advancement Project Education Fund
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
ADVANCEMENT PROJECT EDUCATION FUND IS A NEXT GENERATION, MULTI-RACIAL CIVIL RIGHTS ORGANIZATION. ROOTED IN THE GREAT HUMAN RIGHTS STRUGGLES FOR EQUALITY AND JUSTICE, WE EXIST TO FULFILL AMERICA'S PROMISE OF A CARING, INCLUSIVE AND JUST DEMOCRACY. WE USE INNOVATIVE TOOLS AND STRATEGIES TO STRENGTHEN SOCIAL MOVEMENTS AND ACHIEVE HIGH-IMPACT POLICY CHANGE.
- Income
- $5.5 million
- Spending
- $6.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- 19.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 95%
- Employees
- 40
- Volunteers
- 12
- Highest pay
- $389,791, executive director
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
Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 19.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 10% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 26% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 28% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 23 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 59% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 13 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 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 (4)
- $1.8 million spent. POWER & DEMOCRACY (RIGHT TO VOTE AND VOTER PROTECTION)THE POWER AND DEMOCRACY PROGRAM AIMS TO PROVIDE MOVEMENT LAWYER, LITIGATION SUPPORT, AND RESOURCES TO LOCAL AND STATE PARTNERS WORKING TO EXPAND VOTING RIGHTS AND FIGHT BACK AGAINST VOTER SUPPRESSION EFFORTS. THROUGH STRATEGIC LITIGATION AND MORE, WE FIGHT BARRIERS TO PEOPLE EXERCISING THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE. AT THE INTERSECTION OF VOTING RIGHTS AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE WORK, WE ALSO FOCUS ON RIGHTS RESTORATION TO ENSURE THAT THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED THEIR TIME IN THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM ARE ENSURED THE RIGHT TO VOTE AFTER THEIR RELEASE FROM INCARCERATION.
- $1.6 million spent. OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN (QUALITY EDUCATION AND SCHOOLHOUSE TO JAILHOUSE)OUR OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN PROGRAM SUPPORTS GRASSROOTS PARTNERS WORKING DIRECTLY WITH YOUNG PEOPLE AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO LEAD CAMPAIGNS THAT PROTECT ACCESS TO QUALITY PUBLIC EDUCATION, CENTER THE VOICES AND NEEDS OF STUDENTS, DEVELOP YOUNG PEOPLE'S LEADERSHIP SKILLS, AND SECURE CHANGES THAT IMPROVE EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS OF COLOR. OUR WORK ENSURES THAT PARTNERS HAVE THE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES THEY NEED, AND THAT YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE THE SKILLS NEEDED NOT ONLY TO ORGANIZE AND BUILD CAMPAIGNS AS STUDENTS, BUT TO STAY ENGAGED AS COMMUNITY LEADERS WELL INTO THE FUTURE, CARRYING THE KNOWLEDGE AND BELIEF THAT THEY CAN EFFECT CHANGE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. WE ALSO CO-LEAD THE NATIONAL POLICE FREE SCHOOLS CAMPAIGN, HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE ADVOCATE FOR THE REMOVAL OF POLICE OFFICERS AND THEIR SURROGATES (SECURITY GUARDS, SURVEILLANCE, ETC.) FROM THEIR SCHOOLS SO THAT STUDENTS CAN BE THEIR FULL, AUTHENTIC SELVES IN A SAFE SPACE TO LEARN.
- $854,021 spent. JUSTICE PROJECTOUR JUSTICE PROJECT WORK AIMS TO SUPPORT OUR PARTNERS IN FIGHTING AGAINST CRIMINALIZATION OF COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, AND WORKING TO CREATE NEW MODELS OF SAFETY IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. WE PROVIDE SUPPORT DURING CRITICAL MOMENTS OF RAPID RESPONSE, AND USE COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP TO TURN THOSE MOMENTS INTO MOVEMENTS, SUPPORTING LONG-TERM POWER BUILDING AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZING TO COLLECTIVELY FIGHTING BACK AGAINST STRUCTURAL RACISM AND REALIZE THE VISION OF LIBERATION AND SAFETY FOR IMPACTED COMMUNITIES. AREAS OF FOCUS ARE DETERMINED BY COMMUNITY AND PARTNER NEEDS, BUT BROADLY INCLUDE POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY, DECRIMINALIZATION STRATEGIES, AND PROTECTING THE RIGHT TO PROTEST AND VOICE DISSENT.
- $1.2 million spent. OUR OTHER PROGRAMS INCLUDE OUR LEGAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM, IMMGRATION JUSTICE WORK, CAMPAIGNS, AND FORMATION, WHICH IS A GROUP OF RACIAL JUSTICE FOCUSED ORGANIZATIONS. OUR LEGAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM ALLOWS US TO HOST LEGAL FELLOWS WHO PROVIDE CRITICAL SUPPORT TO AP PROGRAM STAFF AND GRASSROOTS PARTNERS, PROVIDING LEGAL SUPPORT AND RESOURCES TO PARTNERS RUNNING LOCAL AND STATE CAMPAIGNS. OUR IMMGRATION JUSTICE WORK FOCUSES ON PROTECTING IMMIGRANT YOUTH AND COMMUNITIES AND FIGHTING BACK AGAINST "CRIMMIGRATION, OR ATTEMPTS TO CRIMINALIZE IMMIGRANTS, NAMELY IMMIGRANTS OF COLOR. CAMPAIGNS ARE DETERMINED BY PARTNER AND COMMUNITY NEEDS AND SOMETIMES FIT NEATLY WITHIN PROGRAMS AND SOMETIMES RUN ADJACENT TO PROGRAMS AS INTERSECTIONAL ISSUES. FORMATION, FORMED IN 2018, IS A GROUP OF RACIAL JUSTICE FOCUSED ORGANIZATIONS THAT AIMS TO CREATE A RACIAL JUSTICE NETWORK AND LEARNING SPACE FOR GRASSROOTS GROUPS; IT SEEKS TO BUILD THE IDEOLOGIES AND STRATEGIES NEEDED TO BUILD MULTIRACIAL POWER AS DEMOGRAPHICS SHIFT.
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
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 2024.
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 March 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.