Chesterton Academy of Saint Margaret Clitherow
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Our mission is to form joyful disciples through an outstanding, integrated education centered on the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, with GK Chesterton as a model of lay spirituality.
- Income
- $391,881
- Spending
- $443,930
- Spent on programs
- 88%
- Reserves
- 4.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 63%
- Employees
- 8
- Volunteers
- 30
- Highest pay
- $70,000, headmaster
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: 74 out of 100. Higher than 43% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 13% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 478% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1588% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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: 91 out of 100. Higher than 81% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2510 of 10 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
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 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 (3)
- $282,072 spent. Chesterton Academy of Saint Margaret Clitherow (CAMC) operated a school during the fiscal year. CAMC had 10 students and 3 full time and 3 part time teachers. Our students tested in the top 1% of the country in the CLT, ARK, and National Latin Exam.
- During this fiscal year, the Chesterton Academy of Saint Margaret Clitherow (CAMC) submitted 100% of the accreditation paperwork to the Chesterton Schools Network, one of only 17 out of about 70 schools to do so. This is the first major step towards full accreditation, which will not only attract more students, but also enable the school to participate in the Tennessee Education Freedom Scholarship Program, expanding the range of students who can afford to attend. The school is on track to achieve this milestone in the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2026.
- $108,082 spent. The Chesterton Academy of Saint Margaret Clitherow (CAMC) moved operations to a new building, which allows for future growth to at least 50 students. This expansion took CAMC from essentially a one room school house to a building with 3 classrooms, a library, reception and office space, and multi-use room for holding mass, hosting lectures, dance classes, and drama productions, as well a plenty of outdoor green space for student activities like wiffleball, outdoor lunch, and chalk arts festival. Renovations were involved to make the space functional and up to code for a school and about $12,500 materials and $37,500 labor were donated to make the efforts affordable for our young school. This growth has attracted strong students, scoring in the top 1% of the country in the CLT.
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? 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 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 April 2023.
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.