Cherokee County Educational Foundation Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
RAISING AWARENESS, FUNDS FOR CHEROKEE COUNTY SCHOOLS
- Income
- $543,689
- Spending
- $306,318
- Spent on programs
- 56%
- Reserves
- 29.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 87%
- Employees
- 1
- Volunteers
- 1,000
- Highest pay
- $76,108, executive di
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
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 29.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 44% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 38% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1556% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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
Weak: 46 out of 100. Higher than 14% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2520 of 20 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no 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 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)
- $24,754 spent. IMPACT GRANTS: THE FOUNDATION ACCEPTS APPLICATIONS FOR ITS IMPACT GRANTS TO ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT INNOVATIVE, CREATIVE IDEAS IN TEACHING AS WELL AS LEARNING IN THE CHEROKEE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT. THE FOUNDATION AWARDED 24,754 THROUGH GRANTS TO 26 SCHOOLS AND/OR TEAMS DURING FISCAL YEAR 2024.
- $72,676 spent. OTHER GRANTS BENEFITTING CCSD SCHOOLS, TEACHERS AND STUDENTS: THESE INCLUDED 29,127 OF RAPID GRANTS TO ALL SCHOOLS FOR VARIOUS SCHOOL USES, 20,445 DONATION TO CHEROKEE COUNTY SPECIAL OLYMPICS, 4,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS TO CCSD'S REACH GEORGIA SCHOLARS, AS WELL AS 14,103 IN OTHER STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS DURING FISCAL YEAR 2024.
- $73,700 spent. STRATEGIC GRANTS: THE FOUNDATION PRESENTS THESE GRANTS FOR DISTRICT-LEVEL INITIATIVES THAT ARE NOT FULLY FUNDED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT BUDGET. THERE IS NO CAP ON GRANTS AWARDED. THE FOUNDATION AWARDED 73,700 TO DEPARTMENTS AND/OR SCHOOLS DURING FISCAL YEAR 2024.
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 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 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 March 2014.
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.