Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Alliance for Education

EIN 91-1508191 · Seattle, WA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood71 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Our mission is to support excellence in education by advancing educational justice and racial equity for students in Seattle Public Schools.

Income
$7.5 million
Spending
$6.8 million
Spent on programs
72%
Reserves
2.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 81%
Employees
17
Volunteers
24
Highest pay
$283,799, president

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: 71 out of 100. Higher than 55% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 17% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 9% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 49% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    72% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 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 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    20 of 20 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (2)
  1. $4.0 million spent. Educational Investments: The Alliance brings together the philanthropic community and Seattle Public School (SPS) leadership to define and support strategic investments in SPS with a focus on increasing equity. Our strategic work includes: The Seattle Teacher Residency, the Right Now Needs Fund and Other Investments advancing racial equity and educational excellence in Seattle Public Schools.Continued on Schedule O.The Seattle Teacher Residency (STR): STR accelerates student achievement through the preparation, support, and retention of exceptional teachers who reflect the rich diversity in Seattle Public Schools. We recruit, prepare, and support a diverse pipeline of high-quality teachers trained specifically to teach in Seattle's highest need schools, particularly Title I schools. Some highlights of our successes in 2024 include:- Teachers Trained: As of September 2024 (the beginning of the 2024-25 school year) there were 191 STR-trained teachers in more than 50 public schools in Seattle. An additional 23 residents were recruited for Cohort 12 and started the program in 2024. These residents will be eligible for service in Seattle Public Schools in spring 2025.- Students Served: More than 3,000 students in over 30 Title I schools benefitted from teachers trained with critical content, social-emotional, and cultural competencies through the STR program during the 2024-25 school year.- Diversity: 54% of current STR residents are teachers of color or biracial and multiracial educators compared to 19.5% of other Seattle Public School teachers in a district where 55.5% of students are students of color.The Right Now Needs Fund: The Right Now Needs Fund is a vital program designed to directly support Seattle Public School students by addressing their most basic and immediate needs. To ensure that students can focus on learning, the Alliance disburses funds to all 104 Seattle Public Schools, tailored to the percentage of students receiving free and reduced lunch at each school. In addition, the Alliance disburses funds to McKinney Vento and Special Education students, as well as students enrolled in both Summer School and the Office of African American Male Achievement programs. These funds are available to students and families and are approved by the school principal, allowing them to be used for essentials like warm clothing, food, shelter, and school supplies. Since its inception, the Right Now Needs Fund has allocated $6 million towards supporting students. In 2024 alone, over $1,151,000 was disbursed to meet the urgent needs of students and families, emphasizing the impactful and ongoing nature of this program. Other Investments: The Alliance raises dollars to support initiatives that advance racial equity and educational excellence in Seattle Public Schools. In 2024, the Alliance continued supports for Seattle Public School's Office of African American Male Achievement and school culture improvements.
  2. $889,768 spent. Affiliated school activities:The Alliance provides fiscal support services for groups raising funds and conducting programs to benefit students and schools. In 2024, the Alliance disbursed over $888,234 for instructional support, scholarships, awards, materials, trainings, extracurricular programs, and other school-related activities through our fiscal sponsorship programs.

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

  1. 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 September 7, 2026.

  2. 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 September 30, 2026.

  3. 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 September 10, 2026.

  4. 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 September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since August 1996.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. 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 7, 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.