College Match
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
COLLEGE MATCH PARTNERS WITH HIGH SCHOOLS IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY TO IDENTIFY HIGH-ACHIEVING, LOW-INCOME HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND PROVIDE THEM WITH THE NECESSARY TOOLS AND GUIDANCE TO GET INTO TOP-RANKED COLLEGES WITH SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL AID PACKAGES AND SUCCEED ONCE THERE. COLLEGE MATCH DOES SO THROUGH THREE MAIN ACTIVATES: COLLEGE APPLICATION SUPPORT, FINANCIAL SUPPORT, AND COLLEGE SUCCESS SUPPORT.
- Income
- $814,347
- Spending
- $5,490
- Spent on programs
- 53%
- Reserves
- Over 10 years of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 99%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 95
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
We do not score finances when yearly spending is very small or the return has too little detail. The ratios stop meaning much at that size.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Fair: 59 out of 100. Higher than 32% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 7 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
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
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 (1)
- $2,885 spent. COLLEGE APPLICATION SUPPORT ENTAILS WORKING WITH STUDENTS SELECTED FOR COLLEGE MATCH TO IMPROVE THEIR CHANGES OF ADMISSION INTO TOP 4-YEAR COLLEGES. COLLEGE MATCH PARTNERS WITH PUBLIC AND CHARTER HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY AND IS CURRENTLY PARTNERED WITH 31 SUCH HIGH SCHOOLS. SCHOOL COUNSELORS IDENTIFY HIGH-ACHIEVING LOW-INCOME STUDENTS DURING THEIR FIRST SEMESTER OF JUNIOR YEAR, AND THE IDENTIFIED STUDENTS CAN THEN APPLY TO JOIN COLLEGE MATCH. ONCE ACCEPTED, STUDENTS BEGIN RECEIVING COLLEGE APPLICATION SUPPORT, WHICH RUNS FROM THE SECOND SEMESTER OF JUNIOR YEAR THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION. COLLEGE MATCH PAIRS STUDENTS WITH COLLEGE COUNSELORS TO HELP PREPARE AND SUBMIT APPLICATIONS, GIVES STUDENTS ACCESS TO ACADEMIC TUTORS AND ADDITIONAL OPTIONAL SAT TUTORING, AND TAKES STUDENTS ON COLLEGE VISITS (TYPICALLY ABOUT 15 VISITS PER STUDENT), INCLUDING A TRIP THE EAST COAST, WHERE COLLEGE MATCH COVERS THE COST OF THE VISIT FOR THE LOW-INCOME STUDENTS.FINANCIAL SUPPORT ENTAILS WORKING WITH STUDENTS IN COLLEGE MATCH TO MAKE ATTENDING THE COLLEGE OF THEIR CHOICE AFFORDABLE AND ATTAINABLE. THIS INCLUDES HELPING STUDENTS APPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID, IDENTIFYING GRANTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS, AND PROVIDING STUDENTS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS SPECIFIC TO COLLEGE MATCH. ALL STUDENTS ATTEND A FINANCIAL AID WORKSHOP, RECEIVE INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT FROM VOLUNTEERS TO HELP ANALYZE FINANCIAL AID OFFERS SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF EACH COLLEGE CHOICE, AND ARE ELIGIBLE FOR NOMINATION BY THEIR COUNSELOR FOR COLLEGE MATCH SCHOLARSHIPS.COLLEGE SUCCESS SUPPORT ENTAILS WORKING WITH STUDENTS IN COLLEGE MATCH WHO ENROLL IN COLLEGE TO ENSURE THEY HAVE THE ASSISTANCE NEEDED TO BE SUCCESSFUL. RIGHT NOW, COLLEGE SUCCESS SUPPORT CONSISTS OF MAKING EMERGENCY FUNDING AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS IN COLLEGE MATCH ATTENDING COLLEGE, AS DISCUSSED FURTHER IN SCHEDULE H, PROVIDING ACCESS TO PEER-TO-PEER NETWORKS THAT OFFER SOCIAL CONNECTION AND ADVICE, AND BEING AVAILABLE TO RESPOND TO STUDENT NEEDS. FURTHER, COLLEGE MATCH HAS LAUNCHED THE CAREER LAUNCH INITIATIVE. THE PLAN IS TO HAVE A DEDICATED TEAM TO BUILD OUT THE CAREER SUPPORT PIPELINE. THIS TEAM WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTING YEAR-ROUND CAREER PREPARATION WORKSHOPS AND EXPERIENCES INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED, TO NETWORKING EVENTS, SUMMER INTERNSHIPS, AND ALUMNI SUPPORT GROUPS.COLLEGE MATCH'S ACTIVITIES ARE LED BY ITS PROGRAM TEAM, COMPRISED OF THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR, THE DIRECTOR OF HIGH SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS, AND THE DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE PARTNERSHIPS. THE PROGRAM TEAM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IDENTIFYING ELIGIBLE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, COORDINATING COLLEGE VISITS, AND TRAINING VOLUNTEERS.THE DIRECTOR OF HIGH SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS IS MORE SPECIFICALLY INVOLVED WITH WORKING WITH THE HIGH SCHOOLS THAT PARTNER WITH COLLEGE MATCH. THE DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE PARTNERSHIPS IS MORE SPECIFICALLY INVOLVED WITH BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH COLLEGE ADMISSIONS OFFICES AND ADVOCATING ON BEHALF OF STUDENTS IN COLLEGE MATCH. THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR FULFILLS A MORE GENERAL ROLE.ADDITIONALLY, EACH MEMBER OF THE PROGRAM TEAM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SERVING AS A COLLEGE COUNSELOR FOR A COHORT OF STUDENTS IN COLLEGE MATCH. VOLUNTEER COUNSELORS WORK WITH THE REMAINING STUDENTS IN COLLEGE MATCH DURING THE COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS, WHILE ACADEMIC TUTORING IS OUTSOURCED TO A THIRD-PARTY TUTORING SERVICE.THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR HOSTS THE FINANCIAL AID WORKSHOP, WHICH IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY VOLUNTEERS. THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR ALSO TRAINS THESE VOLUNTEERS, WHO THEN WORK WITH STUDENTS TO ANALYZE FINANCIAL AID PACKAGES RECEIVED. STAFF MEMBERS ANALYZE SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS AND PROCESS PAYMENTS.STUDENTS IN COLLEGE MATCH MEET WITH THEIR COUNSELORS AND TUTORS, AS WELL AS WITH VOLUNTEERS ADVISING ON FINANCIAL AID, AT THEIR HIGH SCHOOL OR IN OTHER LOCATIONS THAT ARE CONVENIENT, INCLUDING OVER ONLINE VIDEO CALLS. COLLEGE VISITS OCCUR ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND ANY ONGOING PROGRAMS OR OUTREACH TO STUDENTS IN COLLEGE MATCH ATTENDING COLLEGE TAKE PLACE AT THOSE COLLEGES OR VIRTUALLY.ABOUT 65% OF COLLEGE MATCH'S TIME GOES TO COLLEGE APPLICATION SUPPORT. ABOUT 10% GOES TO FINANCIAL SUPPORT. ABOUT 25% GOES TO COLLEGE SUCCESS SUPPORT.FUNDING AT COLLEGE MATCH GENERALLY COMES FROM UNRESTRICTED GRANTS AND DONATIONS, BUT THERE ARE SOME DONORS WHO SPECIFY THAT FUNDS ARE TO BE USED FOR SCHOLARSHIPS. IN ADDITION TO SIGNIFICANT GENERAL FUNDRAISING AND GRANT WRITING, COLLEGE MATCH CHARGES A MINIMAL PARTICIPATION FEE TO CHARTER HIGH SCHOOLS ($10,000 PER SCHOOL TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THEIR ABILITY TO PAY, WHICH FEE WAS SUSPENDED DURING COVID) IN ORDER TO RECOVER OUT-OF-POCKET TRAVEL, LODGING, MEAL, AND MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES INCURRED WHEN STUDENTS FROM THE SCHOOL GO ON COLLEGE VISITS. COLLEGE MATCH'S EXPENDITURES ARE ALLOCATED AS FOLLOWS: 65% GO TO COLLEGE APPLICATION SUPPORT, 25% GO TO FINANCIAL SUPPORT (AND THIS INCLUDES THE COLLEGE MATCH SPECIFIC SCHOLARSHIPS), AND 10% GO TO COLLEGE SUCCESS SUPPORT.COLLEGE MATCH'S EXEMPT PURPOSE IS CHARITABLE. ALL OF COLLEGE MATCH'S ACTIVITIES DESCRIBED ABOVE FURTHER COLLEGE MATCH'S CHARITABLE PURPOSE BECAUSE THEY ALL INVOLVE PROVIDING FREE SERVICES TO LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS WOULD OTHERWISE NOT HAVE ACCESS TO, LIKE TUTORING, COLLEGE APPLICATION HELP, FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION HELP AND AWARD ANALYSIS, EMERGENCY COLLEGE FUNDING, AND ONGOING ADVICE AND GUIDANCE DURING COLLEGE.
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 July 2024.
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.
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