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Cabrillo Education Foundation

EIN 94-2976402 · Half Moon Bay, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood73 out of 100GovernanceGood84 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

CEF IS SERVING AS A STUDENT SUCCESS INNOVATION FUND TO PROMOTE NEW, CREATIVE AND POWERFUL INITIATIVES TO IMPROVE STUDENTS' EDUCATION IN OUR COMMUNITY. IT IS AN ADVOCATE FOR AND FUNDS HIGH LEVERAGE PROGRAMS THAT HAVE WELL DEFINED OUTCOMES AND CAN MAKE "BIG IMPACTS" FOR STUDENT SUCCESS. IN COLLABORATION WITH COASTSIDE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, CEF IDENTIFIES CLEAR GOALS, STRATEGIES, AND RESOURCES REQUIRED FOR EACH INITIATIVE TO ACHIEVE RESULTS. THERE ARE SEVERAL MAJOR THEMES FOR CEF BASIC GRANT MAKING AT THIS TIME: - LITERACY (K-3) - COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS (AVID 6TH - 12TH GRADES, SCIENCE, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL WELL BEING) - LEARNING AND ENRICHMENT (INNOVATION GRANTS) GRANTS IN THESE AREAS HAVE FUNDED AND PROMOTED TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND INFORMATIONAL LIBRARIES THAT SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE OUR STUDENTS' READING PROFICIENCY BY THE END OF THIRD GRADE. CEF HAS ALSO BEEN ABLE TO EXPAND THE OUTCOME BASED COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS PROGRAM (AVID) FROM 6TH THROUGH 12TH GRADE. CEF LEV

Income
$309,915
Spending
$415,604
Spent on programs
76%
Reserves
8.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 57%
Employees
1
Volunteers
30
Highest pay
$112,750, executive di

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 73 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 8.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 34% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 1% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    76% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 25 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 84 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    4 of 4 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

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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, 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)
  1. $314,696 spent. CEF ACHIEVEMENTS FOR 2025 THE CABRILLO EDUCATION FOUNDATION (CEF) FUNDED PROGRAM SERVICES FOR 3,200 CABRILLO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENTS COVERING THREE VITAL EDUCATION PILLARS: SCIENCE, MATH, AND COLLEGE & CAREER READINESS. IN ADDITION TO SUPPORTING CRITICAL SCHOOL PROGRAMS, CEF ALSO PROVIDED YEARLY TEACHER INNOVATION GRANTS AND COASTSIDE FUTURES STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS. SCIENCE PROGRAMS: APPROXIMATELY 2000 STUDENTS BENEFITED FROM DEDICATED FACULTY-DIRECTED MONTHLY COLLABORATION TIME TO ASSIST DISTRICT SCIENCE TEACHERS FROM 5TH GRADE TO 12TH GRADE IN BECOMING MODELS AND EXPERTS IN NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS. CEF PARTNERED WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO PROVIDE 107,000 FOR A 5TH GRADE SCIENCE SPECIALIST POSITION FOR THE 9TH YEAR. WITH THE SUPPORT OF CEF, THE 5TH GRADE SCIENCE TEACHER CONTINUED TO TEACH 5TH GRADE LAB SCIENCE TO APPROXIMATELY 250 STUDENTS AT ALL FOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. MATH PROGRAM: CEF FUNDING SUPPORTED THE 6TH - 12TH GRADE MATH TEACHERS IN A MONTHLY COLLABORATION, WHICH WAS KEY TO CONTINUE TO ALIGN THE NEW CURRICULUM ADOPTION. COLLEGE & CAREER READINESS: CEF FUNDED THE REAL LIFE LEARNING (RLL) COORDINATOR AND PROGRAM AT HALF MOON BAY HS, WHICH GIVES ALL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPLORE CAREER PATHWAYS THROUGH COMMUNITY SERVICE AND WORK-BASED LEARNING. INNOVATION GRANTS: CEF FUNDED 11 INNOVATION GRANTS (1000 EACH) TO TEACHERS WITHIN THE CUSD SCHOOLS. THESE GRANTS ALLOW TEACHERS TO THINK OUTSIDE OF THEIR STANDARD CURRICULUM. FOR EXAMPLE, FUNDING PROVIDES ENGAGING MATERIALS FOR THE 5TH GRADE SCIENCE CURRICULUM, EDUCATIONAL GAMES & SUPPLIES TO HELP DEVELOP BASIC STEM SKILLS, AND A HORSE CLASS FOR THE STUDENTS AT PILARCITOS, THE CUSD ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOL. COASTSIDE FUTURES/SCHOLARSHIPS: IN 2025, CEF CONTINUED ITS COLLABORATION WITH COLLEGE FUTURES IN THE COASTSIDE FUTURES INITIATIVE. COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS FROM 1,000 TO 5,000 WERE GRANTED TO 15 UNDER RESOURCED STUDENTS AT HALF MOON BAY HIGH SCHOOL TO FURTHER THEIR EDUCATION. CEF ACHIEVEMENTS FOR 2025 THE CABRILLO EDUCATION FOUNDATION (CEF) FUNDED PROGRAM SERVICES FOR 3,200 CABRILLO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT STUDENTS COVERING THREE VITAL EDUCATION PILLARS: SCIENCE, MATH, AND COLLEGE & CAREER READINESS. IN ADDITION TO SUPPORTING CRITICAL SCHOOL PROGRAMS, CEF ALSO PROVIDED YEARLY TEACHER INNOVATION GRANTS AND COASTSIDE FUTURES STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS. SCIENCE PROGRAMS: APPROXIMATELY 2000 STUDENTS BENEFITED FROM DEDICATED FACULTY-DIRECTED MONTHLY COLLABORATION TIME TO ASSIST DISTRICT SCIENCE TEACHERS FROM 5TH GRADE TO 12TH GRADE IN BECOMING MODELS AND EXPERTS IN NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS. CEF PARTNERED WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO PROVIDE 107,000 FOR A 5TH GRADE SCIENCE SPECIALIST POSITION FOR THE 9TH YEAR. WITH THE SUPPORT OF CEF, THE 5TH GRADE SCIENCE TEACHER CONTINUED TO TEACH 5TH GRADE LAB SCIENCE TO APPROXIMATELY 250 STUDENTS AT ALL FOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. MATH PROGRAM: CEF FUNDING SUPPORTED THE 6TH - 12TH GRADE MATH TEACHERS IN A MONTHLY COLLABORATION, WHICH WAS KEY TO CONTINUE TO ALIGN THE NEW CURRICULUM ADOPTION. COLLEGE & CAREER READINESS: CEF FUNDED THE REAL LIFE LEARNING (RLL) COORDINATOR AND PROGRAM AT HALF MOON BAY HS, WHICH GIVES ALL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPLORE CAREER PATHWAYS THROUGH COMMUNITY SERVICE AND WORK-BASED LEARNING. INNOVATION GRANTS: CEF FUNDED 11 INNOVATION GRANTS (1000 EACH) TO TEACHERS WITHIN THE CUSD SCHOOLS. THESE GRANTS ALLOW TEACHERS TO THINK OUTSIDE OF THEIR STANDARD CURRICULUM. FOR EXAMPLE, FUNDING PROVIDES ENGAGING MATERIALS FOR THE 5TH GRADE SCIENCE CURRICULUM, EDUCATIONAL GAMES & SUPPLIES TO HELP DEVELOP BASIC STEM SKILLS, AND A HORSE CLASS FOR THE STUDENTS AT PILARCITOS, THE CUSD ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOL. COASTSIDE FUTURES/SCHOLARSHIPS: IN 2025, CEF CONTINUED ITS COLLABORATION WITH COLLEGE FUTURES IN THE COASTSIDE FUTURES INITIATIVE. COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS FROM 1,000 TO 5,000 WERE GRANTED TO 15 UNDER RESOURCED STUDENTS AT HALF MOON BAY HIGH SCHOOL TO FURTHER THEIR EDUCATION.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since June 1986.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 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.