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South Pasadena Educational Foundation

EIN 95-3532316 · S Pasadena, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood89 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

FOUNDED IN 1980 BY A GROUP OF PASSIONATE PARENTS, SOUTH PASADENA EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION (SPEF) IS DEDICATED TO PROMOTING EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE IN THE SOUTH PASADENA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT THROUGH VARIOUS FUNDRAISING AND ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS. ADMINISTERED BY A VOLUNTEER BOARD OF DIRECTORS COMPOSED OF PARENTS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND BUSINESS LEADERS, SPEF PROVIDES MUCH NEEDED SUPPORT TO THE STUDENTS IN SOUTH PASADENA IN ALL EDUCATIONAL AREAS INCLUDING ACADEMICS, CURRICULUM AND TECHNOLOGY, LIBRARY SERVICES AND SUPPORT, VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS, SCIENCE, CHARACTER BUILDING EDUCATION, COUNSELING SERVICES, AND ATHLETICS. DONATIONS TO SPEF SUPPORT SOUTH PASADENA'S FIVE PUBLIC SCHOOLS: ARROYO VISTA ELEMENTARY, MARENGO ELEMENTARY, MONTEREY HILLS ELEMENTARY, SOUTH PASADENA MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND SOUTH PASADENA HIGH SCHOOL. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, SPEF HAS RAISED CLOSE TO TEN MILLION DOLLARS TO RESTORE AND ENRICH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS BEYOND THAT WHICH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS ABLE TO FUND.

Income
$3.0 million
Spending
$2.6 million
Spent on programs
88%
Reserves
11.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 74%
Employees
158
Volunteers
300
Highest pay
$105,492, executive director

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

Financial health

Good: 89 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 11.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 19% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 11% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 13% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    88% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 20 cents.

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

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    32 of 32 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 July 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 (3)
  1. $853,274 spent. GRANTS TO THE SOUTH PASADENA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT PROVIDE ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE DISTRICT. THROUGH SPEF'S MAJOR GRANTS COMMITTEE, SPEF WILL CONTINUE TO HELP FUND THE DISTRICT'S INITIATIVE TO IMPROVE CAMPUS-WIDE STUDENT SOCIO-EMOTIONAL HEALTH THROUGH TEACHER TRAINING ON POSITIVE BEHAVIOR REINFORCEMENT, PROMOTION OF SELF-REGULATION TECHNIQUES, AND GREATER USE OF SMALL GROUP PEER COUNSELING FOR STUDENTS THAT NEED SUPPORT. SPEF ALSO FUNDED THE LAUNCH SCIENCE CURRICULUM FOR $100,000 TO BRING THE NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS AND NEW SCIENCE CURRICULUM INTO THE ELEMENTARY CLASSES.
  2. $1.3 million spent. SPEF RUNS AFTERSCHOOL ENRICHMENT CLASSES, THE ANNUAL 5TH GRADE MUSICAL, SUMMER SCHOOL AND SUMMER CAMPS. THE SPEF SUMMER SCHOOL SERVES OVER 2,000 CHILDREN FROM KINDERGARTEN TO 12TH GRADE. OUR ANNUAL 5TH GRADE MUSICAL BRINGS 5TH GRADERS FROM ALL THREE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TOGETHER TO LEARN ABOUT AND PERFORM A MUSICAL FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. SPEF'S BASKETBALL & LEADERSHIP SKILLS CAMP IS AN ANNUAL CAMP IN WE COLLABORATE WITH A.C. GREEN TO BRING HIS COACHES AND CURRICULUM TO THE SOUTH PASADENA SUMMER CAMPS AND WORK WITH STUDENTS. IN ADDITION TO TEACHING AND DEVELOPING BASKETBALL SKILLS, THE CAMP PROVIDES AN ENVIRONMENT PROMOTING CHARACTER AND CONFIDENCE BUILDING FOR THE STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATE.
  3. $186,256 spent. THE TEACHER DIRECT GRANTS ALLOW TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF TO APPLY FOR GRANTS UP TO $4,500 TO IMPLEMENT UNIQUE PROGRAMS IN THEIR CLASSROOMS, HELPING THEM ENHANCE THE CURRICULUM TO MEET THE NEEDS OF ALL STUDENTS, AND TO IGNITE CURIOSITY. TEACHER DIRECT GRANTS AFFECT ALL CURRICULUMS SUCH AS SCIENCE, WITH THE "JUICE FOR JUICE" CHEMISTRY GRANT; ENGINEERING, WITH THE "FEMINEER PROGRAM" WHICH ENGAGES K-12 GIRLS IN STEM; LEARNING TO CODE, WITH OUR OZOBOTS GRANT, AND LITERACY AND MUSIC, WITH THE "MUSIC TOUCHES EVERYBODY" LIBRARY GRANT. STANDING DESKS WERE PURCHASED TO IMPROVE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CLASSROOMS FOR STUDENTS WITH ADHD, AND KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS' CREATIVITY WERE ENCOURAGED WITH THE IMAGINATION PLAYGROUND GRANT.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 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 July 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 October 1980.

    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.