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10000 Degrees

EIN 95-3667812 · San Rafael, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

10,000 DEGREES IS A LEADING COLLEGE SUCCESS NONPROFIT IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA. WE HELP STUDENTS FROM LOW-INCOME BACKGROUNDS GAIN ACCESS TO AND COMPLETE HIGHER EDUCATION TO POSITIVELY IMPACT THEIR COMMUNITIES AND THE WORLD. SPECIFICALLY, WE DELIVER NEAR-PEER ADVISING AROUND COLLEGE ACCESS, ENROLLMENT, AND GRADUATION AS WELL AS ONE-ON-ONE FINANCIAL AID SUPPORT AND MANAGEMENT. WE ALSO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE COLLEGE SUCCESS PROGRAMMING AND FINANCIAL AID SUPPORT AFTER STUDENTS ENROLL IN COLLEGE. OUR COLLEGE SUCCESS SUPPORT INCLUDES SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS AS WELL AS ON-CAMPUS OFFICE HOURS, NEAR-PEER ADVISING, AN INNOVATIVE TEXTING PLATFORM, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND PAID SUMMER INTERNSHIPS FOR CURRENT COLLEGE STUDENTS.

Income
$25.9 million
Spending
$20.2 million
Spent on programs
73%
Reserves
4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 95%
Employees
148
Volunteers
120
Highest pay
$286,975, president & ceo

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

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 79% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 11% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 22% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 65% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    73% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    29 of 30 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 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)
  1. $8.3 million spent. COLLEGE SUCCESS AND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMSTHE ORGANIZATION'S COLLEGE SUCCESS PROGRAM SUPPORTS STUDENTS FROM LOW-INCOME BACKGROUNDS THROUGH COLLEGE TO ACHIEVE A BACCALAUREATE AND GRADUATE CAREER READY. WITH THIS SUPPORT, OVER 80% OF THE ORGANIZATION'S FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE STUDENTS EARN BACHELOR'S DEGREES DOUBLE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. FOR THOSE WHO START AT COMMUNITY COLLEGE, THE ORGANIZATION'S STUDENTS TRANSFER TO AND GRADUATE FROM FOUR-YEAR COLLEGES AT DOUBLE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. PROGRAM PARTICIPATION IS NOT LIMITED BY ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS OR TEST SCORES. THE COLLEGE SUCCESS PROGRAM STAFF TRUSTS AND BELIEVES IN EACH STUDENT'S STRENGTHS AND GOALS AS THEY HELP THEM ACHIEVE THEIR DREAM OF GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE.FOR THIS PROGRAM, THE ORGANIZATION'S SERVICES INCLUDE ON-CAMPUS AND VIRTUAL OFFICE HOURS AT LOCAL COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND STATE UNIVERSITIES, NEAR-PEER ADVISING, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CAMPUS COMMUNITY THAT FOSTERS CAMPUS CONNECTIONS AND ASSISTS STUDENTS IN ACTIVATING RESOURCES AND NAVIGATING OPPORTUNITIES. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO OFFERS REGULAR PUBLIC WORKSHOPS ON FINANCIAL AID, COLLEGE KNOWLEDGE AND RESOURCES, AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT.IN ADDITION TO COLLEGE SUCCESS SUPPORT, THE ORGANIZATION AWARDS UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIPS AS WELL AS ADMINISTERS ADDITIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS FOR MORE THAN 95 FOUNDATIONS, CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS, AND INDIVIDUALS. ADDITIONALLY, THE ORGANIZATION ADMINISTERS PROFILE-SPECIFIC SCHOLARSHIPS FOR QUALIFYING UNDERGRADUATES, INCLUDING SCHOLARSHIPS FOR TEACHER AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING AS WELL AS SCHOLARSHIPS TO HELP COVER THE COST OF CHILDCARE WHILE IN SCHOOL. SINCE 1986, THE ORGANIZATION HAS ADMINISTERED THE DONOR ADVISED SCHOLARSHIPS OF THE MARIN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION (MCF). LIKEWISE, SINCE 2014, THE ORGANIZATION HAS ADMINISTERED THE DONOR ADVISED SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SONOMA COUNTY.
  2. $5.3 million spent. COLLEGE ACCESS PROGRAMSTHE ORGANIZATION'S COLLEGE ACCESS PROGRAM PROVIDES THE PREPARATION, RELEVANT INFORMATION, AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO HELP STUDENTS GET ACCEPTED INTO COLLEGE. THE COLLEGE ACCESS PROGRAM STAFF ALSO SEEKS TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT PROMOTES EDUCATIONAL EQUITY VIA COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES COLLEGE PREPARATION, COLLEGE AND FINANCIAL AID COUNSELING, AND FAFSA AND CALIFORNIA DREAM ACT APPLICATION COMPLETION AMONG A SERIES OF OTHER PUBLIC WORKSHOPS, ENSURING THAT STUDENTS AND FAMILIES ENROLL IN COLLEGE SUCCESSFULLY. THROUGH THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE SUCCESS PROGRAM, THE ORGANIZATION'S STAFF WORKS ON CAMPUS WITH COMMUNITY COLLEGE-BOUND HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS ENSURING THEY ARE PREPARED AND SUPPORTED TO SUCCEED AT COMMUNITY COLLEGE.THROUGH ITS INNOVATIVE MODEL, THE ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY SCALE ITS PROGRAMS WITHOUT COMPROMISING ITS COLLEGE SUCCESS METRICS. FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025, THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDED DIRECT SUPPORT TO ALMOST 4,400 COLLEGE STUDENTS. THE ORGANIZATION IS CURRENTLY WORKING IN 44 HIGH SCHOOLS, 40 COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND 197 FOUR-YEAR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ACROSS THE NATION.
  3. $1.2 million spent. FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMTHE ORGANIZATION'S PROGRAM SUCCESS IS POWERED BY ITS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM'S FELLOWS ARE RECENT COLLEGE GRADUATES FROM LOW-INCOME BACKGROUNDS, MOST OF WHOM ARE ALUMNI OF THE ORGANIZATION'S PROGRAMS. THE FELLOWS COME BACK TO SERVE IN TWO-TO THREE-YEAR FELLOWSHIPS IN PROGRAM LEADERSHIP ROLES WHERE THEY SUPPORT STUDENTS AND FAMILIES THROUGHOUT THEIR COLLEGE JOURNEYS.FELLOWS GAIN HANDS-ON LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE WHICH CONTRIBUTES TO THE SUCCESS AND EFFICACY OF THE ORGANIZATION'S PROGRAMS. AS RECENT COLLEGE GRADUATES FROM LOW-INCOME BACKGROUNDS, THE FELLOWS HAVE DEEP CONTENT EXPERTISE AND CULTURAL AWARENESS OF THE CHALLENGES STUDENTS FACE. THE ORGANIZATION'S NEAR-PEER ROLE MODELING HELPS STUDENTS UNDERSTAND, NAVIGATE, AND MANAGE THE ENTIRE COLLEGE SUCCESS PROCESS.

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

  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 November 6, 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 June 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 May 1981.

    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 November 4, 2026.

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