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The Institute for Educational Advancement

EIN 95-4695698 · Pasadena, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood74 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATIONAL ADVANCEMENT (IEA) IS DEDICATED TO THE INTELLECTUAL, CREATIVE, AND PERSONAL GROWTH IN OUR NATION'S GIFTED AND HIGH POTENTIAL YOUTH. CENTRAL TO THE MISSION OF IEA IS A COMMITMENT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE WHOLE CHILD THROUGH ENGAGING LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT PROMOTE OPTIMAL CHALLENGE, MENTORSHIP, EXPLORATION OF IDEAS, AND RECOGNITION OF PERSONAL POTENTIAL. IEA SEEKS TO CONNECT LIKE-MINDED INDIVIDUALS AND SUPPORTS A DIVERSE COMMUNITY THAT CREATES A SENSE OF BELONGING AND AFFIRMATION.

Income
$2.8 million
Spending
$3.1 million
Spent on programs
81%
Reserves
4.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 69%
Employees
54
Volunteers
69
Highest pay
$327,391, president emeritus, senior advisor

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: 74 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 12% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 36% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    81% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 24 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

    10 of 13 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 (4)
  1. $1.4 million spent. THE CAROLINE D. BRADLEY (CDB) SCHOLARSHIP IS A HIGHLY SELECTIVE SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY THAT IDENTIFIES EXCEPTIONALLY GIFTED MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS AND REWARDS THEM WITH A FOUR-YEAR SCHOLARSHIP TO A HIGH SCHOOL THAT BEST FITS THEIR INTELLECTUAL AND PERSONAL NEEDS. AS PART OF THE SCHOLARSHIP, IEA OFFERS PERSONALIZED GUIDANCE DURING THE SCHOOL SEARCH PROCESS AND GUIDANCE THROUGHOUT THE SCHOLAR'S HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE. IN 2024, IEA NAMED 26 NEW CAROLINE D. BRADLEY SCHOLARS, WHO WILL RECEIVE FOUR-YEAR, FULL-TUITION SCHOLARSHIPS TO THE HIGH SCHOOLS THAT BEST FIT THEIR PERSONAL AND ACADEMIC NEEDS. THESE SCHOLARS JOINED THE CURRENT COHORT OF STUDENTS, BRINGING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED TO 191 STUDENTS. THE CAROLINE D. BRADLEY (CDB) SCHOLARSHIP IS A HIGHLY SELECTIVE SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY THAT IDENTIFIES EXCEPTIONALLY GIFTED MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS AND REWARDS THEM WITH A FOUR-YEAR SCHOLARSHIP TO A HIGH SCHOOL THAT BEST FITS THEIR INTELLECTUAL AND PERSONAL NEEDS. AS PART OF THE SCHOLARSHIP, IEA OFFERS PERSONALIZED GUIDANCE DURING THE SCHOOL SEARCH PROCESS AND GUIDANCE THROUGHOUT THE SCHOLAR'S HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE. IN 2024, IEA NAMED 26 NEW CAROLINE D. BRADLEY SCHOLARS, WHO WILL RECEIVE FOUR-YEAR, FULL-TUITION SCHOLARSHIPS TO THE HIGH SCHOOLS THAT BEST FIT THEIR PERSONAL AND ACADEMIC NEEDS. THESE SCHOLARS JOINED THE CURRENT COHORT OF STUDENTS, BRINGING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED TO 191 STUDENTS.
  2. $503,112 spent. THE IEA ACADEMY PROGRAM PROVIDES STUDENTS IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 8TH GRADE WITH ADVANCED ENRICHMENT CLASSES THAT PROMOTE EXPLORATION AND APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE. COURSES PROVIDE COMPELLING CONTENT AND APPROPRIATE CHALLENGES TAUGHT AT A FLEXIBLE PACE WITH SMALL CLASSES BY HIGHLY QUALIFIED, DEDICATED PROFESSIONALS. DUE TO COVID 19, IEA ADDED PROGRAMMING IN A VIRTUAL FORMAT, WHICH ALSO ALLOWED THE PROGRAM TO SERVE STUDENTS NATIONALLY. IN 2024, ACADEMY FILLED 825 SEATS. THE IEA ACADEMY PROGRAM PROVIDES STUDENTS IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 8TH GRADE WITH ADVANCED ENRICHMENT CLASSES THAT PROMOTE EXPLORATION AND APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE. COURSES PROVIDE COMPELLING CONTENT AND APPROPRIATE CHALLENGES TAUGHT AT A FLEXIBLE PACE WITH SMALL CLASSES BY HIGHLY QUALIFIED, DEDICATED PROFESSIONALS. DUE TO COVID 19, IEA ADDED PROGRAMMING IN A VIRTUAL FORMAT, WHICH ALSO ALLOWED THE PROGRAM TO SERVE STUDENTS NATIONALLY. IN 2024, ACADEMY FILLED 825 SEATS.
  3. $336,745 spent. YUNASA SUMMER CAMPS FOR GIFTED YOUTH PROVIDE EXCEPTIONALLY CAPABLE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH A WEEK-LONG RESIDENTIAL SUMMER EXPERIENCE. THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO SERVE HIGHLY-GIFTED YOUNGSTERS AGES 10 TO 14 WHO ARE ENGAGED IN A MIDDLE SCHOOL CURRICULUM. YUNASA TEACHES PARTICIPANTS TO BALANCE THEIR INTELLECTUAL GIFTS WITH THEIR EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL, SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH SELF REFLECTION AND PERSONAL APPLICATION. YUNASA ALSO OFFERS AN EMERGING LEADER PROGRAM FOR RETURNING CAMPERS AGES 15 AND 16 AND A COUNSELOR-IN-TRAINING EXPERIENCE FOR ITS 16 AND 17 YEAR OLD VETERANS. IN 2024, YUNASA FILLED 135 SEATS OF GIFTED YOUTH AGES 10-17. YUNASA SUMMER CAMPS FOR GIFTED YOUTH PROVIDE EXCEPTIONALLY CAPABLE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH A WEEK-LONG RESIDENTIAL SUMMER EXPERIENCE. THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO SERVE HIGHLY-GIFTED YOUNGSTERS AGES 10 TO 14 WHO ARE ENGAGED IN A MIDDLE SCHOOL CURRICULUM. YUNASA TEACHES PARTICIPANTS TO BALANCE THEIR INTELLECTUAL GIFTS WITH THEIR EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL, SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH SELF REFLECTION AND PERSONAL APPLICATION. YUNASA ALSO OFFERS AN EMERGING LEADER PROGRAM FOR RETURNING CAMPERS AGES 15 AND 16 AND A COUNSELOR-IN-TRAINING EXPERIENCE FOR ITS 16 AND 17 YEAR OLD VETERANS. IN 2024, YUNASA FILLED 135 SEATS OF GIFTED YOUTH AGES 10-17.
  4. $299,970 spent. EXTERNSHIPS PROVIDING LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES IN RESEARCH AND EDUCATION (EXPLORE) INCLUDES ALL OF IEA'S EDUCATIONAL ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR GIFTED AND ADVANCED HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. IN 2024, EXPLORE FILLED 41 SEATS OF GIFTED YOUTH AGES 16+.

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 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 2024.

    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 September 1998.

    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.