Is it real?
Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in May 2011.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File
Where the money goes
88 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.
Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.
Something off? Claim to add context
Who runs it and what they're paid
9 people listed on the 990; $44K paid to officers and key staff.
Martha T Cummings’s $84K as Director is at the 73rd percentile of top reported officer pay among 1636 $100K–1M international nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.
Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 1 named individual · Part VII
| Name | FY2025 | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | FY2021 | FY2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martha T Cummings | $83,600 | $83,600 | $83,600 | $83,600 | $43,600 | $43,600 |
Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.
See Universal Promise executive salaries →Questions the 990 asks
The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.
- Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
- Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes
Programs and updates
Provides resources and support to help people achieve their goals.
Questions for Universal Promise
Your first name shows with your question. Universal Promise answers here, for everyone.
UP invests in education across the spectrum of traditional school, career-training, and healthcare The three domains work in concert to provide the best chances for a learner's success in a traditional school. Education, financial independence, and good health are inextricably linked
UP raises funds for the renovation of facilities in South Africa, to bring the most needy facilities up to a proper standard. UP works with local personnel to evaluate a timely and quality execution of projects, an adherence to our mission, and a broad population impact
UP provides elementary, secondary, and tertiary school students with school uniforms, which are required for school attendance in South Africa, and other educational materials to arm them with the materials they require to enhance their chances of success
Funders
Who pays for it.
From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.
Grants
By the numbers
The FY2021 990, line by line.
Download 990
| Line | Start FY21 | End FY21 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and savingsLn 1–2 | $131K | $152K |
| Total assetsLn 16 | $132K | $152K |
| LiabilitiesLn 26 | $12K | $1K |
| Net assetsLn 32 | $120K | $151K |
| Line | Total | Programs | Management | Fundraising |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3 | $93K | $93K | ||
| Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5 | $44K | $44K | $0 | $0 |
| Other employee benefitsLn 9 | $352 | $352 | $0 | $0 |
| Payroll taxesLn 10 | $4K | $4K | $0 | $0 |
| Management feesLn 11a | $600 | $600 | $0 | $0 |
| Accounting feesLn 11c | $432 | $0 | $432 | $0 |
| Office expensesLn 13 | $226 | $226 | $0 | $0 |
| OccupancyLn 16 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| InsuranceLn 23 | $3K | $3K | $0 | $0 |
| Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24 | $26K | $5K | $1K | $20K |
| Total functional expensesLn 25 | $170K | $149K | $2K | $20K |
Filing history
| Year | Money in | Money out | In minus out | Net assets | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 LatestFiled with the IRS May 13, 2026 | $303K | $265K | $39K | $261K | 990 PDF |
| FY2024Filed with the IRS Apr 25, 2025 | $284K | $236K | $48K | $222K | 990 PDF |
| FY2023Filed with the IRS May 4, 2024 | $276K | $235K | $41K | $174K | 990 PDF |
| FY2022Filed with the IRS May 15, 2023 | $221K | $229K | −$8K | $143K | 990 PDF |
| FY2021 ViewingFiled with the IRS Apr 29, 2022 | $201K | $170K | $31K | $151K | 990 PDF |
| FY2020Filed with the IRS May 5, 2021 | $115K | $129K | −$13K | $120K | 990 PDF |
Schedules filed Part IV
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $201,076 revenue, 12 lines filed
Part VI · Governance 9 of 9 board members independent, no flags
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $201,076 across 6 lines filed
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $170,086 across 10 lines filed
Part X · Balance sheet $152,296 assets, 9 lines filed
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $150,996 net assets at year end
Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File
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