To inspire and guide our youth to build confidence for success in higher education

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
83¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$220K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2021 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $109K a year · 40% of revenue · last 6 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
83%
of spending
Looks good: 83% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$220K
to officers and key staff · 49% of spending
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 49% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
5 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 5.1 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
5
named funders · $231K
Looks good: 5 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$141K
20% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 20% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
6
of 6 voting members
Looks good: 6 of 6 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$338K
-8% vs prior year
Spent
$450K
To programs
83%
Net assets
$564K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$338K
FY2021▼ -8%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$367K
FY2021$338K
FY2022$324K
FY2023$318K
FY2024$187K
FY2025$127K
Expenses
$450K
FY2021▼ -38%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$726K
FY2021$450K
FY2022$223K
FY2023$300K
FY2024$304K
FY2025$313K
Net assets
$564K
FY2021▲ +0.9%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$559K
FY2021$564K
FY2022$653K
FY2023$736K
FY2024$673K
FY2025$534K

From the FY2021 Form 990 (year ending June 2021) · see the original

990 PDF Claim
You’re viewing the FY2021 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Dec 2000.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

83 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 83% · $373K Management & general 6% · $25K Fundraising 12% · $52K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

8 people listed on the 990; $220K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2020); the FY2021 filing did not itemize Part VII
President & CEO
$140,902Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Edu
$79,344Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Colleen a Mensel’s $124K as President & CEO is at the 91st percentile of top reported officer pay among 1613 $100K–1M education 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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Colleen a Mensel$123,970$139,776$107,599$118,218$140,902$162,220
Erika Enz————$79,344$116,617

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 Scholars' Hope Foundation executive salaries →

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Inspires and guides youth to build confidence for higher education success.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $373K · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Scholars' hope foundation prepares students the academic and social-emotional challenges of life. Our researched based and results driven curriculum is making an undeniable impact on youth. This impact is demonstrated through higher gpa's, higher college eligibility and preparedness for the demands of college.

$373Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
See all 5 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$338K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$291K
Other incomeLn 4–11$37K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$5K
Money outPt IX
$450K
Ln 25
Programscol B$373K
Managementcol C$25K
Fundraisingcol D$52K
Owns and owesPt X
$564K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$191K
Total assetsLn 16$705K
LiabilitiesLn 26$141K
PeoplePt VI, VII
8
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a6
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$291K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$20K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$5K
Investment incomeLn 3$4K
Other incomeLn 4–11$37K
Gains on assetsLn 7$2K
Total revenueLn 12$338K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$40K
SavingsLn 2$151K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$191K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$4K
Other assetsLn 15$507K
Total assetsLn 16$705K
LiabilitiesLn 26$141K
Net assetsLn 32$564K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 55
VolunteersI 635
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$101K$191K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$12K$4K
Total assetsLn 16$685K$705K
LiabilitiesLn 26$126K$141K
Net assetsLn 32$559K$564K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$220K$220K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$141K$82K$14K$45K
Payroll taxesLn 10$25K$24K$334
Accounting feesLn 11c$6K$568$6K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$7K$4K$3K
Office expensesLn 13$1K$925$108
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$5K$5K$535
InsuranceLn 23$8K$6K$2K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$36K$30K$2K$4K
All other expensesLn 24e$188$99$89
Total functional expensesLn 25$450K$373K$25K$52K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $127K$313K−$186K$534K 990 PDF
FY2024 $187K$304K−$117K$673K 990 PDF
FY2023 $318K$300K$18K$736K 990 PDF
FY2022 $324K$223K$100K$653K 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $338K$450K−$112K$564K 990 PDF
FY2020 $367K$726K−$360K$559K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $337,899 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $280,295$291,172
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $330$5,489
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $18,326$4,023
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $67,767$37,215
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $366,718$337,899
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $574,352$385,680
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $151,868$64,239
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $726,220$449,919
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$359,502−$112,020
Part VI · Governance 6 of 6 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body6
VI-1b Independent voting members6
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $337,899 across 9 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$19,625
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$271,547
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$291,172
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $5,489$5,489
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $2,523$2,523
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission $1,500$1,500
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $37,215$37,215
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $44,204 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $2,523$337,899
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $449,919 across 10 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $220,245$220,245
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $81,882 · Management $14,199 · Fundraising $44,790$140,871
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $24,230 · Management $334$24,564
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $568 · Management $5,633$6,201
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $4,015 · Fundraising $3,186$7,201
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $925 · Management $108$1,033
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $4,812 · Management $535$5,347
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $6,075 · Management $1,953$8,028
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $29,848 · Management $2,070 · Fundraising $4,323$36,241
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $99 · Management $89$188
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $372,699 · Management $24,921 · Fundraising $52,299$449,919
Part X · Balance sheet $704,677 assets, 13 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $99,800$40,276
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $745$150,660
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $989$2,294
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $11,771$4,396
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $569,934$507,051
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $685,041$704,677
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $38,387$1,836
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $87,501$138,782
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $125,888$140,618
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $382,047$386,953
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $177,106$177,106
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $559,153$564,059
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $685,041$704,677
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $564,059 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$337,899
XI-2 Total expenses$449,919
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$112,020
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$559,153
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$116,926
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$564,059

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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