We invest in high-need, high-achieving students who have demonstrated community impact, helping them to and through the nation's most competitive colleges and universities.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
73¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 90 volunteers and 10 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · 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
3 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $19K a year · 2% of revenue · last 6 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
73%
of spending
Fine: 73% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 2.9 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $85K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$119K
31% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 31% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 7 voting members
Looks good: 7 of 7 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.3M
-21% vs prior year
Spent
$1.5M
To programs
73%
Net assets
$270K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$1.3M
FY2025▼ -21%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$648K
FY2021$972K
FY2022$1.0M
FY2023$1.4M
FY2024$1.7M
FY2025$1.3M
Expenses
$1.5M
FY2025▲ +3%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$768K
FY2021$831K
FY2022$1.2M
FY2023$1.3M
FY2024$1.4M
FY2025$1.5M
Net assets
$270K
FY2025▼ -37%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$291K
FY2021$441K
FY2022$167K
FY2023$198K
FY2024$430K
FY2025$270K

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Apr 2015.

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

Where the money goes

73 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 73% · $1.1M Management & general 14% · $215K Fundraising 12% · $185K

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

7 people listed on the 990.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Chairman
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Scott Lee’s $89K as President is at the 25th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3869 $1–10M human services 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

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Scott Lee$88,939$75,623$78,577$63,000$63,000

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 Elevation Scholars INC 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

Supports high-achieving students with community impact to attend and graduate from competitive colleges.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $1.1M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

We invest in high-need, high-achieving students who have demonstrated community impact, helping them to and through the nation's most competitive colleges and universities.

$1.1Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$85K
Grants paid · 6 grants · $1.3M · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$256,146
Unitemized GrantFY2023$293,362
Unitemized GrantFY2022$171,130
Unitemized GrantFY2021$259,903
Unitemized GrantFY2020$271,091
Unitemized GrantFY2019$73,461

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.3M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.3M
Other incomeLn 4–11$17K
Investment incomeLn 3$8K
Money outPt IX
$1.5M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.1M
Managementcol C$215K
Fundraisingcol D$185K
Owns and owesPt X
$270K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$362K
Total assetsLn 16$388K
LiabilitiesLn 26$119K
PeoplePt VI, VII
7
listed · VII A
PaidVII A0
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.3M
Investment incomeLn 3$8K
Other incomeLn 4–11$17K
Total revenueLn 12$1.3M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$362K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$362K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$5K
Other assetsLn 15$10K
Total assetsLn 16$388K
LiabilitiesLn 26$119K
Net assetsLn 32$270K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 510
VolunteersI 690
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 FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$371K$362K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$4K$5K
Total assetsLn 16$558K$388K
LiabilitiesLn 26$128K$119K
Net assetsLn 32$430K$270K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$450K$450K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$680K$462K$121K$97K
Accounting feesLn 11c$33K$33K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$30K$93$30K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$67K$67K
Office expensesLn 13$19K$13K$6K
OccupancyLn 16$30K$30K
TravelLn 17$11K$10K$593$466
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$11K$11K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$2K$2K
InsuranceLn 23$7K$7K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$146K$97K$8K$40K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.5M$1.1M$215K$185K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $1.3M$1.5M−$160K$270K 990 PDF
FY2024 $1.7M$1.4M$232K$430K 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.4M$1.3M$32K$198K 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.0M$1.2M−$240K$167K 990 PDF
FY2021 $972K$831K$141K$441K 990 PDF
FY2020 $648K$768K−$120K$291K 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 FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,326,194 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,584,500$1,301,585
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $1,243$7,882
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $86,550$16,727
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,672,293$1,326,194
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $440,900$449,643
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $677,024$679,988
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $322,862$356,764
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,440,786$1,486,395
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $231,507−$160,201
Part VI · Governance 7 of 7 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members7
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 $1,326,194 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,301,585
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,301,585
VIII-3 Investment incomeUnrelated business $7,882$7,882
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax $16,727$16,727
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $7,882 · Excluded from tax $16,727$1,326,194
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,486,395 across 12 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $449,643$449,643
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $462,256 · Management $120,962 · Fundraising $96,770$679,988
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $33,081$33,081
IX-11g Other fees for servicesManagement $93 · Fundraising $30,044$30,137
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $67,249$67,249
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $13,229 · Fundraising $6,121$19,350
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $30,000$30,000
IX-17 TravelPrograms $9,733 · Management $593 · Fundraising $466$10,792
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsFundraising $11,446$11,446
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $1,951$1,951
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $7,258$7,258
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $97,221 · Management $8,263 · Fundraising $40,016$145,500
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,086,102 · Management $215,430 · Fundraising $184,863$1,486,395
Part X · Balance sheet $388,373 assets, 12 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $371,076$361,950
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $2,402$266
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $13,142$11,622
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $3,685$4,589
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $9,933$9,946
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $558,238$388,373
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $118,396$108,719
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $9,933$9,946
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $128,329$118,665
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $429,909$269,708
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $429,909$269,708
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $558,238$388,373
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $269,708 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,326,194
XI-2 Total expenses$1,486,395
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$160,201
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$429,909
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$269,708

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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