We believe every texas student deserves the opportunity to earn a postsecondary credential or degree that helps them achieve the future they envision for themselves and their families. We invest in the programs, practices, and policies that remove barriers and accelerate the journey.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
92¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$146K 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
6 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $57.2M a year · 87% of revenue · last 6 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 6 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
92%
of spending
Looks good: 92% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$146K
to officers and key staff · 3% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 3% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
28 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $243.0M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Looks good: 27.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $10.0M
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$2.7M
1% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 1% 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
$96.0M
×11 vs prior year
Spent
$4.6M
To programs
92%
Net assets
$255.9M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$96.0M
FY2021▲ ×11
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$9.0M
FY2021$96.0M
FY2022$179.8M
FY2023$5.6M
FY2024$78.3M
FY2025$23.7M
Expenses
$4.6M
FY2021▲ +25%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$3.7M
FY2021$4.6M
FY2022$4.9M
FY2023$5.4M
FY2024$11.2M
FY2025$19.5M
Net assets
$255.9M
FY2021▲ +80%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$142.3M
FY2021$255.9M
FY2022$362.0M
FY2023$403.2M
FY2024$500.3M
FY2025$544.6M

From the FY2021 Form 990 (year ending September 2021) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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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 Sep 2019.

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

Where the money goes

92 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 92% · $4.3M Management & general 8% · $380K

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; $146K 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
Executive Director
$145,835Pt VII · Sec A
Board Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Kristin Boyer’s $215K as President & CEO is at the 51st percentile of top reported officer pay among 3122 $10–100M 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 · 4 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Kristin Boyer$214,887$202,801$166,815$160,815$145,835$132,502
Jenny Achilles$147,711$145,901$105,035———
Erica Ekwurzel$146,667—————
Erica Ekwurzel Eff 102423—$11,173————

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.

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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 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Supports ideas and strategies to increase college access and affordability.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $4.3M · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

See schedule o

$4.3Mprogram 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 · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$10.0M
Grants paid · 237 grants · $40.1M · 2019–2024
The Aspen InstituteTX · FY2024$3,150,000
BranchedNY · FY2024$761,253
Texas Higher Education FoundationTX · FY2024$610,000
Texas 2036MN · FY2024$600,000
Communities Foundation of Texas INCFY2024$503,125
Scholarship AmericaOR · FY2024$450,000
After Violence ProjectTX · FY2024$350,000
New York UniversityGA · FY2024$334,426
Lamar State College Port ArthurMN · FY2024$318,680
Up PartnershipFY2024$300,000
Texas A&m University - Central TexasTX · FY2024$300,000
Business-Higher Education ForumTX · FY2024$300,000
The University of Texas at San AntonioMA · FY2024$296,240
The Institute for Higher Education PolicyFY2024$286,458
City of San AntonioFY2024$250,000
See all 237 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$96.0M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$80.0M
Investment incomeLn 3$16.1M
Money outPt IX
$4.6M
Ln 25
Programscol B$4.3M
Managementcol C$380K
Owns and owesPt X
$255.9M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$10.7M
Total assetsLn 16$258.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.7M
PeoplePt VI, VII
8
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$80.0M
Investment incomeLn 3$16.1M
Gains on assetsLn 7$13.0M
Total revenueLn 12$96.0M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$601K
SavingsLn 2$10.1M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$10.7M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$243.0M
Total assetsLn 16$258.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.7M
Net assetsLn 32$255.9M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 58
VolunteersI 67
Fiscal year endsHeaderSeptember
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$2.0M$10.7M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$138.2M$243.0M
Total assetsLn 16$144.5M$258.6M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.2M$2.7M
Net assetsLn 32$142.3M$255.9M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$4.0M$4.0M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$190K$190K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$163K$127K$36K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$8K$7K$360
Other employee benefitsLn 9$16K$6K$11K
Payroll taxesLn 10$13K$10K$4K
Legal feesLn 11b$5K$5K
Accounting feesLn 11c$48K$48K
Investment management feesLn 11f$5K$5K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$56K$55K$923
Office expensesLn 13$66$66
Information technologyLn 14$36K$36K
TravelLn 17$5K$5K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$9K$9K
InsuranceLn 23$8K$8K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$95K$72K$23K
Total functional expensesLn 25$4.6M$4.3M$380K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $23.7M$19.5M$4.1M$544.6M 990 PDF
FY2024 $78.3M$11.2M$67.2M$500.3M 990 PDF
FY2023 $5.6M$5.4M$222K$403.2M 990 PDF
FY2022 $179.8M$4.9M$174.9M$362.0M 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $96.0M$4.6M$91.4M$255.9M 990 PDF
FY2020 $9.0M$3.7M$5.2M$142.3M 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 $96,048,937 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $4,909,343$79,953,723
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $4,060,841$16,095,214
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $8,970,184$96,048,937
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $2,991,002$3,980,829
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $354,354$390,530
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $376,667$266,717
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $3,722,023$4,638,076
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $5,248,161$91,410,861
Part VI · Governance 7 of 7 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members7
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
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 $96,048,937 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$79,953,723
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$79,953,723
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $3,064,434$3,064,434
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $13,030,780$13,030,780
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $16,095,214$96,048,937
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $4,638,076 across 16 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $3,980,829$3,980,829
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffManagement $189,720$189,720
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $127,490 · Management $35,872$163,362
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $7,405 · Management $360$7,765
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $5,598 · Management $10,647$16,245
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $9,528 · Management $3,910$13,438
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $4,570$4,570
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $48,062$48,062
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $5,142$5,142
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $54,905 · Management $923$55,828
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $66$66
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $35,909$35,909
IX-17 TravelManagement $4,988$4,988
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsManagement $9,091$9,091
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $8,058$8,058
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $72,400 · Management $22,603$95,003
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $4,258,155 · Management $379,921 · Fundraising $0$4,638,076
Part X · Balance sheet $258,594,577 assets, 13 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $360,034$601,294
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $1,653,599$10,061,842
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $4,000,000$4,500,000
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $304,361$368,412
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $30,071$37,518
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $138,157,764$243,025,511
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $144,505,829$258,594,577
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $57,121$142,853
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $2,151,137$2,527,580
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $14,321$10,325
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $2,222,579$2,680,758
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $142,283,250$255,913,819
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $144,505,829$258,594,577
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $255,913,819 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$96,048,937
XI-2 Total expenses$4,638,076
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$91,410,861
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$142,283,250
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$22,219,708
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$255,913,819

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

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