Colorado Schools Fund exists to serve Colorado students and families by helping open outstanding new public Schools in communities that need them the most. We support Schools tailored to each community's unmet needs, ensuring that every child has access to a great public education.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
90¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 4 volunteers and 2 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2024 · 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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Spent on programs
90%
of spending
Looks good: 90% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$210K
to officers and key staff · 5% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 5% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
19 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 19.2 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $300K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$182K
2% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 2% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
4
of 5 voting members
Looks good: 4 of 5 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$13.0M
Spent
$4.4M
To programs
90%
Net assets
$8.6M

From the FY2024 Form 990 · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Mar 2024.

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

Where the money goes

90 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 90% · $4.0M Management & general 7% · $315K Fundraising 3% · $118K

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

5 people listed on the 990; $210K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$210,000Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Lydia Hoffman’s $210K as CEO is at the 38th percentile of top reported officer pay among 661 $10–100M philanthropy & grantmaking 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.

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

Programs and updates

Helps open new public schools in communities needing them most.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $4.0M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Our Grantmaking Is Targeted in Several Areas

-school growth: grants to high-quality public charter schools and other innovative public schools to support successful launch and EXPANSION.-TALENT & incubation support: grants to organizations and schools to strengthen talent pipelines, including training programs for school FOUNDERS.-INNOVATIVE schools strategy: grants for innovative…

$4.0Mprogram 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 1 funder$300K
Grants paid · 15 grants · $3.4M · 2024–2024
The Legacy InstituteCO · FY2024$1,200,000
Dsst Public Schools FoundationCO · FY2024$465,000
Rocky Mountain PrepCO · FY2024$315,000
James Irwin Charter SchoolsCO · FY2024$200,000
University Preparatory SchoolsCO · FY2024$190,000
High Rockies Community SchoolCO · FY2024$150,000
Kipp Colorado SchoolsCO · FY2024$135,000
Atlas Preparatory School INCCO · FY2024$135,000
Goodwill of ColoradoCO · FY2024$100,000
FaithbridgeCO · FY2024$100,000
Bal Swan Demonstration SchoolCO · FY2024$100,000
Ute Mountain Ute Tribe DBA Kwiyagat Community AcademyFY2024$25,000

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$13.0M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$12.9M
Investment incomeLn 3$59K
Money outPt IX
$4.4M
Ln 25
Programscol B$4.0M
Managementcol C$315K
Fundraisingcol D$118K
Owns and owesPt X
$8.6M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$7.0M
Total assetsLn 16$8.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$182K
PeoplePt VI, VII
5
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a5
IndependentVI 1b4
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$12.9M
Investment incomeLn 3$59K
Total revenueLn 12$13.0M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$3.0M
SavingsLn 2$4.1M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$7.0M
Total assetsLn 16$8.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$182K
Net assetsLn 32$8.6M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 52
VolunteersI 64
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
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 FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$0$7.0M
Total assetsLn 16$0$8.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$182K
Net assetsLn 32$0$8.6M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$3.4M$3.4M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$210K$105K$63K$42K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$90K$54K$36K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$419$225$141$53
Payroll taxesLn 10$23K$13K$7K$3K
Legal feesLn 11b$23K$23K
Accounting feesLn 11c$5K$5K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$555K$370K$112K$73K
Office expensesLn 13$23K$23K
OccupancyLn 16$27K$27K
TravelLn 17$11K$11K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$3K$3K
InsuranceLn 23$8K$8K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$588$447$141
Total functional expensesLn 25$4.4M$4.0M$315K$118K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $13.0M$4.4M$8.6M$8.6M 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 J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $12,983,269 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grants$12,923,900
I-9 Program service revenue$0
I-10 Investment income$59,369
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenue$12,983,269
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$3,420,000
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefits$323,484
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expenses$655,547
I-18 Total expenses$4,399,031
I-19 Revenue less expenses$8,584,238
Part VI · Governance 4 of 5 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body5
VI-1b Independent voting members4
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 $12,983,269 across 4 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$12,923,900
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$12,923,900
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $59,369$59,369
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $59,369$12,983,269
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $4,399,031 across 14 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $3,420,000$3,420,000
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $105,000 · Management $63,000 · Fundraising $42,000$210,000
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $54,161 · Management $36,107$90,268
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $225 · Management $141 · Fundraising $53$419
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $12,827 · Management $6,737 · Fundraising $3,233$22,797
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $23,084$23,084
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $4,969$4,969
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $370,048 · Management $112,052 · Fundraising $72,961$555,061
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $23,075$23,075
IX-16 OccupancyManagement $26,756$26,756
IX-17 TravelManagement $11,069$11,069
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $2,810$2,810
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $8,135$8,135
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $447 · Management $141$588
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $3,965,518 · Management $315,266 · Fundraising $118,247$4,399,031
Part X · Balance sheet $8,766,185 assets, 11 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $0$2,981,904
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investments$4,053,951
X-4 Accounts receivable$1,723,900
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$6,430
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $0$8,766,185
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expenses$181,947
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$181,947
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictions$6,860,338
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictions$1,723,900
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $0$8,584,238
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $0$8,766,185
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $8,584,238 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$12,983,269
XI-2 Total expenses$4,399,031
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$8,584,238
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$8,584,238

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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