Thrive Scholars
Thrive Scholars reported $17.0 million in revenue and $18.8 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $78.29 went to program services, $9.16 to management and general costs and $12.55 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 99.5% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $433,801 (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER UNTIL 08/24). 35 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 24% between FY2021 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $19MFor context, the median across 5,499 covered education charities: $85.56 programs, $13.59 management, $0.85 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $17MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 78.3% | 84.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 9.2% | 13.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 12.6% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.14 | $0.04 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 99.5% | 19.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 69.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $433,801 | $331,578 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.30% | 1.28% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 35 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 2.7 | 13.3 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 18 of 18 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseThrive Scholars has achieved tremendous results in supporting scholars to enroll in top colleges, earn great grades, and graduate career-ready. Our results within the last two years show that 89% of Thrive Scholars are attending a top college, 39% are going to an ivy league+ school (defined as the ivy league plus stanford, mit, the university of chicago, and duke), and 99% graduated from college within six years. Our scholars have an average gpa of 3.5 upon college graduation; 87% of STEM scholars persisted and graduated with a STEM degree, and our first-year college scholars finished their…
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER UNTIL 08/24 Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $404,742 | $0 | $29,059 | $433,801 |
| PRESIDENT & COO UNTIL 12/24 Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $325,145 | $0 | $72,683 | $397,828 |
| CHF. EQU. & INCL. OFFI. UNTIL 12/24 Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $261,443 | $0 | $57,317 | $318,760 |
| CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $206,000 | $0 | $52,483 | $258,483 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER UNTIL 06/25 Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $190,281 | $0 | $48,837 | $239,118 |
| MANAGING DIR. OF COMM. & CONTENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $184,881 | $0 | $41,081 | $225,962 |
| MANAGING DIR., CAREER PATHWAYS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $185,454 | $0 | $27,700 | $213,154 |
| SENIOR DIR., LIFE SCIENCES Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $181,537 | $0 | $28,942 | $210,479 |
35 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Thrive Scholars (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.2M (Part IX, line 5).
5 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b18 · 18 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14No
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5279
- Volunteers Part I, line 6350
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| NEW KENSINGTON GROUP Management consulting | $188,692 |
| CRAFTSMAN TECHNOLOGY GROUP LLC Information technology | $162,853 |
| INSOURCE SERVICES INC Accounting services | $131,747 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 4 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
48 private foundations reported grants to Thrive Scholars totaling $5.6M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Thrive Scholars's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Thrive Scholars, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Thrive Scholars spent in FY2025, $78.29 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Near North Montessori SchoolChicago, IL · revenue $17M · programs 75.4% · FY2025
- Hope Online Learning Academy Co-OpEnglewood, CO · revenue $17M · programs 87.2% · FY2025
- Method SchoolsTemecula, CA · revenue $17M · programs 89.1% · FY2025
- Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness FoundationOklahoma City, OK · revenue $17M · programs 96.9% · FY2025
- Horizon Community Learning CenterPhoenix, AZ · revenue $17M · programs 77.1% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of Thrive Scholars's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, Thrive Scholars reported that 78.3% of its $18.8 million in expenses went to program services, 9.2% to management and general and 12.6% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Thrive Scholars pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Thrive Scholars reported for one person in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 was $433,801, for the role of CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER UNTIL 08/24 (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Thrive Scholars get its money?
Of $17.0 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, 99.5% came from contributions and grants and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Thrive Scholars a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 45-5619310 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, object 202601889349300405 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2024, object 202511329349300236 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2023, object 202441589349301204 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022, object 202301949349301750 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2021, object 202201269349302125 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 45-5619310: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.