The Opportunity Trust
Also known as Zest Education
The Opportunity Trust reported $21.6 million in revenue and $21.5 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $95.56 went to program services, $4.36 to management and general costs and $0.08 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 98.4% of the total. Government grants made up 23.6%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $441,418 (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER). 10 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 200% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $22MFor 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 June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $22MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 95.6% | 84.4% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 4.4% | 13.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.1% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.00 | $0.04 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 98.4% | 19.1% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 23.6% | 1.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 69.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $441,418 | $331,578 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.05% | 1.28% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 10 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 2.3 | 13.3 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 7 of 7 | 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 expenseOur first strategic priority is to elevate the voices of those most underserved by our school systems and empower families and students to design and drive change as part of a broad and diverse coalition. This program aims to 1) strengthen parent leadership and advocacy infrastructure by organizing and growing new neighborhood groups focused on lowest 5% performing schools in st. Louis city, seeding efforts to create demand in st. Louis county, and improving charter perceptions by organizing 10k charter parent voices via state charter association, 2) increasing trust through development of…
Our second strategic priority is focused on increasing access to world-class schools by growing the capacity of our most successful schools, launching new and innovative schools, strengthening existing schools with conditions for sustained success, and helping districts to methodically transform their lowest performing schools. This program aims to 1) drive toward goal of 25% students in quality seats by expanding investments in new schools, expanding investments to additional schools, and maintaining investments in high performing charters, 2) catalyze support for district autonomous models…
Our fifth strategic priority is administering the "expanding opportunities: missouri charter school program (csp)" this is a U.S. Department of education grant with an approved budget of $35.5 million to help missouri expand opportunities for students to attend quality charter public schools. Missouri's csp program has three objectives: 1) increase the number of quality missouri charter public school seats, especially for our most educationally disadvantaged students; 2) support quality charter school authorizing in missouri, through the dissemination and support of best authorizer practices…
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 Director/trustee, officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $428,406 | $0 | $13,012 | $441,418 |
| PARTNER Key employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $220,774 | $0 | $13,475 | $234,249 |
| PARTNER Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $196,290 | $0 | $19,018 | $215,308 |
| PARTNER Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $174,341 | $0 | $15,316 | $189,657 |
| PARTNER Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $175,793 | $0 | $5,145 | $180,938 |
| EMPLOYEE Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $145,077 | $0 | $16,400 | $161,477 |
| EMPLOYEE Highest compensated employee, 50.00 hrs/week | $137,301 | $0 | $7,763 | $145,064 |
10 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Opportunity Trust (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.6M (Part IX, line 5).
6 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–1b7 · 7 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- 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 532
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| EXPONENT EDUCATION Consulting | $535,225 |
| NORDIC SCHOOL LLC Consulting | $161,996 |
| INFIELD LEADERSHIP CONSULTING Consulting | $154,005 |
| INSTRUCTION PARTNERS Consulting | $146,184 |
| CM ACCOUNTING SERVICES Consulting | $137,442 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 8 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
7 private foundations reported grants to The Opportunity Trust totaling $2.0M 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 The Opportunity Trust's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for The Opportunity Trust, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 The Opportunity Trust spent in FY2025, $95.56 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Hudson Arts and Science Charter SchoolFair Lawn, NJ · revenue $22M · programs 74.5% · FY2025
- Northwest Christian SchoolPhoenix, AZ · revenue $22M · programs 92.9% · FY2025
- Sacramento Country Day SchoolSacramento, CA · revenue $22M · programs 78.9% · FY2025
- Washington Yu Ying Public Charter SchoolWashington, DC · revenue $22M · programs 84.3% · FY2025
- Valor Preparatory AcademyWaco, TX · revenue $22M · programs 93.2% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of The Opportunity Trust's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, The Opportunity Trust reported that 95.6% of its $21.5 million in expenses went to program services, 4.4% to management and general and 0.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Opportunity Trust pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Opportunity Trust reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $441,418, for the role of CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Opportunity Trust get its money?
Of $21.6 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 98.4% came from contributions and grants (including 23.6% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Opportunity Trust a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 82-1838644 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 2019, 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 June 30, 2025, object 202600629349301330 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202500309349300705 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202420459349302222 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202330399349301518 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202133349349301453 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202120149349300837 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 82-1838644: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.