Adopt-a-classroom Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN: 650828272
IRS 990 coverage: 2010–2024
Forms available: Form 990 2024
Location: Minneapolis, MN, USA
Phone: 8773840764
Rating: 82
Verdict: STRONG
Rating confidence: Moderate
Sector: Nonmonetary Support N.E.C.

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue: $9,843,779
Expenses: $9,120,832
Assets: $10,200,673
Liabilities: $642,820

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

25 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

ANN PIFER (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

ANN PIFER (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $210,106 total reported compensation
CAROLYN ABERMAN THRU 21325 (CHIEF CORPORATE PARTNERSHIP OFFICER): $174,021 total reported compensation
RYAN JORDAN (ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR): $142,892 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Adoptaclassroom.org is a national nonprofit that partners with donors to provide prek-12 teachers with the resources and supplies their students need. Since 1998, adoptaclassroom.org has raised $83 million and equipped 7 million students across the u.s.

What it reported doing in 2024

In fiscal 2025, adoptaclassroom.org donated classroom supplies to teachers in all 50 states, the district of columbia, and puerto rico. Since 1998, we have raised $83mm and equipped more than 7mm students across the u.s. Funds raised from individuals, foundations, and corporate partners are used to purchase classroom supplies that are selected by each teacher or school, as well as to support our operations. Recipients are either selected directly by the donor, or by adoptaclassroom.org based on applications to our spotlight funds (arts, inclusive classroom, racial equity, and stem). The organization's services are delivered through its website and related technology platform, which connects donors, teachers, and vendors of educational products to support classrooms in need.

Operating model

Revenue model: Donor-supported. 97% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model: Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 76% of its reported program spending out as grants.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. The filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

Financial Efficiency: 81
Transparency & Controls: 73
Accountability: 100
Sustainability: 52
Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

Mission deployment rate: 83.1%; rating input score 83
Program expense ratio: 88.6%; rating input score 89
Fundraising efficiency: $14.55 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 50; 50th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
Pay-setting controls: 4 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 67
- Compensation committee: Pass
- Independent consultant: Missing
- Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
- Written employment contract: Missing
- Compensation survey or study: Pass
- Board or committee approval: Pass
Foreign activity oversight: Scored; rating input score 0
Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
- Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
- Whistleblower policy: Pass
- Document-retention policy: Pass
- CEO compensation review process: Pass
- Other executive compensation review process: Pass
- Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
- Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
- Audit committee oversight: Pass
- Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

Operating margin: 7.3%; rating input score 57; 57th percentile among comparable filings
Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.12; rating input score 41; 41st percentile among comparable filings
Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.06; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings
Officer compensation ratio: 5.8%; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

Program expense growth: 10.8% per year; rating input score 100; 67th percentile among comparable filings
Revenue growth: 9.9% per year; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
Asset growth: 10.7% per year; rating input score 100; 61st percentile among comparable filings

Details

Where the money goes: 83.1% of revenue deployed · 88.6% of spending went to programs
Governance: 17 of 17 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $8.1M in reported program spending
Leadership: top reported pay $210K · 25 people listed · 4 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
Highest-paid contractors: 1 contractor listed · $178K reported
Consistency: 34 of 34 current checks pass
Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, grants, and executive pay
Filing history: 15 filing years from 2010 to 2024
Contacts: How to reach this organization
Money network: 3 filed money-flow records
Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

High — Transparency & Controls: Foreign activity oversight scored 0/100.
Review — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 50/100.
Review — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 57/100.
Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 41/100.
Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 48/100.