Cherry Creek Schools Foundation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
841218299
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-EZ 2009
Location
Denver, CO, USA
Phone
7205544429
Rating
79
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,277,364
Expenses
$1,164,080
Assets
$1,380,976
Liabilities
$9,945

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

Leadership & pay

27 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • JILL HENDEN RESIGNED 01312025 (EXECUTIVE DI): $140,779 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

The cherry creek schools foundation's mission is to enhance the educational experience and whole wellbeing of cherry creek school district students, staff, and families through community support that provides inclusive and innovative opportunities for all to thrive.

What it reported doing in 2024

The cherry creek schools foundation exists to connect community generosity with the bold innovation happening every day across cherry creek school district-one of Colorado's largest and highest-performing public school systems, serving more than 50,000 students and supported by over 10,000 educators, staff, and leadership professionals. As the philanthropic partner of cherry creek schools, the foundation works to align corporate, community, and individual investment with opportunities that expand access, accelerate innovation, and strengthen student success across the district. Through strategic partnerships and targeted funding, the foundation supports initiatives that elevate literacy, wellbeing, student opportunity, educator innovation, and future-ready learning experiences. During the fiscal year, the foundation experienced meaningful growth in both community engagement and philanthropic investment, resulting in expanded impact across the district. Increased support from corporate partners, community leaders, and new philanthropic relationships allowed the foundation to deepen its role as a connector between public education and the broader community. These investments helped advance innovative programming, strategic district priorities, educator support initiatives, and opportunities designed to remove barriers for students and families. Recognizing the critical moment facing public education nationally and locally, the foundation also intentionally leveraged organizational reserves and financial stability to maximize mission impact during a time of increasing student and school needs. This strategic approach allowed the foundation to remain responsive, forward-focused, and aligned with district priorities while continuing to invest in opportunities that strengthen long-term outcomes for students, educators, and schools. The foundation believes strong public schools are essential to thriving communities and economic vitality. By bringing together philanthropy, business leadership, and educational innovation, the organization continues to position cherry creek schools as a model for what is possible when a community chooses to invest in the future of public education.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 89% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 92% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and a large share of available resources goes toward mission work. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 61
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 54
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 64.5%; rating input score 65
  • Program expense ratio: 70.4%; rating input score 70
  • Fundraising efficiency: $4.8 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 17; 17th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th 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: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 8.9%; rating input score 59; 59th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.19; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 71; 71st percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 12.1%; rating input score 30; 30th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 10.9% per year; rating input score 100; 65th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 9.6% per year; rating input score 100; 65th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 9.6% per year; rating input score 100; 57th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 64.5% of revenue deployed · 70.4% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 23 of 23 board members independent · 7 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $820K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $141K · 27 people listed
  • Consistency: 28 of 28 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • 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 — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 17/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Other executive compensation review process not reported.
  • Review — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 59/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 48/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 30/100.