The Children’s Education Initiative (TCEI) is a public charity based in San Diego, California. It supports education for socioeconomically disadvantaged children by partnering with independent schools to fund tuition and wraparound support, beginning in kindergarten and continuing with support and progress tracking through high school matriculation.
Key facts about The Children's Education Initiative
In short: The Children's Education Initiative gave $1.6M across 12 grants in 2024 (avg $133K), top state California. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 84-3154132
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,597,738
- Grants made (2024)
- 12
- Average grant
- $133,145
- Median grant
- $120,085
- Total assets
- $111,641,372
- Primary geography
- California (43% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$111.6M
+5.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.6M
+59.8% YoY
Grant Count
12
+9.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$133K
+46.5% YoY
How The Children's Education Initiative gives
- 8% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
TCEI’s stated mission is to improve the quality of education for socioeconomically disadvantaged children. Its 2024 filing says it provides funds to selected tax-exempt private schools for tuition assistance and other programs for these children across the United States.
TCEI says partner schools are assessed for commitments to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging; proximity to socioeconomically diverse neighborhoods; use of financial aid to increase access; varied leadership perspectives; curriculum that includes identity education and cultural competency; and a record of student matriculation to competitive high schools and colleges.
The 2024 grantees include schools with varied missions. For example, Colorado Rocky Mountain School describes itself as a college-preparatory boarding and day school for grades 9–12. Los Encinos School describes its work as providing a comprehensive elementary education in a nurturing environment, while Mark Day School says it encourages curiosity, critical thinking, and caring, inclusive communities.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, TCEI reported 12 grants totaling $1,597,738. Grant amounts ranged from $50,000 to $321,792, with a median of $120,084. Among the largest were $321,792 to The Squared Network, $250,000 to Colorado Rocky Mountain School, $206,716 to St. Mark’s School, $185,226 to The Potomac School, and $143,835 to Los Encinos School. The filing lists each grant’s purpose as “support donation.”
TCEI’s website describes a partner-school selection process. It provides criteria for prospective partner schools and directs them to inquire about becoming a partner.
Ready to take the next step with The Children's Education Initiative?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
TCEI’s 2024 filing describes its funding as supporting children across the United States. In that year, 43% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 20% to Massachusetts, 16% to Colorado, 12% to Virginia, and 3% to Hawaii. The listed 2024 grantees also included organizations in Washington, D.C., and Illinois.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2023 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.0M (2023) to $1.6M (2024). In 2024 it made 12 grants totaling $1.6M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was The Squared Network ($322K). Together the top 10 received $1.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
23 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $50–100K range: 12 grants of 23 (52%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Squared Network Boston, MA | Support Donation | $321,792 |
| Colorado Rocky Mountain School Inc Carbondale, CO | Support Donation | $250,000 |
| Stmark's School Altadena, CA | Support Donation | $206,716 |
| The Potomac School McLean, VA | Support Donation | $185,226 |
| Los Encinos School Encino, CA | Support Donation | $143,835 |
| Mark Day School San Rafael, CA | Support Donation | $123,444 |
| Live Oak a Learning Center for Children San Francisco, CA | Support Donation | $116,725 |
| Town School for Boys San Francisco, CA | Support Donation | $50,000 |
| Echo Foundation Culver City, CA | Support Donation | $50,000 |
| Island Pacific Academy Inc Kapolei, HI | Support Donation | $50,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $111,641,372 | $8,468,518 | $2,212,453 | $1,597,738 across 12 grants |
| 2023 | $105,675,647 | $4,782,386 | $1,347,430 | $1,000,000 across 11 grants |
| 2022 | $105,424,764 | $5,401,108 | $43,309 | 0 grants |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $111,641,372 | $105,675,647 | $105,424,764 |
| Revenue | $8,468,518 | $4,782,386 | $5,401,108 |
| Expenses | $2,212,453 | $1,347,430 | $43,309 |
| Net Investment Income | $8,368,518 | $4,731,386 | $693,157 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Kevin Tang as CEO and chairman of the board, and Michael Hearne as CFO, treasurer, and secretary. It also lists Aaron Davis, Craig Johnson, Andrew McDonald, and Roderick Wong as directors, and AJ Yates as director of programs.
The Children's Education Initiative is led by Kevin Tang, CEO & Chairman of the Board since 2022 (on filings since 2020); 1 of 7 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Kevin Tang
CEO & Chairman of the Board
Chairman of the Board → Chairman, CEO & President, 2021
Chairman, CEO & President → CEO & Chairman of the Board, 2022
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Aj Yates
Director & Programs
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$163K (2023) → $303K (2024)
Aaron Davis
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Andrew McDonald
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Craig Johnson
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Roderick Wong
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Hearne
CFO, Treasurer & Secretary
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $303K, to Aj Yates (Director, Programs).
Contact
Mailing address: 4747 Executive Drive 210, San Diego, CA 92121
Phone: (858) 200-3830
Website: https://tcei.org
Frequently asked questions about The Children's Education Initiative
How much does The Children's Education Initiative give each year?
The Children's Education Initiative gave $1.6M across 12 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $1.0M across 11 grants.
What is The Children's Education Initiative's typical grant size?
The Children's Education Initiative's median grant in 2024 was $120,085, and its average grant was $133,145, across 12 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Where does The Children's Education Initiative give grants?
The Children's Education Initiative's top state is California, with 43% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Massachusetts (20%) and Colorado (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (2 grants).
Does The Children's Education Initiative give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 12 grants with a stated purpose on The Children's Education Initiative's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support Donation" (12 grants).
Who are The Children's Education Initiative's largest grantees?
The Children's Education Initiative's largest 2024 grantees include The Squared Network ($321,792), Colorado Rocky Mountain School Inc ($250,000) and Stmark's School ($206,716), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 49% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Children's Education Initiative?
The Children's Education Initiative reported $111.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $8.5M.
What does The Children's Education Initiative fund?
TCEI’s stated mission is to improve the quality of education for socioeconomically disadvantaged children. Its 2024 filing says it provides funds to selected tax-exempt private schools for tuition assistance and other programs for these children across the United States. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Children's Education Initiative?
The Children's Education Initiative has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check tcei.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is The Children's Education Initiative's EIN?
The Children's Education Initiative's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-3154132. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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