The Opportunity Trust is a St. Louis-based nonprofit organization founded in 2017 and designated as a 501(c)(3) public charity. The organization is focused on increasing access to high-quality public schools for every child in St. Louis. Operating under the alias Zest Education, the organization employs 25 people and maintains its headquarters at 5501 Delmar Boulevard, Suite A300, St. Louis, Missouri 63112-3054.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$4.0M
-27.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$5.9M
+16.2% YoY
Grant Count
28
-17.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$212K
+41.1% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Opportunity Trust envisions a St. Louis where every person is able to find success in a rapidly changing world and a region that draws people from all backgrounds because of its renewed sense of possibility, growing economic opportunity, and safe, just, and joyful communities.
The organization's primary focus areas include:
- Strengthening parent leadership and advocacy, particularly in the lowest performing schools in St. Louis City
- Organizing neighborhood groups and promoting charter school awareness
- Creating demand for educational reform in St. Louis County
- Investing in educators and school systems eager to make significant, measurable changes
- Fostering community coalitions and supporting early-stage growth of key partners
- Expanding access to high-quality schools through charter school programs
Grantmaking
The Opportunity Trust functions as both a grantmaker and grant recipient. As a grantmaker, the organization has distributed grants with typical award amounts ranging from $5,500 to $732,175. Total giving in the most recent fiscal year (2024) was $5,934,504.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization's funding activities are primarily concentrated in Missouri, with secondary focus areas in New York and Michigan. The primary geographic emphasis is on St. Louis and St. Louis County.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets and Revenue:
- Total Assets (2024): $3,999,593
- Total Assets (2023): $5,488,522
- Annual Revenue (2024): $12,600,936
- Annual Revenue (2023): $14,021,553
- Annual Expenses (2024): $14,100,000
Total Funding Received:
- Total Funding: $35,500,000 (as of September 2023)
- Most recent major grant: $35.5 million federal grant awarded in September 2023, led by CREDO at Stanford University
Historical Financial Growth:
- June 2018: Assets $747,012 | Revenue $655,612
- June 2019: Assets $3,574,188 | Revenue $6,344,779
- June 2020: Assets $3,457,653 | Revenue $7,183,458
- June 2021: Assets $4,127,437 | Revenue $7,977,207
- June 2022: Assets $4,217,060 | Revenue $10,924,434
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,999,593 | $5,488,522 | $4,217,060 |
| Revenue | $12,600,936 | $14,021,553 | $10,924,434 |
| Expenses | $14,089,865 | $12,750,091 | $10,470,201 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $274,971 | $63,945 | $1,122 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
130 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from The Opportunity Trust
Charter School Program (CSP)
THE OPPORTUNITY TRUST
Amount
Approximately $2,000,000 per award
Deadline
Rolling / Open
School Improvement Grant
THE OPPORTUNITY TRUST
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
St. Louis Pre-K Cooperative
THE OPPORTUNITY TRUST
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key executives and board members include:
- Keith Williamson – Board Chair
- Rachel Powers – Partner (Vice President)
- Brandi Nicole Chin – Partner, Quality Schools
- Jesse Dixon – Partner
- Lauren Moxey – Associate Partner
- Ayanna Banks – Associate Partner
- Alexis Ulaj – Associate Partner
- Jonathan Caldera – Associate Partner
- Samantha March – Associate Partner
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BISHOP MICHAEL JONES SR | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JOHN LEMKEMEIER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ERIC SCROGGINS | CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER | 50 | $375,356 |
| JOHN W KEMPER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JESSICA PENA | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| KEITH WILLIAMSON | CHAIR | 1 | — |
| CINDY BRINKLEY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JEMINA BERNARD | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JESSE DIXON | PARTNER | 50 | $191,338 |
| TIARA SHEREE JORDAN | EMPLOYEE | 50 | $149,742 |
| RACHEL DONNICE POWERS | PARTNER | 50 | $167,783 |
| TANESIA LASHAY SIMMONS | PARTNER | 50 | $176,928 |
| AMELIA CORL | EMPLOYEE | 50 | $159,089 |
| BRANDI CHIN | PARTNER | 50 | $192,756 |
| ANTONIO PACIFICO | EMPLOYEE | 50 | $140,189 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**September 2023**: Received a $35.5 million federal grant to expand access to high-quality schools
$35.5M Federal Grant Awarded to The Opportunity Trust to Expand ...**2025**: Expanded access through Charter School Program grants, adding 2,800 quality school seats
Expanding Access: 2,800 Quality Seats Added Through CSP Grants - The Opportunity**2025**: Launched community-led grant initiative to meet urgent needs of St. Louis youth impacted by tornado
Community-led grant meets urgent needs of St. Louis youth impacted by tornado**2025**: Announced cross-sector partnership expanding career pathways for St. Louis students
Generational Change: Cross-Sector Partnership Expanding Career Pathways**2025**: Emerson Early Literacy Challenge selected four new schools for participation
Pacesetting Progress: Emerson Early Literacy Challenge Selects Four NewContact Information
- Website: theopportunitytrust.org
- Email: connect@theopportunitytrust.org
- Phone: 314-328-5688
- Address: 5501 Delmar Boulevard, Suite A300, St. Louis, MO 63112-3054
- EIN: 82-1838644
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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