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BELIEVE IN STUDENTS INC

EIN 81-3612875 PHILADELPHIA, PA

Revenue 2024
$1,082,848
Expenses 2024
$762,685

Program services were 81.1% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

As filed

Subsection
03
Classification
1200
Street
1755 N 13TH STREET 295

These codes are the IRS's own and are shown exactly as filed. What each one means is in the Business Master File documentation (opens in a new tab).

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

TO ADDRESS BASIC NEEDS INSECURITY AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS AND PROMOTE COLLEGE ATTAINMENT BY DEVELOPING AND SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE, SUSTAINABLE, AND EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS THAT CAN SCALE TO MEET WIDESPREAD DEMAND.

Activities or mission (Part I)

TO PROVIDE COLLEGE STUDENTS STRUGGLING WITH BASIC NEEDS INSECURITY WITH RESOURCES AND SUPPORT.

  • #REALCOLLEGE - BIS IS THE ORGANIZATIONAL HOME OF THE #REAL COLLEGE MOVEMENT, A NATIONAL EFFORT TO RAISE AWARENESS OF BASIC NEEDS INSECURITY AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS AND REDEFINE WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A STUDENT-READY COLLEGE. THE ORGANIZATION DEVELOPS EDUCATIONAL TOOLS AND RESOURCES TO EDUCATE AND EMPOWER FACULTY, STAFF, AND ADMINISTRATORS IN HIGHER EDUCATION TO DEVELOP AND EXECUTE STRATEGIES TO BETTER ADDRESS STUDENTS' BASIC NEEDS IN A WAY THAT WILL INCREASE PERSISTENCE AND GRADUATION. IN 2024, BIS LAUNCHED THE FIRST FOUR COURSES IN THE #REALCOLLEGE CURRICULUM, ON ONLINE RESOURCE FOR EDUCATORS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHY BASIC NEEDS INSECURITY EXISTS AND HOW TO ADDRESS IT TO BE USED BY NEARLY 100 FACULTY, STAFF, AND HIGHER EDUCATION ADMINISTRATORS.

    Expenses $246,489

  • GREAT LAKES CONSORTIUM - THE GREAT LAKES FAST FUND CONSORTIUM IS MADE UP OF SIX FAST FUND SITES IN ILLINOIS AND WISCONSIN WHO HAVE FORMED A COLLABORATION TO PURSUE SYSTEMIC CHANGE. BELIEVE IN STUDENTS HAS LED THIS GROUP TO RUN A PAID STUDENT FELLOWSHIP TO TRAIN AND SUPPORT IMPACTED STUDENTS TO SERVE AS LEADERS IN THIS WORK, AND ORGANIZE FACULTY, STAFF, AND STUDENTS TO ADVOCATE FOR CAMPUS POLICY AND PRACTICE CHANGES. IN 2024, THE ORGANIZATION SUPPORTED 22 STUDENT FELLOWS (10 IN SPRING, 12 IN FALL) AS THEY DEVELOPED SKILLS; BUILT RELATIONSHIPS AMONG FACULTY, STAFF, AND STUDENTS; AND CREATED COALITIONS AMONG OTHER STUDENT GROUPS.

    Expenses $225,446

  • FAST FUND NETWORK - THE FAST FUND IS THE ORGANIZATION'S FLAGSHIP PROGRAM, WHERE SMALL-DOLLAR, FLEXIBLE EMERGENCY AID GRANTS ARE PROVIDED TO STUDENTS TO ADDRESS IMMEDIATE BASIC NEEDS CHALLENGES THAT THREATEN THEIR ABILITY TO STAY IN SCHOOL. THE ORGANIZATION DOES THIS BY ORGANIZING A NETWORK OF FACULTY ON CAMPUSES ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO SERVE AS VOLUNTEER PROGRAM LEADERS TO ENGAGE FACULTY, STAFF, AND IMPACTED STUDENTS IN ADDRESSING STUDENT BASIC NEEDS INSECURITY, INCLUDING DISSEMINATING EMERGENCY GRANTS FROM FUNDS RAISED THROUGH BIS AND OTHERS. IN 2024, BIS COORDINATED AND SUPPORTED 30 FAST FUND LEADERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO RAISE AND DISTRIBUTE $771,545 TO 2,384 STUDENTS. THIS IS A 21% INCREASE IN STUDENTS SERVED, AND A 43% INCREASE IN FUNDS DISTRIBUTED OVER THE PRIOR YEAR. THE ORGANIZATION HAS MADE INVESTMENTS IN IMPROVING THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF SUPPORTS IT PROVIDES TO THE VOLUNTEER FAST FUND LEADERS, FOCUSED ON INCREASING EFFICIENCY FOR VOLUNTEER LEADERS AND IMPROVING THEIR ABILITY TO RAISE LOCAL FUNDS.

    Expenses $137,788

  • GATHER FOOD HALL IS A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE TO COMBAT FOOD INSECURITY AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS BY UTILIZING A PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN MODEL THAT PROVIDES VOUCHERS FOR STUDENTS WHO NEED EXTRA SUPPORT AND HELPING THE COMMUNITY BETTER UNDERSTAND THESE ISSUES. BIS HAS BEEN WORKING WITH A GROUP OF PARTNERS TO IDENTIFY PEOPLE WHO WOULD OWN AND OPERATE THE FOOD HALL, WHILE THE ORGANIZATION WOULD FOCUS ON THE SOCIAL MISSION OF ADDRESSING COLLEGE FOOD INSECURITY AS A NONPROFIT PARTNER TO THE EFFORT. 2024 WAS A MILESTONE YEAR, AS AN AGREEMENT WAS REACHED FOR THE FOOD HALL TO BE BUILT BY BRANDYWINE REALTY AND OPERATED BY HOSPITALITY HQ, BROUGHT TOGETHER A SERIES OF PARTNERS TO HELP LEARN FROM PAST FAILURES IN MODELS LIKE THIS, AND GENERATE A CONCEPT THAT CAN BE SUSTAINABLE WHILE ADDRESSING THE SOCIAL GOOD. THE ORGANIZATION BEGAN FOCUSING ON ESTABLISHING THE PROGRAM OF PROVIDING MEALS, THE EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO EDUCATE GATHER'S PATRONS ABOUT THESE ISSUES, AND RAISING FUNDS TO SUPPORT STUDENT MEALS.

    Expenses $8,690

As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Officers and directors · 2024

As listed in Part VII of the 2024 return, in the order the filer printed them. Each return names its own; this is not a roster the organization keeps with us.

  • JESSE THOMPSON

    BOARD VICE CHAIR (UNTIL 12.12.24); BOARD CHAIR (AS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • RICHARD BINSWANGER

    BOARD CHAIR (UNTIL 12.12.24); BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.33

  • BILL KIOLBASA

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.33

  • DR ELIZABETH VAQUERA

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.33

  • KRISTEN DURKIN

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.33

  • LIZ MURPHY

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.33

  • MARK HAYS

    BOARD TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • RENE BRYCE-LAPORTE

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.3

  • STEPHANIE OWENS

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.33

  • TRACI KIRTLEY

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $127,470
    From this org
    $112,940
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $14,530
    Hours/week
    50

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. Earlier years are each on their own filing page.

Filings

  • 2024
    Revenue
    $1,082,848
    Expenses
    $762,685
    Contributions
    $1,075,169
    Grants paid
    $0
  • 2023
    Revenue
    $448,169
    Expenses
    $748,524
    Contributions
    $438,761
    Grants paid
    $0
  • 2022
    Revenue
    $567,193
    Expenses
    $1,047,838
    Contributions
    $409,829
    Grants paid
    $0

The four totals the IRS asks for on Part I of the Form 990, as filed. A dash means the figure was not present on the return — not that it was zero.

Other returns filed

  • 2021 · 990

    Revenue
    $469,083
    Expenses
    $1,841,890
    Assets (EOY)
    $1,174,357

  • 2020 · 990

    Revenue
    $3,803,135
    Expenses
    $1,671,059
    Assets (EOY)
    $2,546,943

  • 2019 · 990

    Revenue
    $363,968
    Expenses
    $159,215
    Assets (EOY)
    $316,475

Nonprofiteer parses Forms 990, 990-EZ and 990-PF, in a window of recent tax years. These returns are recorded from the IRS e-file index, so their figures were extracted by that index rather than read from the return here — treat them as a different source from the filings above, not as more of the same record. A dash means the index carries no figure; Form 990-T listings carry none at all.

Form 990-N e-Postcard, tax year 2017

Tax period
1 January 2017 to 31 December 2017
Principal officer
SARA GOLDRICK RAB
Mailing address
846 Independence CtPhiladelphia PA 19147

As filed, from the IRS e-Postcard file of 26 October 2026. The IRS publishes only each organization's most recent postcard, so earlier years are not shown. A 990-N carries no financial detail. The postcard also gives the principal officer's address, which is not shown here.

Grants made

No itemized grants to organizations. Schedule I is filed only by organizations that granted more than $5,000 to a recipient, so most filers have none.

Grants received

Other IRS files

Auto-Revocation List

Not listed. The IRS publishes this list for organizations whose exemption was automatically revoked for failing to file for three consecutive years.

Publication 78

Listed as of 13 October 2026, under deductibility PC.

These are two separate IRS files on two separate schedules, shown as published and not reconciled with each other. Neither is a statement about whether a contribution is deductible today: 19,245 organizations appear in Publication 78 while the IRS's own revocation file lists them as currently revoked, more than half of those revoked before 2019. Absence from Publication 78 is evidence of nothing, and presence is not evidence either. Verify current status with the IRS before relying on it.

What this page reflects

The registration facts above come from the IRS Business Master File published 13 October 2026 and read 29 October 2026, for every organization at once. Returns through tax year 2024, the newest we have parsed for this organization.