Polaris Project
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
POLARIS WORKS TO END SEX AND LABOR TRAFFICKING AND RESTORE FREEDOM TO SURVIVORS.
- Income
- $11.1 million
- Spending
- $13.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 71%
- Reserves
- -3.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 51%
- Employees
- 133
- Volunteers
- 11
- Highest pay
- $257,135, executive director & ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 30 out of 100. Higher than 1% of charities in its peer group (international, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 102% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 20% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 8% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1571% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (international, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2511 of 11 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $5.4 million spent. NATIONAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING HOTLINE - POLARIS CONTINUED OPERATING THE U.S. NATIONAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING HOTLINE (NHTH), WITH FUNDING FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, OFFICE ON TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS (OTIP) AND PRIVATE DONATIONS. THE NHTH PROVIDES VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING ACCESS TO CRITICAL SUPPORT AND SERVICES TO GET HELP AND STAY SAFE, 24-7, IN MORE THAN 200 LANGUAGES ACROSS FIVE MODES OF COMMUNICATION - PHONE, CHAT, TEXT, WEBFORM, AND EMAIL.
- $702,704 spent. FINANCIAL INTELLIGENCE UNIT - POLARIS' FINANCIAL INTELLIGENCE UNIT LEVERAGES THE REACH, EXPERTISE, AND MOTIVATION OF THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL SECTOR TO IDENTIFY HUMAN TRAFFICKING OPERATIONS THROUGH THEIR FINANCIAL FOOTPRINTS. POLARIS WORKS TO IDENTIFY SUSPICIOUS FINANCIAL ACTIVITY, CONDUCT TRAININGS FOR FINANCIAL AND ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING PROFESSIONALS, AND SUPPORT CRIMINAL CASES AGAINST TRAFFICKERS.
- $712,962 spent. WORKERS' RIGHTS/LABOR TRAFFICKING - POLARIS ADVOCATES FOR VIGOROUS ENFORCEMENT OF BASIC LABOR PROTECTIONS AFFORDED TO WORKERS IN THE UNITED STATES, WHICH WOULD GO A LONG WAY TOWARDS REDUCING LABOR TRAFFICKING, AS WOULD EFFORTS TO HELP WORKERS UNDERSTAND THEIR RIGHTS AND THE PROTECTIONS AVAILABLE TO THEM. POLARIS ALSO ADVOCATES FOR INCREASED EMPLOYER ACCOUNTABILITY OR "SKIN IN THE GAME", WHICH ARE VITAL TO REDUCING LABOR TRAFFICKING.
- $2.5 million spent. POLARIS' LARGEST OTHER PROGRAM IS LEARNING, INNOVATION AND DATA SYSTEMS (LIDS), WHICH DEVELOPS A DATA DRIVEN UNDERSTANDING OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING, GENERATES RESEARCH AND DATA PRODUCTS FOR USE BY THE ANTI-TRAFFICKING FIELD, AND SUPPORTS POLARIS' MONITORING AND EVALUATION TO ENSURE PROGRAMS HAVE THEIR INTENDED IMPACT.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since April 2002.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.