Spirit of the Sun Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
To work in partnership with Native American communities in urban areas and on reservations to boost the resilience of Native people especially youth and young adults.
- Income
- $1.3 million
- Spending
- $1.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 9.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 70%
- Employees
- 23
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $114,752, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 93 out of 100.
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 9.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 9% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 10% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 87 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 254 of 6 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
0 of 7Reports no 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
9 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
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, 2025, 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 (3)
- $381,194 spent. Elders Foodshare Program: Spirit of the Suns Elders Foodshare program provided weekly food services to approximately 200 people per week. We sourced food through donations partner farms and local producers assembling culturally appropriate nutritionally complete boxes with produce grains eggs herbs teas and meat. These boxes were distributed through a combination of pickup and no-cost delivery services to ensure consistent access to healthy food.
- $304,900 spent. Healing Foodbags: Spirit of the Sun reached 500 youth through our Healings Foods Bags program. We distribute bags that contain a small variety of whole fruits and vegetables along with educational materials explaining their uses and importance to various Native cultures. We reach children through distributions at various locations including housing complexes schools and events including powwows.
- $228,698 spent. Indigenous Agriculture: Spirit of the Sun worked towards preserving the cultural practices of Indigenous foodways by growing our traditional bioregional foods and understanding our foods as our medicine through our Healing Foods Project. The Indigenous Agriculture team grows food on our partner farms to be shared with the community through our Native Elders Food Share Program. This work promotes Native and Indigenous selfdetermination and resiliency by addressing systemic environmental injustices and food apartheid through Indigenous foodsystems sovereignty traditional foodways and Indigenous climate justice. Through working with local Native and BIPOC communities we seek to strengthen economic and cultural resilience through Rematriation and ancestral ecological practices soil remediation and knowledge sharing. In 2024 Spirit of the Sun grew and distributed 1000lbs of food to our community members.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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 2025.
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 September 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.