Tompkins Community Action Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TOMPKINS COMMUNITY ACTION, INC. (TCACTION) "BELIEVES AN ACTIVE COMMUNITY CAN PRODUCE POWERFUL CHANGE". LOCATED IN UPSTATE NEW YORK'S FINGER LAKES REGION, TCACTION HAS SERVED THE COMMUNITY FOR OVER 55 YEARS, IMPLEMENTING PROGRAMS THAT CREATE STABLE SUPPORT SYSTEMS TO HELP PEOPLE MOVE OUT OF POVERTY.
- Income
- $9.6 million
- Spending
- $10.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 89%
- Reserves
- -1.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 94%
- Employees
- 147
- Volunteers
- 203
- Highest pay
- $172,248, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 54 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 17% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 5% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 13% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1589% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 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 March 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 (1)
- $8.9 million spent. TOMPKINS COMMUNITY ACTION IS A PRIVATE, NOT-FOR PROFIT CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION THAT HAD ITS GRASSROOTS BEGINNINGS IN 1964. ORIGINALLY TOMPKINS COUNTY ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY CORPORATION OR EOC, AS IT WAS KNOWN UNTIL OUR OFFICIAL CORPORATE NAME CHANGE TO TOMPKINS COMMUNITY ACTION IN 1999, BEGAN AS A LOCAL COALITION OF CONCERNED COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WANTED TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF LOW-INCOME FAMILIES IN TOMPKINS COUNTY. FORMALLY INCORPORATED IN 1966, THE AGENCY BECAME PART OF A NATIONAL AND STATE NETWORK OF COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCIES. FROM A SMALL NOT-FOR-PROFIT HUMAN SERVICE AGENCY, WITH A YEARLY BUDGET OF APPROXIMATELY $25,000 AND A STAFF OF 3.5 EMPLOYEES IN 1966 OPERATING TWO PROGRAMS, EOC TRANSFORMED ITSELF AND HAS GROWN INTO TOMPKINS COMMUNITY ACTION, A LARGE, MULTI-FACETED COMMUNITY ACTION AGENCY IMPLEMENTING AND INTEGRATING 21 PROGRAMS THAT SERVE LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS. AS ONE OF TOMPKINS COUNTY'S LARGER EMPLOYERS, THE AGENCY CURRENTLY HAS A STAFF OF 110 PEOPLE WHO ASSIST 4,000 LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS YEARLY THROUGH A WIDE VARIETY OF PROGRAMMING. WE ENTER THIS YEAR WITH RENEWED COMMITMENT TO OUR MISSION, VISION, AND STRATEGIES FOR ENDING CYCLES OF POVERTY IN TOMPKINS COUNTY. OUR HEAD START AND EARLY HEAD START PROGRAMS SERVE 350 CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES. PROGRAM DELIVERY SUPPORTED PREGNANT WOMEN, NEWBORNS, AND CHILDREN UP TO 5 YEARS OLD IN BOTH CLASSROOMS AND FAMILIES' HOMES. WE HAVE 22 CLASSROOMS COUNTY WIDE AS WELL AS OUR COLLABORATION WITH THE ITHACA SCHOOL DISTRICT SERVING AS OUR DELEGATE IN AN ADDITIONAL 9 PREK CLASSROOMS. CHILDREN AND FAMILIES RECEIVE HIGH QUALITY DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE EDUCATION, INDIVIDUALIZATION TO ENHANCE LEARNING AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES TO PREPARE OUR CHILDREN FOR A LIFETIME OF LEARNING. IMPLEMENTING HIGH SCOPE CURRICULUM, PROGRAMMING FOCUSED ON THE FIVE DOMAINS IDENTIFIED TO MEET SCHOOL READINESS GOALS THAT PREPARE OUR CHILDREN FOR KINDERGARTEN. CHILDREN'S MATH AND SCIENCE SKILLS INCREASED BY 29% AND LANGUAGE LITERACY SKILLS BY 24% THIS PROGRAM YEAR. CHILD SOCIAL RELATIONS SKILLS INCREASED BY 28%; SHOWS A STRONG INDICATOR FOR SCHOOL READINESS AND TRANSITION SUCCESS. FAMILY SERVICES INCLUDED MONTHLY SOCIALIZATION ACTIVITIES, PARENT ACTION GROUPS, TRAININGS, SECONDARY EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES AND SEMINARS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. WE SERVED 77,095 BREAKFASTS, LUNCHES AND SNACKS TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES THIS YEAR AND EXPANDED PROGRAM ACTIVITIES LINKING ACTIVE MOVEMENT TO HEALTHY NUTRITION, AND OUR FAMILY HOME LIBRARY PROGRAM COMPONENT PROVIDED 3,080 BOOKS. FUNDING FOR HEAD START / EARLY HEAD START PROGRAMING, FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES, TOTALED $4,469,088. FUNDING PROVIDED $3,168,669 IN WAGES AND FRINGE BENEFITS, $797,735 FOR OPERATIONS, $372,139 TO SUPPORT ITHACA SCHOOL DISTRICT DELEGATE AND RACKER PARTNERSHIPS, AND $68,695 FOR PROGRAM CONSUMABLES. FUNDING INCLUDED $61,580 TO SUPPORT AND EXPAND STAFF AND PARENT EDUCATION AND TRAINING. OUR PRIMARY SCHOOL SUPPORT PROGRAM WORKED CLOSELY WITH PARENTS AND SCHOOL OFFICIALS TO STRENGTHEN COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF CHILDREN TRANSITIONING TO KINDERGARTEN IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. ADVOCATES PROVIDED SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES AT PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES, COORDINATED SERVICE DELIVERY FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND SUPPORTED POSITIVE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN FAMILIES AND SCHOOL SYSTEM STAFF.THE EMERGENCY FOOD PANTRY DISTRIBUTED 7, 002 BOXES OF NUTRITIOUS FOOD, PERSONAL HYGIENE PRODUCTS AND HOUSEHOLD SUPPLIES TO INCOME ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS. OUR VICTORY GARDEN INITIATIVE PROVIDED VEGETABLE AND HERB SEEDLINGS TO 181 HOUSEHOLDS WITH LOW INCOMES WHO PARTICIPATE IN OUR PROGRAMS. AS THE LOCAL ADMINISTRATOR FOR NYS HOMES AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL, WE PROVIDED HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO OVER 1,066 HOUSEHOLDS. THE TOTAL ANNUAL SUBSIDY PAID OUT TO LANDLORDS WAS $7,674,524. A TOTAL OF 78 INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATED IN OUR FAMILY SELF SUFFICIENCY PROGRAM, WITH 42 PEOPLE EARNING ESCROW MONIES DUE TO AN INCREASE IN THEIR EARNED INCOME. A NEW PROGRAM THIS YEAR, THE MAKING MOVES PROGRAM ASSISTED 15 HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER PROGRAM FAMILIES TO MOVE TO RENTAL UNITS IN WELL-RESOURCED NEIGHBORHOODS. TCACTION PROVIDED RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO 13 CHRONICALLY HOMELESS HOUSEHOLDS WHO MOVED INTO PERMANENT HOUSING WITH TENANT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE THAT COMBINES RENTAL SUBSIDY AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES. TCACTION SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROGRAMS PROVIDED PERMANENT HOUSING ACROSS 135 RENTAL UNITS IN THE CITY OF ITHACA. SUPPORTIVE HOUSING PROGRAMS COMBINE RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO HELP HOUSEHOLDS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS STABILIZE IN HOUSING AND MOVE FORWARD WITH GOALS. TCACTION HOSTS 12 UNITS AT CHARTWELL HOUSE, 14 UNITS AT MAGNOLIA HOUSE, 6 UNITS AT THE CORN STREET APARTMENTS AND 23 UNITS AT AMICI HOUSE. IN ADDITION, TCACTION PROVIDES SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO 40 UNITS AT ITHACA ARTHAUS AND 40 UNITS AT ITHACA ASTERI. ACROSS ALL HOUSING PROGRAM SITES, SUPPORTIVE SERVICES INCLUDE REFERRALS TO HEALTH SERVICES, MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE RECOVERY SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS, EMPLOYMENT SEARCH AND EDUCATION SUPPORTS, FAMILY UNIFICATION AND LIFE SKILL BUILDING RELATED TO EACH RESIDENTS' GOALS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending March 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 1967.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 2026.
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