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Roca Inc

EIN 22-3223641 · Chelsea, MA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong93 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

ROCA'S MISSION IS TO BE A RELENTLESS FORCE IN DISRUPTING INCARCERATION, POVERTY, AND RACISM BY ENGAGING THE YOUNG ADULTS, POLICE, AND SYSTEMS AT THE CENTER OF URBAN VIOLENCE IN RELATIONSHIPS TO ADDRESS TRAUMA, FIND HOPE, AND DRIVE CHANGE.

Income
$35.8 million
Spending
$30.8 million
Spent on programs
81%
Reserves
7.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 63%
Employees
659
Volunteers
12
Highest pay
$297,373, founder and ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 82% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 7.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 13% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 14% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 12% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    80% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 29% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    12 of 13 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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)
  1. $19.6 million spent. TRANSFORMATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS (INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT)- THE UNDERLYING THEORY BEHIND ROCA'S INTERVENTION MODEL IS THAT RELATIONSHIPS CHANGE PEOPLE-THAT POSITIVE CHANGE COMES ABOUT WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF MUTUALITY, SHARED EXPERIENCE, AND A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY, NOT ONLY TO ONESELF, BUT TO ANOTHER. ROCA ENGAGES YOUNG PEOPLE IN RELATIONSHIPS FOR THE PURPOSE OF CHANGE. THESE RELATIONSHIPS ARE CALLED TRANSFORMATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS. THESE ARE RELATIONSHIPS IN WHICH A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME (UP TO SIX MONTHS) IS ALLOTTED TO SIMPLY BUILDING TRUST. THEY ARE USED TO CONSISTENTLY AND FREQUENTLY ENGAGE YOUNG PEOPLE IN A VARIETY OF SKILL BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES OVER A PERIOD OF UP TO TWO YEARS. THESE RELATIONSHIPS ARE DESIGNED TO MOTIVATE YOUNG PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE AND DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES THAT THEY WANT TO CHANGE AND TAKE CONCRETE ACTIONS TO CHANGE. THEY ARE USED TO SUPPORT YOUNG PEOPLE WHEN THEY HAVE SETBACKS OR RELAPSES, TO SUPPORT YOUNG PEOPLE WHEN THEIR FAMILIES ARE UNABLE OR UNWILLING, AND TO PROTECT YOUNG PEOPLE FROM HARM WHEN THEY ARE NOT PROTECTING THEMSELVES. ROCA KNOWS THAT WHEN A YOUNG PERSON IS RE-ENGAGED THROUGH POSITIVE AND INTENSIVE RELATIONSHIPS, HE/SHE CAN GO ON TO GAIN COMPETENCIES IN LIFE SKILLS, EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT. THEREFORE, AT THE CORE OF OUR HIGH-RISK YOUTH INTERVENTION MODEL IS THE TRANSFORMATIONAL RELATIONSHIP (TR). EACH OF ROCA'S YOUTH WORKERS CARRIES A CASELOAD OF 20-25 YOUNG PEOPLE. YOUTH WORKERS PROVIDE EACH PARTICIPANT WITH INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT, AND HAS AT LEAST TWO INTENTIONAL, DIRECT CONTACTS WITH EACH PARTICIPANT PER WEEK. YOUTH WORKERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THAT YOUNG PEOPLE'S INDIVIDUAL NEEDS ARE BEING MET. YOUTH WORKERS ARE OFTEN THE ONE ADULT IN A YOUNG PERSONS LIFE THAT IS THERE WHEN THEY GO TO COURT OR ENTER LOCK UP; WHO VISITS THEM DURING INCARCERATION AND PICKS THEM UP WHEN THEY ARE OUT. THEIR RELATIONSHIP IS NOT A FRIENDSHIP - IT IS MORE PROFOUND- EFFECTIVELY INTENTIONAL, AND MUTUALLY RESPECTFUL. YOUTH WORKERS ARE TRAINED IN MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING AND COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL STRATEGIES PREPARING THEM TO USE THEIR SELF EFFECTIVELY TO GUIDE AND SUPPORT YOUNG PEOPLE.
  2. $4.4 million spent. WORK PROJECTS - THROUGH THE TRANSITIONAL EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM (TEP), PARTICIPANTS LEARN CRITICAL WORK SKILLS NEEDED TO BECOME SUSTAINABLY-EMPLOYED, ECONOMICALLY INDEPENDENT ADULTS. THE GOAL OF THE TRANSITIONAL EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM IS TO TEACH PARTICIPANTS ABOUT WORK BY HAVING THEM WORK. MANY OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE NEVER HAD A JOB AND DO NOT KNOW HOW TO SHOW UP TO WORK EVERY DAY OR WHAT IT MEANS TO BEHAVE APPROPRIATELY AT WORK. ROCA UTILIZES SUBSIDIZED EMPLOYMENT TO GIVE YOUNG PEOPLE THEIR FIRST EXPOSURE TO THE DAILY REQUIREMENTS OF EMPLOYMENT. OUR GOAL IS TO ENSURE THAT, AFTER COMPLETING THE PROGRAM, THEY ARE PREPARED FOR AN ENTRY-LEVEL POSITION IN THE OPEN LABOR MARKET. LOW SELF-ESTEEM SERVES AS ANOTHER BARRIER BLOCKING PARTICIPANTS FROM LEADING HEALTHY AND PRODUCTIVE LIVES. BY TEACHING PARTICIPANTS HOW TO WORK THEY BUILD CONFIDENCE IN THEIR INDIVIDUAL SKILLS AND ABILITIES. ROCA OPERATES SUPERVISED WORK CREWS THAT ENGAGE IN PARTIALLY-SUBSIDIZED WORK PROJECTS CONTRACTED THROUGH MUNICIPAL PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENTS AND PRIVATE COMPANIES. THE WORK CREWS HAVE TWO MAJOR BENEFITS: 1) THEY TEACH PARTICIPANTS HOW TO WORK AND 2) THEY BENEFIT THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE BY HELPING TO CLEAN UP STREETS AND LOCAL PARKS, WHILE IMPROVING PUBLIC SAFETY BY KEEPING THEM OFF OF THE STREETS. AFTER SUCCEEDING IN TEP, YOUNG PEOPLE MEET WITH ROCA'S CAREER COUNSELOR AND ARE PLACED AT ONE OF ROCA'S PARTNERING EMPLOYERS TO PROVIDE UNSUBSIDIZED JOB OPPORTUNITIES.YOUNG PEOPLE PARTICIPATE IN THESE WORK CREWS 4 DAYS/WEEK, 6.5 HOURS/DAY. ON THE DAY YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOT WORKING, THEY ARE AT ROCA FOR LIFE SKILLS, ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION, AND PRE-VOCATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMS. TEP HELPS YOUNG PEOPLE PRACTICE SHOWING UP EACH DAY WHILE GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE MISTAKES. IN THIS PROGRAM, FAILURE IS INEVITABLE AND EXPECTED. IT TAKES OUR YOUNG PEOPLE 15-18 MONTHS TO COMPLETE 60 CONSECUTIVE WORK DAYS.
  3. $853,965 spent. CAPACITY BUILDING - ROCA'S CAPACITY BUILDING INITIATIVES ARE DESIGNED TO AID THE ORGANIZATION AS IT GROWS AND MOVES TOWARDS GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OUTLINED IN ITS STRATEGIC PLAN. CAPACITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES INCLUDE RESEARCH AND EVALUATION; REFINEMENT OF THE ROCA INTERVENTION MODEL; DEVELOPMENT AND REFINEMENT OF ROCAS PERFORMANCE BASED MANAGEMENT SYSTEM; LEADERSHIP AND STAFF DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING FOR PROGRAM REPLICATION.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since May 1996.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. 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.