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Bucks County Opportunity Council Inc

EIN 23-6406222 · Doylestown, PA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair60 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

OUR MISSION IS TO REDUCE POVERTY AND PARTNER WITH OUR COMMUNITY TO PROMOTE ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY. OUR VISION IS TO ELEVATE THE AWARENESS OF POVERTY, AND TO CREATE AND LEAD PARTNERSHIPS TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY A "BRIDGES OUT OF POVERTY" COMMUNITY. (CONTINUED ON SCH. O)WE STRIVE TO BE A MODEL OF SEAMLESS CASE MANAGEMENT AND INFLUENCE OUR COMMUNITY TO MAKE REDUCING POVERTY ONE OF ITS PRIORITIES.

Income
$14.9 million
Spending
$14.6 million
Spent on programs
90%
Reserves
1.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 61%
Employees
73
Volunteers
1,964
Highest pay
$205,810, chief executive director

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

Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 44% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 45% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 0% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    90% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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 35% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    21 of 21 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 (4)
  1. $5.7 million spent. THE FOOD PROGRAM GARNERS THE SUPPORT OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY OF BUCKS COUNTY INCLUDING BUSINESSES, FARMERS, EDUCATION, UNITED WAY, PRIVATE DONORS, AND COUNTY GOVERNMENT, AS WELL AS STATE AND FEDERAL RESOURCES TO PROVIDE AMPLE NUTRITIOUS FOOD TO LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN BUCKS COUNTY THROUGH 75 FOOD DISTRIBUTION SITES. IN FY25, MORE THAN 90,000 VISITS WERE MADE TO THE FOOD NETWORK BY FAMILIES IN NEED. THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS, WE GREATLY INCREASED THE AMOUNTS OF FRESH PRODUCE AND OTHER FOOD ITEMS BEING DISTRIBUTED TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF THE LOW-INCOME COMMUNITY AND DISTRIBUTED OVER 3 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD.
  2. $3.6 million spent. THE HOUSING SERVICES PROGRAM INCLUDES STREET OUTREACH, HOUSING LOCATION, RAPID REHOUSING, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, EMERGENCY HOTEL STAYS AND HOMELESS PREVENTION ASSISTANCE AS WELL AS UTILITY ASSISTANCE. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MULTIPLE ENTITIES THROUGHOUT BUCKS COUNTY, WE ASSISTED OVER 1,000 HOUSEHOLDS ANNUALLY THROUGH HOUSING AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.
  3. $2.3 million spent. THE ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY (ES) PROGRAM IS THE CORE PROGRAM OF THE OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL AND IS AT THE HEART OF THE MISSION. THE ES PROGRAM REQUIRES PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS, AND BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FUNDING TO BE EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT. WHILE ALL OUR PROGRAMS CONTRIBUTE TO A MORE STABLE COMMUNITY, THIS PROGRAM HELPS PEOPLE LEAVE POVERTY, PERMANENTLY AND THRIVE IN THE COMMUNITY. 420 HOUSEHOLDS HAVE GRADUATED FROM THE PROGRAM SINCE 1997 WITH AN AVERAGE INCREASE OF INCOME OF OVER $35,000 ANNUALLY. THE ES PROGRAM ALSO INCLUDES THE VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (VITA) WHICH ASSISTS LOW TO MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS BY PREPARING TAX RETURNS FOR FREE AND ELIMINATING THE COST BURDEN OF ANNUAL FILING. (CONTINUED ON SCH. O)THIS PROGRAM CLOSES THE INCOME GAP THAT FAMILIES EXPERIENCE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR BY MAXIMIZING REFUNDS THROUGH EARNED INCOME TAX CREDITS. IN FY25 WE COMPLETED A RECORD NUMBER OF 1,577 TAX RETURNS.
  4. $1.5 million spent. THE HOME ENERGY CONSERVATION PROGRAM ASSISTS LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS TO REDUCE ENERGY COSTS AND INCREASE DISPOSABLE INCOME THROUGH ENERGY SAVING MEASURES. THIS PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDES CRISIS SUPPORT FOR HOUSEHOLDS IN NEED OF IMMEDIATE HEATER REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT. THIS PAST YEAR WE SUCCESSFULLY INITIATED A HOME REPAIR PROGRAM TO REDUCE THE DEFERRAL RATES THAT OFTEN OCCUR WHEN LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS CANNOT AFFORD NEEDED REPAIRS TO COMPLETE WEATHERIZATION SERVICES. IN FY25 358 HOUSEHOLDS RECEIVED SERVICES THROUGH CRISIS RESPONSE AND WEATHERIZATION SERVICES.

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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since September 1965.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 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.