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Special Olympics Missouri

EIN 23-7328374 · Jefferson Cty, MO

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong95 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THROUGH YEAR-ROUND SPORTS AND TRAINING, INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES ARE GIVEN THE CHANCE TO GAIN CONFIDENCE, SEEK OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE THEIR PHYSICAL FITNESS, DEMONSTRATE PRIDE, AND PARTICIPATE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

Income
$6.4 million
Spending
$5.4 million
Spent on programs
81%
Reserves
13.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 74%
Employees
53
Volunteers
7,961
Highest pay
$218,524, president/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

Strong: 95 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 13.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 16% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 3% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    81% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 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.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    24 of 24 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 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 (2)
  1. $4.3 million spent. SPECIAL OLYMPICS MISSOURI (SOMO) SERVES INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES EACH YEAR BY COMBINING THE HEALTH, FITNESS, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL BENEFITS RESULTING FROM SPORTS PARTICIPATION. SOMO INCREASED SERVICE CAPACITIES FOR MORE ATHLETES WHEN WE MOVED INTO THE NEW TRAINING FOR LIFE CAMPUS. THIS WORLD-CLASS FACILITY, CENTRALLY LOCATED FOR THE CURRENT 17,973 PARTICIPATING ATHLETES STATEWIDE (INCLUDING ATHLETES, UNIFIED PARTNERS, YOUNG ATHLETES, UCS ATHLETES AND UCS UNIFIED PARTNERS) AND MANY MORE ATHLETES WHO ARE NOT CURRENTLY PARTICIPATING, OFFERS SOMO THE ABILITY TO HOST VARIOUS DAY CAMPS, CONNECTS SOMO WITH THE COMMUNITY AND OFFERS UNPARALLELED ATHLETE OPPORTUNITIES. SPECIAL OLYMPICS MISSOURI, INC. RECEIVED OVER $750K IN BUDGET RELIEVING CONTRIBUTED SERVICES. WHILE THIS AMOUNT IS EXCLUDED FROM FORM 990 CALCULATIONS, SOMO BELIEVES THIS IS INTEGRAL TO OUR SUCCESS. ATHLETES WHO PARTICIPATE IN SPECIAL OLYMPICS CAN DOUBLE THE LIKELIHOOD TO FIND AND KEEP EMPLOYMENT, MAKING IT FAR MORE THAN A SPORTS ORGANIZATION. THE MOTOR SKILLS OF OUR CHILDREN PARTICIPATING IN THE YOUNG ATHLETES PROGRAM IMPROVED AT TWICE THE RATE OF CHILDREN WHO WERE NOT INVOLVED. RESEARCH INDICATES DEVELOPED ECONOMIES, SUCH AS THE UNITED STATES, HAVE REDUCED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY LEVELS BY AS MUCH AS 32% IN FEWER THAN TWO GENERATIONS. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DOES MORE THAN CREATE GOOD HEALTH, CONTRIBUTING TO LEADERSHIP, GREATER PRODUCTIVITY AND INNOVATION, AND SPECIAL OLYMPICS MISSOURI IS PROVIDING THIS TRAINING TO OUR ATHLETES FOR LIFE. APPROXIMATELY ONE-THIRD OF SOMO ATHLETES HAVE AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER AND ANOTHER THIRD HAVE DOWN SYNDROME. THERE ARE AN ESTIMATED 154,000 INDIVIDUALS IN THE STATE OF MISSOURI THAT HAVE INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES AND WE SERVE OVER 8,390 CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, WITH INVALUABLE ASSISTANCE FROM 706 COACHES AND 7,160 ACTIVE STATEWIDE VOLUNTEERS. SPECIAL OLYMPICS IS THE LARGEST PUBLIC HEALTH PLATFORM FOR PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES IN THE WORLD, PARTNERING WITH HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS IN MISSOURI TO OFFER FREE SCREENINGS. SPECIAL OLYMPICS MISSOURI IS PROUD TO HAVE 85% PROGRAM EXPENSES FOR 2024 WHEN INCLUDING CONTRIBUTED SERVICES/FACILITIES, AND 81% PROGRAM EXPENSES FOR 2024 WHEN EXCLUDING CONTRIBUTED SERVICES/FACILITIES. SPECIAL OLYMPICS MISSOURI (SOMO) PROVIDES YEAR-ROUND OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH INNOVATIVE AND TRANSFORMATIVE SPORTS, WELLNESS, LEADERSHIP AND LIFE SKILLS PROGRAMS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES.
  2. $41,351 spent. THE HEALTHY ATHLETES PROGRAM IS AN INITIATIVE DEVELOPED BY SPECIAL OLYMPICS, INC., WITH A MISSION OF IMPROVING THE OVERALL HEALTH OF OUR ATHLETES THROUGH VARIOUS HEALTH SCREENINGS. THIS PROGRAM OFFERS ATHLETES THE OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH IN AN ENVIRONMENT FOCUSING ON THE NEEDS OF INDIVIDUALS WITH INTERLLECTIAL DISABILITIES. SCREENING PROGRAMS INCLUDE FUNFITNESS, HEALTHY HEARING, FIT FEET, HEALTH PROMOTION, OPENING EYES, SPECIAL SMILES, AND MEDFEST. WITH THE HELP OF LOCAL VOLUNTEER HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, FOR EVERY $1 SPENT FOR HEALTHY ATHLETES PROGRAMIN, $7 IS RETURNED IN PRO BONO SERVICES. ALL HEALTHY ATHLETES PROGRAMS ARE PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE TO ALL SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHETES, WITH 1,322 SCREENINGS ADMINISTERED IN 2024.

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

  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 December 2024.

    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 August 1977.

    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.