Childrens Aid Society of Mercer County
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO PROVIDE INFORMATION, COUNSELING, AND SUCH SERVICES AS MAY BE APPROPRIATE TO FAMILIES OR OTHERS IN RAISING AND NUTURING CHILDREN.
- Income
- $2.5 million
- Spending
- $2.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- 7.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 75%
- Employees
- 46
- Volunteers
- 20
- Highest pay
- $83,885, 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 7.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 18% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 4% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 15 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
Strong: 93 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2512 of 12 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
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 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 (4)
- $286,513 spent. FAMILY FOCUS: THE SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE FAMILY FOCUS PROGRAM ARE INTERACTIVE, RELATIONSHIP BASED AND DESIGNED TO HELP PARENTS CARE FOR THEIR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS IN THE HOME. SERVICES INCLUDE SELF-REGULATION, ECHO SYSTEMIC THERAPY AND 24/7 AVAILABILITY OF THE FAMILY FOCUS TEAM AND CRISIS MITIGATION. THE GOALS DURING THE 32-WEEK COURSE OF THE INTENSIVE THERAPY ARE TO SUPPORT FAMILIES, FOSTER INDEPENDENCE, PROMOTE FAMILY SKILLS, AND TO PREVENT HOSPITALIZATION OR OTHER OUT OF THE HOME PLACEMENT. THESE SERVICES ARE DESIGNED TO OFFER A RAPID RESPONSE TO THE NEEDS OF THE FAMILY. DURING THE 2025 CALENDAR YEAR, THE FAMILY FOCUS PROGRAM STAFF OF FOUR, AND PART OF THE YEAR, FIVE PROVIDED THERAPY TO 197 IDENTIFIED CLIENTS. AT THE CLOSE OF THE AUTHORIZED SERVICE PERIOD, % OF THE CLIENTS SHOWED IMPROVEMENT IN THEIR SCORE ON THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT SCALE.
- $742,891 spent. ADOPTION AND PERMANENCY: THE SERVICES OF THE ADOPTION AND PERMANENCY DEPARTMENT FOCUS ON LOCATING A FOREVERHOME FOR REFERRED CHILDREN AND FAMILIES TO UNDERSTAND THE EFFECTS OF TRAUMA AND GIVE THEM THE TOOLS NECESSARY TO SUPPORT THE CHILD. THE FIRST SERVICE OFFERED BY THE PROGRAM IS WRITING A CHILD PROFILE, WHICH ENTAILS CREATING A DETAILED REPORT ON A CHILD'S HISTORY. THE NEXT AVAILABLE SERVICE IS CHILD PREPARATION, WHICH INCLUDES THE CREATION OF A LIFEBOOK (SCRAPBOOK) AND SESSIONS TO HELP THEM PREPARE FOR THE NEXT TRANSITION THEY WILL UNDERGO, WHETHER IT BE RETURNING TO THE BIRTH FAMILY, MOVING TO A GROUP HOME OR AN ADOPTIVE HOME OR AGING OUT OF THE SYSTEM AND LIVING INDEPENDENTLY. CHILD SPECIFIC RECRUITMENT IS THE PROCESS WE USE TO MATCH A CHILD WITH A PROSPECTIVE FOREVER FAMILY OR WITH A CONNECTION FROM THEIR PAST THAT THE CHILD OR YOUTH CAN USE AS A SUPPORT SYSTEM. FOR THOSE CLIENTS AGING OUT OF THE SYSTEM, OUR MENTORING SERVICE MATCHES THEM WITH A VOLUNTEER MENTOR THAT WILL BE SUPPORT TO THEM AS THEY BEGIN LIVING AS AN INDEPENDENT ADULT. WE ALSO SUPPORT FAMILIES WHO ARE ADOPTING A CHILD. WE COMPLETE HOME STUDIES AND FAMILY PROFILES THAT ASSIST IN BEING MATCHING WITH A PRE-ADOPTIVE CHILD. FOR FAMILIES WHO HAVE ADOPTED OR TAKEN LEGAL CUSTODY AS WELL. DURING THE 2025 CALENDAR YEAR SERVICES WERE PROVIDED TO 683 IDENTIFIED CLIENTS. ADOPTION AND PERMANENCY DISTRIBUTES APPROXIMATELY 200 NEWSLETTERS MONTHLY, VIA A MASS EMAILING LIST. THE NEWSLETTER INCLUDES ARTICLES OF INTEREST ON ADOPTION, TIPS FOR THE ADOPTIVE PARENT, UPCOMING TRAINING, AND A LOT OF RELEVANT TIPS FOR THOSE INVOLVED IN THE ADOPTION PROCESS.
- $336,175 spent. DAY CARE: IT IS THE GOAL OF THE DAY CARE PROGRAM TO PROVIDE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT THE CHILDREN WILL ENJOY WHILE LEARNING SKILLS, MAKING NEW FRIENDS, AND PREPARING FOR SCHOOL. STRUCTURED LEARNING ACTIVITIES ARE BUILT INTO THE DAILY ROUTINE SO THAT THE STAFF CAN FOCUS ON THE AGE-APPROPRIATE DEVELOPMENT OF SENSORY AWARENESS, GROSS MOTOR, FINE MOTOR COMMUNICATION, LISTENING AND COGNITIVE SKILLS AS WELL AS AIDING IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SELF- CONTROL, SELF-ESTEEM AND INDEPENDENCE. COORDINATION OF AGE- APPROPRIATE ACTIVITIES ARE IMPLEMENTED DURING SUMMER TO ENCOURAGE THOSE OF SCHOOL AGE TO RETAIN AND BUILD ON EXISTING SKILLS AND ACTIVITIES IN BOTH INDOOR AND OUTDOOR SETTINGS. THE SEVEN DAY CARE STAFF PROVIDED CARE TO 55 INFANTS, TODDLERS AND PRE-SCHOOL AND SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN IN 2025. AT THE CONCLUSION OF SERVICE, AN END OF SERVICE QUESTIONNAIRE IS PROVIDED TO PARENTS. THE RESULTS OF THIS SURVEY INDICATED THAT 100% OF PARENTS WOULD RECOMMEND THIS SERVICE TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND THEY WOULD USE THE SERVICES AGAIN IF NEEDED. IN 2025, CHILDREN'S AID SOCIETY DAY CARE (JUMP START) WAS AWARDED ONCE AGAIN A STAR**** IN THE KEYSTONE STARS PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM USES A RATING SCALE OF 1 TO 4 TO RATE THE DAY CARE IN PENNSYLVANIA. THE DAY CARE DIRECTOR WRITES A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER THAT IS GIVEN TO EACH FAMILY IN THE PROGRAM. IN THIS NEWSLETTER YOU WILL FIND PARENTING TIPS, UPCOMING DAY CARE EVENTS AND SEASONAL ACTIVITIES TO DO WITH YOUR FAMILY. THE DIRECTOR ALSO MAINTAINS A DAY CARE FACEBOOK PAGE.
- $284,057 spent. FOSTER CARE: THE FOSTER CARE PROGRAM SERVES YOUTH IN COUNTIES THROUGHOUT WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. SERVICES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO RECRUITMENT, TRAINING, CERTIFICATION, PLACEMENT, CASE MANAGEMENT, AND SUPERVISION. THIS PROGRAM HAS REGULAR COLLABORATION WITH THE STATEWIDE ADOPTION AND PERMANENCY NETWORK, SWAN AFFILIATE AGENCIES, PA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES AND COUNTY AGENCIES THROUGHOUT PA. IN 2025, ONE FOSTER CARE STAFF MEMBER PROVIDED SERVICES TO 52 CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. CHRISTMAS FAMILY REFERRAL COORDINATED A PROGRAM TO PROVIDE CHRISTMAS GIFTS AND FOOD TO 929 MERCER COUNTY FAMILIES IN NEED DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON.
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 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 November 6, 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 December 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 July 1959.
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 November 4, 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.