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Passes our checks

Future Citizens Foundation

EIN 26-0015069 · Salinas, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood78 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO DELIVER A TARGETED CURRICULUM OF GOLF AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, LIFE SKILLS, ACADEMIC SUPPORT, HIGHER EDUCATION, MENTORSHIP AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT.

Income
$4.5 million
Spending
$5.4 million
Spent on programs
82%
Reserves
11.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 97%
Employees
103
Volunteers
200
Highest pay
$207,227, ceo/secretary

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

Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 11.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 12% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 19% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 13% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    82% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 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. Higher than 82% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    22 of 23 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 (3)
  1. $3.1 million spent. FIRST TEE - MONTEREY COUNTY (FTMC): FTMC IS A CHAPTER OF FIRST TEE AND SITUS UNDER THE PGA TOUR FOUNDATION. FIRST TEE IS A YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION THAT ENABLES KIDS TO BUILD THE STRENGTH OF CHARACTER THAT EMPOWERS THEM THROUGH A LIFETIME OF NEW CHALLENGES. BY SEAMLESSLY INTEGRATING THE GAME OF GOLF WITH A LIFE SKILLS CURRICULUM, WE CREATE ACTIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT BUILD INNER STRENGTH, SELF-CONFIDENCE, AND RESILIENCE THAT KIDS CAN CARRY TO EVERYTHING THEY DO. WE'RE BUILDING GAME-CHANGERS THROUGH OUR JUNIOR GOLF PROGRAMS. FTMC PROVIDES ITS PROGRAMS AT ITS TWIN CREEKS GOLF CAMPUS LOCATED IN SALINAS, CALIFORNIA AND KING CITY GOLF COURSE LOCATED IN KING CITY, CALIFORNIA. AS OF OCTOBER 2023, FTMC DELIVERS THE FIRST TEES GOLF AND LIFE SKILLS EXPERIENCE CURRICULUM FROM JANUARY THROUGH DECEMBER DURING SCHOOL TIME, AFTER SCHOOL, ON WEEKENDS AND ON SCHOOL VACATIONS. SINCE 2004, OVER 110,000 ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 7 AND 18 YEARS OF AGE HAVE BEEN IMPACTED THROUGHOUT MONTEREY COUNTY. FTMC ALSO INCLUDES PROGRAMS THAT PROMOTE HEALTHY HABITS AND NUTRITION, AS WELL AS OFFERING HOMEWORK HELP AND TUTORING ASSISTANCE. DURING SCHOOL VACATIONS (SPRING, SUMMER, AND WINTER), FTMC DELIVERS EXTENDED PROGRAMMING THROUGH A VARIETY OF ACTIVITY CAMPS. WITH A FOCUS ON PROVIDING YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES FOR A BETTER FUTURE, PARTICIPANTS ENJOY THE PROGRAMMING PARTNERSHIPS WITH SEVERAL OTHER LOCAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND FOR-PROFIT BUSINESSES THAT FTMC HAS DEVELOPED. THE ANNUAL REGISTRATION FEE FOR A PARTICIPANT IS $160. THE PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE RESULTED IN OVER 6,000 FULL SCHOLARSHIPS. NINETY-SIX PERCENT OF THE FTMC PARTICIPANTS ARE NON-CAUCASIAN, AND FORTY-EIGHT PERCENT ARE FEMALE. THE FCF BOARD BELIEVES THAT THE INVESTMENT OF OVER $2,200,000 IN NON-COLLECTED MEMBERSHIP FEES IS MORE THAN JUSTIFIED THROUGH THE POSITIVE IMPACT THAT THE PROGRAM HAS ON THE YOUNG PEOPLE'S LIVES AND CONSEQUENTLY, THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.
  2. $296,250 spent. PAY IT FORWARD SCHOLARSHIP AND MENTORING PROGRAM: ON FEBRUARY 2, 2013, THE CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY MONTEREY BAY, THROUGH ITS UNIVERSITY CORPORATION (UCORP), TRANSFERRED TO FCF ALL RIGHTS, TITLE OR INTEREST IN THE PAY IT FORWARD SCHOLARSHIP AND MENTORING PROGRAM (PIF). THIS INCLUDED ALL RIGHTS IN NAMES OR STYLES RELATING TO THE PROGRAM, IT BEING THE INTENT OF THE PARTIES THAT FCF SHALL OWN OUTRIGHT THE INTEREST, RIGHTS AND ASSETS BELONGING TO THE PROGRAM. ADDITIONALLY, FOR A PERIOD OF FOUR YEARS AFTER THE TRANSFER DATE, AND THEREAFTER, SUBJECT TO TERMINATION UPON THE GIVING OF ONE YEARS PRIOR WRITTEN NOTICE, UCORP AGREES TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES FOR THE PROGRAM, CONSISTENT WITH THE CURRENT LEVEL OF FUNDING, BUT NOT TO EXCEED $110,000 PER YEAR. THIS PERMITS ALL FUNDS RAISED BY FCF FOR THE PROGRAM TO BE GRANTED 100 PERCENT TO STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS. EACH STUDENT RECEIVES A $20,000 PIF SCHOLARSHIP AT $5,000 PER YEAR FOR FOUR YEARS AND IS REQUIRED TO STAY ON A FOUR-YEAR GRADUATION TRACK, MAINTAIN AT LEAST A 2.5 CUMULATIVE GRADE POINT AVERAGE, MEET PERSONALLY WITH HIS/HER COMMUNITY MENTOR AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH, PARTICIPATE IN EACH OF 10 MONTHLY PROGRAM MEETINGS, SPEND AT LEAST FIVE HOURS EACH MONTH TUTORING AND MENTORING YOUNGER STUDENTS, PRIMARILY THROUGH TFTMC, AND BE IN THE FIRST GENERATION OF THEIR FAMILY TO ATTEND COLLEGE. AS OF OCTOBER 2024, THERE ARE 61 STUDENTS RECEIVING SCHOLARSHIPS IN THE 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR, 142 STUDENTS HAVE GRADUATED UNDER THE PIF PROGRAM IN FOUR YEARS OR LESS, AND OF THOSE GRADUATED, 51 PERCENT DID SO WITH HONORS.
  3. $298,338 spent. THE TAYLOR FARMS CENTER FOR LEARNING (TFCFL): IN FEBRUARY 2014, OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVED FUNDS TO CONSTRUCT A 5,000 SQUARE FOOT LEARNING CENTER ON THE CAMPUS IN SALINAS. CONSTRUCTION OF THE TFCFL BEGAN IN MARCH 2016 AND FCF TOOK OCCUPANCY IN SEPTEMBER 2016, WITH PROGRAM OPERATIONS COMMENCING IN MARCH 2017. THE CFL WAS CONSTRUCTED AT A COST OF $1.2M AND WAS COMPLETED ON TIME AND UNDER BUDGET. THE CFL PROVIDES A POWERFUL CURRICULUM OF ACADEMIC AND EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT AS WELL AS A CONTINUATION OF LIFE SKILLS AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. THE CONTINUUM TOUCHES EACH PART OF THEIR LIFE FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THROUGH COLLEGE. TO SUPPORT THE VISION OF OFFERING YOUNG PEOPLE OF MONTEREY COUNTY OPPORTUNITIES FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE, THE CFL OFFERS PROGRAMS IN THREE PRIMARY FOCUS AREAS: ACADEMIA, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH (STEAM); PLUS LIFE EXPLORATION AND PREPARATION (LEAP). THE CFL SERVES AGES 7-22 FROM SPECIFIC GROUPS INCLUDING FIRST TEE - MONTEREY COUNTY PARTICIPANTS, THE PAY IT FORWARD SCHOLARSHIP AND MENTORING PROGRAM SCHOLARS AND THEIR MENTEES, AND ALUMNI OF FIRST TEE - MONTEREY COUNTY THAT MAY NOT BE COLLEGE-READY OR STILL EXPLORING LIFE OPTIONS. THE CFL PROVIDES ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT, STEAM ACTIVITIES, CODING AND GAME DESIGN CLASSES, AND CAREER EXPLORATION ACTIVITES, AS WELL AS A SAFE AFTER-SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT, AND OUT-OF-SCHOOL CAMPS FOR YOUTH IN MONTEREY COUNTY.

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 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 November 6, 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 December 2024.

    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 June 2002.

    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 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.