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Hands & Voices Texas Chapter

EIN 26-1373762 · Austin, TX

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood75 out of 100GovernanceGood71 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

HANDS & VOICES IS A PARENT-DRIVEN ORGANIZATION THAT SUPPORTS FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN WHO ARE DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING WITHOUT A BIAS AROUND COMMUNICATION MODES OR METHODOLOGY.

Income
$265,280
Spending
$264,306
Spent on programs
91%
Reserves
4.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 92%
Employees
0
Volunteers
11
Highest pay
$67,951, executive director

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

Financial health

Good: 75 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 0% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 5% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    91% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 43 cents.

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

Governance

Good: 71 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 10 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 September 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. $124,743 spent. TEXAS HANDS AND VOICES GUIDE BY YOUR SIDE - GUIDE BY YOUR SIDE (GBYS) SERVES FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN WHO ARE DEAF/HARD OF HEARING (DHH) FROM BIRTH THROUGH AGE 21 FOR FREE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH BY MATCHING FAMILIES WITH TRAINED PARENT AND DHH GUIDES. OUR GUIDES WORK ONE-ON-ONE WITH FAMILIES WHO HAVE JUST LEARNED OF THEIR CHILD'S HEARING CONDITION OR WHO HAVE OLDER CHILDREN AND ARE IN NEED OF THE UNIQUE SUPPORT THAT COMES FROM SOMEONE ELSE WHO HAS WALKED THIS PATH AND CAN SHARE THEIR DIRECT EXPERIENCE AND WISDOM.
  2. $41,475 spent. TEXAS EARLY HEARING DETECTION AND INTERVENTION - SUPPORTED BY THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES VIA THE EARLY HEARING DETECTION AND INTERVENTION (EHDI) PROGRAM, TEXAS HANDS & VOICES ASSISTED WITH DEVELOPING REGIONAL NETWORKS OF STAKEHOLDERS THAT DIAGNOSE, SUPPORT, EDUCATE AND ENGAGE WITH FAMILIES WHO HAVE CHILDREN THAT ARE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING. WE TARGETED REGIONS WITHIN THE STATE THAT REPORT HIGH RATES OF LOSS-TO-FOLLOW-UP WITHIN THE TEXAS EHDI SYSTEM. WE UTILIZED GRASSROOTS KNOWLEDGE OF THE FAMILIES SERVED IN THOSE AREAS TO HOST FOCUS GROUPS OF PARENTS (CHILDREN AGE 0-5) IDENTIFYING BARRIERS AND NECESSARY SUPPORTS. IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE FOCUS GROUPS, THE ORGANIZATION COMPLETED A TRAINING NEEDS ASSESSMENT OF CLINICAL AND INTERVENTION PROVIDERS IN THE REGIONS. BASED ON THE FINDINGS FROM THESE INITIATIVES, THE ORGANIZATION HOSTED REGIONAL INFANT HEARING LEARNING SUMMITS TO PROVIDE TRAINING AND FACILITATE SUSTAINABLE NETWORKS OF SUPPORT.
  3. $28,664 spent. GENERAL PROGRAM - 90% OF CHILDREN BORN DEAF/HARD OF HEARING ARE BORN TO HEARING PARENTS. PARENTS GENERALLY LACK THE KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, OR COMMUNITY SUPPORT NEEDED TO MAKE TIMELY DECISIONS THAT DIRECTLY IMPACT THEIR CHILDREN'S SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, AND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION SUCCESS. OUR OUTREACH ACTIVITIES, PARENT/PROFESSIONAL/COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS, AND ADVOCACY EFFORTS ARE FOCUSED ON ENABLING CHILDREN WHO ARE DEAF/HARD OF HEARING TO REACH THEIR HIGHEST POTENTIAL BY ENSURING FAMILIES HAVE ACCESS TO SUPPORT. TXH&V OFFERS SUPPORT IN AN UNBIASED MANNER TO FAMILIES THROUGH NETWORKING, RESOURCE SHARING, SOCIAL MEDIA, WEBSITE & FACEBOOK PAGES, PARENT & PROFESSIONAL TRAININGS, NEWSLETTERS, SOCIAL EVENTS AND WORKSHOPS.
  4. $45,452 spent. OTHER PROGRAMS - GENERAL OUTREACH, HRSA, PAUSE, RGV WALK.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 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 September 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 October 2010.

    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.