Skip to the page content
Passes our checks

Pcs for People

EIN 26-2066045 · Saint Paul, MN

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair55 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

PCS FOR PEOPLE IS A NATIONAL NONPROFIT SOCIAL ENTERPRISE WORKING TO GET LOW-COST QUALITY COMPUTERS AND INTERNET INTO THE HOMES OF INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND NONPROFITS WITH LOW INCOME. BY RECYCLING AND THEN REFURBISHING COMPUTERS, PCS FOR PEOPLE PROVIDES A VALUABLE SERVICE TO BUSINESSES, FAMILIES, AND THE PLANET BY KEEPING COMPUTERS OUT OF LANDFILLS AND REPURPOSING THEM TO ADVANCE DIGITAL INCLUSION.

Income
$28.7 million
Spending
$24.6 million
Spent on programs
94%
Reserves
-0.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 63%
Employees
285
Volunteers
120
Highest pay
$203,762, ceo

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

Financial health

Fair: 55 out of 100. Higher than 36% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 40% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 14% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 8% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    94% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending April 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

    11 of 11 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 April 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 (3)
  1. $19.7 million spent. SOURCE, REFURBISH, DISTRIBUTE, AND SUPPORTSOURCE: OUR ABILITY TO DISTRIBUTE AFFORDABLE TECHNOLOGY IS DEPENDENT ON OUR RECYCLING PARTNERSHIPS. WE OFFER A NATION-WIDE FREE END-OF-LIFE IT SERVICE OFFERING THAT INCLUDES NAID AAA-CERTIFIED DATA SANITIZATION AND R2-CERTIFIED SUSTAINABLE ELECTRONICS RECYCLING.REFURBISH: THE DONATED TECHNOLOGY IS SECURELY PROCESSED IN OUR WAREHOUSES. COMPUTERS AND ARE CLEANED, PROCESSED THROUGH A STRINGENT QUALITY CHECK, AND INSTALLED WITH A NEW OPERATING SYSTEM.DISTRIBUTE: AFFORDABLE HIGH-QUALITY COMPUTERS ARE DISTRIBUTED TO INCOME QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS THROUGH OUR RETAIL STORES, ONLINE, AND THROUGH NATIONAL DISTRIBUTION EVENTS AND PARTNERS.SUPPORT: ONCE A CUSTOMER HAS RECEIVED A COMPUTER, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THEY ARE CONFIDENT IN THEIR PURCHASE AND FEEL SUPPORTED. EACH COMPUTER COMES WITH A 1-YEAR HARDWARE WARRANTY, FREE DIGITAL LITERACY TRAINING, AND PHONE SUPPORT. IN FY 2024-25, PCS FOR PEOPLE COLLECTED OVER 119,000COMPUTERS. MORE THAN 29,000 OF THESE COMPUTERS WERE REFURBISHED AND DISTRIBUTED TO LOW-INCOME FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS. PCS FOR PEOPLE ALSO SUPPORTED THE COMPUTERS DISTRIBUTED WITH WARRANTY REPAIRS AND OFFERED DISCOUNTED REPAIRS AFTER THE WARRANTY PERIOD. REPAIRS ARE USUALLY $25 AND ANY PARTS NEEDED, IF AVAILABLE, ARE FREE. IN FY 2024-25, OVER 1,900 REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED AT AN AVERAGE COST OF $9 PER REPAIR.
  2. $2.6 million spent. PCS FOR PEOPLE OFFERS NATIONWIDE LOW-COST HIGH SPEED 5G AND 4G LTE MOBILE INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDED BY MOBILE BEACON AND MOBILE CITIZEN. AND 35 MILE PLANS ARE PREPAID WITH NO CREDIT CHECK OR HIDDEN FEES FOR INCOME ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS. IN FY 2024-25, PCS FOR PEOPLE OFFERED LOW-COST HIGH SPEED 5G & 4G LTE INTERNET TO MORE THAN 46,000 INDIVIDUALS.
  3. $902,083 spent. PCS FOR PEOPLE OFFERS IN-HOUSE, LOW-COST HIGH SPEED FIXED INTERNET SERVICE IN 9 STATES. SERVICE IS FIXED AT $15 A MONTH IN FY 2024-25, PCS FOR PEOPLE'S FIXED INTERNET SERVICE CONSISTS OF 38 NETWORK TOWERS AND 7 MULTI-DWELLING UNITS (MDUS) COVERING MORE THAN 16,000 HOUSEHOLDS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending April 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 April 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 June 2008.

    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.