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Beauty Bus Foundation

EIN 26-3075655 · Los Angeles, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceStrong94 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

BEAUTY BUS FOUNDATION DELIVERS LOVING KINDNESS, SUPPORT AND COMPASSION TO SERIOUSLY ILL PATIENTS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS THROUGH BEAUTY AND GROOMING SERVICES.

Income
$1.4 million
Spending
$907,694
Spent on programs
71%
Reserves
22.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 91%
Employees
12
Volunteers
409
Highest pay
$155,250, executive dir.

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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 88% of charities in its peer group (health care, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 22.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 7% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 34% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 36% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    71% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 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: 94 out of 100. Higher than 56% of charities in its peer group (health care, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 10 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

    9 of 15

    Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.

  • 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, 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 (2)
  1. $644,701 spent. BEAUTY BUS UPLIFTS PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS THROUGH THE RESTORATIVE POWER OF BEAUTY AND HUMAN CONNECTION DELIVERING COMFORT, CONFIDENCE, AND CARE DURING SOME OF LIFES MOST DIFFICULT MOMENTS. SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 2009, BEAUTY BUS HAS PROVIDED FREE HAIR, MAKEUP, NAIL, FACIAL, AND SELF-CARE SERVICES TO MORE THAN 35,000 PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS, NAVIGATING CANCER, CHRONIC ILLNESS, DISABILITY, CAREGIVING, AND PROFOUND LIFE DISRUPTION. THROUGH COMPASSIONATE HUMAN TOUCH AND MEANINGFUL CONNECTION, BEAUTY BUS HELPS RESTORE DIGNITY, IDENTITY, AND A SENSE OF SELF THAT ILLNESS AND HARDSHIP OFTEN DIMINISH. THE IMPACT OF THIS WORK WAS POWERFULLY DESCRIBED BY A DIRECTOR OF PSYCHO-ONCOLOGY AND CANCER SUPPORT SERVICES WHO OBSERVED BEAUTY BUS SERVICES WITHIN A HOSPITAL INFUSION CENTER: BEAUTY BUS SERVICES ARE ONE OF THE BIGGEST SMALL THINGS YOU CAN DO - TO OPEN A DOOR FOR A CANCER PATIENT TO HELP THEM REGAIN A LITTLE MORE CONTROL AND START TO FEEL LIKE THEMSELVES AGAIN.
  2. CORE PROGRAMSPOP-UP SALONS: BEAUTY BUS TRANSFORMS HOSPITALS AND COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS INTO UPLIFTING SALON EXPERIENCES BY BRINGING PROFESSIONAL HAIRSTYLISTS, MAKEUP ARTISTS, ESTHETICIANS, AND NAIL TECHNICIANS DIRECTLY TO PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS. THESE EVENTS CREATE MOMENTS OF JOY, NORMALCY, AND COMMUNITY IN ENVIRONMENTS OFTEN DEFINED BY STRESS AND UNCERTAINTY. UP TO 100 CLIENTS MAY BE SERVED DURING A SINGLE 3-HOUR EVENT, WITH EACH GUEST RECEIVING A BAG OF BEAUTY CONTAINING $50$100 WORTH OF DONATED PRODUCTS FROM LEADING BEAUTY INDUSTRY PARTNERS, EXTENDING CARE AND ENCOURAGEMENT BEYOND THE DAY ITSELF. BEAUTY SERIES: THE BEAUTY SERIES INTEGRATES BEAUTY BUS SERVICES DIRECTLY INTO HEALTHCARE AND SOCIAL SERVICE SETTINGS THROUGH RECURRING WEEKLY PROGRAMMING. BY EMBEDDING LICENSED BEAUTY PROFESSIONALS WITHIN HOSPITALS AND PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, BEAUTY BUS ENSURES CONTINUITY OF CARE AND TRUSTED RELATIONSHIPS WITH PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS. SERVICES SUCH AS FACIALS, HAIRCUTS, WIG FITTINGS, SCALP AND SKIN CARE, AND HAND TREATMENTS ARE PROVIDED BEDSIDE, IN INFUSION BAYS, OR WITHIN DESIGNATED COMMUNAL SALON SPACES. HOME VISITS: IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ALS NETWORK, BEAUTY BUS DELIVERS PROFESSIONAL SALON SERVICES DIRECTLY INTO THE HOMES OF ALS PATIENTS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS. THESE VISITS PROVIDE COMFORT, DIGNITY, AND RESPITE TO INDIVIDUALS WHOSE MOBILITY OR HEALTH CHALLENGES MAKE TRADITIONAL SALON ACCESS IMPOSSIBLE.WHERE WE WORK BEAUTY BUS SERVES PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS ACROSS MORE THAN 26 HEALTHCARE AND COMMUNITY PARTNER LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT LOS ANGELES AND ORANGE COUNTY, INCLUDING CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL LOS ANGELES, RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES, CANCER SUPPORT COMMUNITY, UCLA MATTEL CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, USC NORRIS COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER, CEDARS-SINAI, PROVIDENCE SAINT JOHN'S HEALTH CENTER, RADY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, AND MANY ADDITIONAL HOSPITALS, CANCER CENTERS, AND SUPPORTIVE CARE ORGANIZATIONS. 2025 HIGHLIGHTS IN 2025, THE UNPRECEDENTED LOS ANGELES WILDFIRES DIRECTLY IMPACTED MEMBERS OF BEAUTY BUS LEADERSHIP AND MANY LONGTIME SUPPORTERS FROM PACIFIC PALISADES. DESPITE THESE EXTRAORDINARY CHALLENGES, BEAUTY BUS REMAINED STEADFAST IN ITS MISSION AND COMMITMENT TO DELIVERING COMPASSIONATE CARE EVERY DAY. THE YEAR WAS MARKED BY RESILIENCE, DISCIPLINED STEWARDSHIP, MEASURABLE GROWTH, AND AN UNMISTAKABLE SPIRIT OF JOY AND PURPOSE. BEAUTY BUS SIGNIFICANTLY EXPANDED SERVICE DELIVERY THROUGHOUT LOS ANGELES AND ORANGE COUNTY. DURING THE YEAR, THE ORGANIZATION DELIVERED 46 POP-UP SALONS, UP FROM 26 THE PREVIOUS YEAR, AND EXPANDED FROM 3 TO 8 WEEKLY BEAUTY SERIES PROGRAMS STAFFED BY ON-SITE BEAUTY PROFESSIONALS. AS A RESULT, BEAUTY BUS SERVED NEARLY 6,000 PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS IN 2025 APPROXIMATELY DOUBLE THE NUMBER SERVED IN THE PRIOR YEAR. IN ADDITION, BEAUTY BUS LAUNCHED THE ONCOLOGY SPA TREATMENT PROGRAM AS A FULLY INTEGRATED WEEKLY SERVICE WITHIN THE INFUSION CENTER AT PROVIDENCE SAINT JOHN'S HEALTH CENTER, PROVIDING MINI FACIALS AND HAND MASSAGE TREATMENTS TO PATIENTS WHILE THEY RECEIVED MEDICAL CARE. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO DEVELOPED CUSTOMIZED BEAUTY SERIES PROGRAMS TAILORED TO THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF SPECIFIC HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENTS, INCLUDING BEDSIDE HAIRCUT SERVICES AT CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL LOS ANGELES AND SPECIALIZED HAIR AND SKIN CARE SUPPORT WITHIN CANCER TREATMENT CENTERS. BEAUTY BUS ALSO SUCCESSFULLY REINTRODUCED ITS HOME VISITS PROGRAM THROUGH A NEW TECHNOLOGY-SUPPORTED BOOKING PLATFORM THAT ALLOWS ALS PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS TO DIRECTLY SCHEDULE AND MANAGE IN-HOME SALON APPOINTMENTS. LAUNCHED IN JULY 2025, THE PILOT PROGRAM DEMONSTRATED STRONG DEMAND AND OPERATIONAL SUCCESS, POSITIONING BEAUTY BUS TO EXPAND HOME VISITS SERVICES TO ADDITIONAL COMMUNITIES ACROSS LOS ANGELES COUNTY IN 2026.

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

  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 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 January 2009.

    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.