Promise 686 Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Promise686 mobilizes families and church communities to prevent children from coming into the foster care system, to intervene when children enter the system, and to connect children and families when children are in need of a permanent home. Promise686s core services include adoption grant assistance, church ministry implementation, volunteer support and adoptive and foster care education.
- Income
- $5.1 million
- Spending
- $4.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 79%
- Reserves
- 4.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 98%
- Employees
- 39
- Volunteers
- 21,000
- Highest pay
- $269,733, president and ceo
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
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 8% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 17% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 5% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1579% 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 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
7 of 7Has a 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 (2)
- $2.8 million spent. Promise686 served 2100 churches in 2025 through Family Advocacy Ministry (FAM) leadership training, ongoing volunteer support, digital resources, and coalition building activities. Just over 19,000 volunteers actively served children and families through committed roles in Care Communities. Additionally, Promise686 served 37 affiliated non-profits in utilizing Promise686 resources and guidance to assist at-risk children in their specific locales, influencing lives in 42 states.
- $530,332 spent. Promise686 provided $188,854 in grants to help 20 families with adoption expenses, $93,194 to support families, and $242,368 to partner organizations to serve families in their local areas. Promise686 also provided $21,959 in legal grants to finalize adoptions for 11 families.
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 October 13, 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 August 2009.
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 October 21, 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.