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Urban Hope Inc

EIN 27-4637480 · Staten Island, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood73 out of 100GovernanceFair54 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Only 46% of its spending went to programs.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

URBAN HOPE'S MISSION IS TO BUILD CITIES AND COMMUNITIES WHERE THERE ARE NO SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD.URBAN HOPE'S VISION IS TO BUILD A HOUSE OF HOPE IN THIS WORLD OF PAIN. TO SEE HEAVEN'S HOPE AND JOY SATURATE UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES EVERYWHERE.

Income
$800,510
Spending
$713,638
Spent on programs
47%
Reserves
10.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 99%
Employees
5
Highest pay
$44,000, president

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2023, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 73 out of 100. Higher than 43% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 10.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 11% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 5% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    46% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2023, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Fair: 54 out of 100. Higher than 26% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    0 of 25

    0 of 2 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

    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 December 31, 2023, 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 (1)
  1. $331,591 spent. THE CITY OF JOY DEPARTMENT FOCUSES ON PROVIDING CHRISTIAN LITERATURE TO THOUSANDS OF CHURCHES ACROSS THE TRI-STATE AREA. A 50,000 SQUARE FOOT WAREHOUSE IS UTILIZED TO STORE MILLIONS OF BOOKS. THERE ARE OVER 35 TITLES, RANGING FROM KIDS BOOKS IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH, TO YOUTH BOOKS AND WONDERFUL DEVOTIONS. THE BOOKS INCLUDE THOSE WRITTEN BY FAMED AUTHORS, LIKE LEE STROBEL, MAX LUCADO, LOUIS GIGLIO AND MANY OTHER WONDERFUL AUTHORS. THE MOSY IMPORTANT IS THE BIBLE. TRANSPORTATION IS KEY TO THIS DEPARTMENT TO RECEIVE AND DELIVER OUT MUCH NEEDED CHRISTIAN RESOURCES. JESUS WEEK DEPARTMENT FOCUSES ON EVENTS WITH CHURCHES ADOPTING THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS TO DELIVER CHRISTIAN EVENTS. THESE EVENTS HAVE A CLIMAX EVENT IN TIMES SQUARE (NYC) WHERE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE CONGREGATE FOR A NIGHT OF WORSHIP AND PRAYER. LITERACY IS MUCH NEEDED WITHIN OUR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES. WE HAVE ASSISTED HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN WHO WERE WELL BELOW SATISFACTORY LEVELS TO RISE TO AN EXCEPTIONAL LEVEL. WE WORK WITH FIVE SCHOOLS AND OVER 200 VOLUNTEERS TO ASSIST OUR CHILDREN WHO NEED PRIVATE LITERACY ASSISTANCE. THE CITY OF JOY DEPARTMENT FOCUSES ON PROVIDING CHRISTIAN LITERATURE TO THOUSANDS OF CHURCHES ACROSS THE TRI-STATE AREA. A 50,000 SQUARE FOOT WAREHOUSE IS UTILIZED TO STORE MILLIONS OF BOOKS. THERE ARE OVER 35 TITLES, RANGING FROM KIDS BOOKS IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH, TO YOUTH BOOKS AND WONDERFUL DEVOTIONS. THE BOOKS INCLUDE THOSE WRITTEN BY FAMED AUTHORS, LIKE LEE STROBEL, MAX LUCADO, LOUIS GIGLIO AND MANY OTHER WONDERFUL AUTHORS. THE MOSY IMPORTANT IS THE BIBLE. TRANSPORTATION IS KEY TO THIS DEPARTMENT TO RECEIVE AND DELIVER OUT MUCH NEEDED CHRISTIAN RESOURCES. JESUS WEEK DEPARTMENT FOCUSES ON EVENTS WITH CHURCHES ADOPTING THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS TO DELIVER CHRISTIAN EVENTS. THESE EVENTS HAVE A CLIMAX EVENT IN TIMES SQUARE (NYC) WHERE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE CONGREGATE FOR A NIGHT OF WORSHIP AND PRAYER. LITERACY IS MUCH NEEDED WITHIN OUR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES. WE HAVE ASSISTED HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN WHO WERE WELL BELOW SATISFACTORY LEVELS TO RISE TO AN EXCEPTIONAL LEVEL. WE WORK WITH FIVE SCHOOLS AND OVER 200 VOLUNTEERS TO ASSIST OUR CHILDREN WHO NEED PRIVATE LITERACY ASSISTANCE.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2023, 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 October 13, 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 2023.

    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 April 2011.

    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 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.