Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO SUPPORT, ORGANIZE AND EMPOWER THE INDIGENOUS MIGRANT COMMUNITIES IN CALIFORNIA'S CENTRAL COAST.
- Income
- $10.8 million
- Spending
- $9.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 10 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 54%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $186,672, executive dir.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 83 out of 100. Higher than 79% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 10.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 14% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1575% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Weak: 35 out of 100. Higher than 0% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 258 of 8 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
0 of 5Reports that it does not keep minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 June 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 (6)
- $7.4 million spent. DIRECT ASSISTANCE: MICOP OPERATES A MONTHLY FOOD AND BASIC NEEDS DISTRIBUTION THROUGH IT'S COMMUNITY MEETING PROGRAM. THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES ONE-TIME FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE SUPPORT TO FAMILIES IN CRISIS AND HAS A RENTAL SUPPORT PROGRAM. EACH YEAR THE ORGANIZATION COORDINATES COLLECTIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS OF SCHOOL MATERIALS IN AUGUST.
- COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT: MICOP ENHANCES THE CAPACITY OF THE INDIGENOUS MIGRANT POPULATION FOR SELF-LEADERSHIP THROUGH INTENSIVE TRAININGS PROVIDED TO THE COMMUNITY. MICOP ALSO EMPOWERS THE COMMUNITY BY TRAINING COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO BE DISC JOCKEYS (DJS) ON MICOP'S COMMUNITY RADIO STATION, CURRENTLY BROADCASTING VIA THE INTERNET. THE DJS PROVIDE INFORMATIONAL AND CULTURALLY RELEVANT PROGRAMMING IN MIXTECO, ZAPOTECO, PUREPECHA, ENGLISH AND SPANISH. MICOP'S COMMUNITY ORGANIZING WORKS WITH THE COMMUNITY TO HELP THEM ADVOCATE FOR THEIR OWN NEEDS. WE ALSO HOLD COMMUNITY MEETINGS, WHICH ARE ATTENDED BY AN AVERAGE OF 250 FAMILIES AND EACH MONTH, WHERE SPEAKERS TALK ABOUT RELEVANT INFORMATION TO THE COMMUNITY. TRAINING OF INTERNAL LEADERS HAS PROVIDED A STAFF THAT IS 85% INDIGENOUS ORIGIN AND A BOARD OF DIRECTORS WITH 40% INDIGENOUS MEMBERSHIP.
- IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES: MILA PROVIDES VARIOUS IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES TO THE INDIGENOUS MIGRANT COMMUNITY, SUCH AS ASSISTANCE WITH DACA AND CITIZENSHIP APPLICATIONS, SUPPORT FOR UNACCOMPANIED MINORS IN SIJS CASES, AND PETITIONS FOR ADVANCE PAROLE, AMONG OTHERS.
- INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE RIGHTS AND JUSTICE: MICOP FOSTERS LONG-TERM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT THROUGH INCREASING THE ABILITY OF PUBLIC, PRIVATE AND NONPROFIT PROVIDERS TO PROVIDE CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY APPROPRIATE SERVICES TO THIS COMMUNITY. MICOP WILL ADDRESS THE SOCIAL EDUCATION AND HUMANITARIAN NEEDS OF INDIGENOUS IMMIGRANT YOUTH AND FAMILIES THROUGH PILOT PROGRAMS TO DEMONSTRATE HOW COMMUNITY NEEDS CAN BE MET AND ASSIST OTHER ENTITIES TO PROVIDE DIRECT PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.
- OUTREACH AND ACCESS TO SERVICES: MICOP INCREASES ACCESS TO MEDICAL, MENTAL HEALTH, AND SOCIAL SERVICES FOR THE INDIGENOUS MIGRANT POPULATION OF VENTURA COUNTY. OUR OUTREACH WORKERS WORK IN THREE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO ENSURE THAT INDIGENOUS MIGRANT CHILDREN ARE HEALTHY AND READY TO ENTER KINDERGARTEN WITH THEIR PEERS. MICOP OPERATES OUTREACH USING THE OUTREACH WORKER MODEL TO PREVENT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, TEACH ABOUT REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND INCREASE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT AVAILABLE SERVICES, INCLUDING COUNTY HEALTHCARE SAFETY NET PROGRAMS. WE HAVE STAFF ON SITE TO ENROLL OUR FAMILIES IN MEDI-CAL AND HAVE EXPANDED OUR WORK TO INCLUDE SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN WHO ARE DISABLED. MICOP PROVIDES IMMIGRATION LEGAL & EDUCATION SERVICES FOR INDIGENOUS FAMILIES IN VENTURA AND SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
- EDUCATION AND LITERACY: MICOP PROVIDES LITERACY AND ADULT EDUCATION TOCOMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WISH TO CONTINUE THEIR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION. BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF INDIGENOUS MIGRANTS LIVING IN VENTURA COUNTY ARE YOUNG FAMILIES WITH SMALL CHILDREN, MICOP OFFERS PACT CLASSES THAT TEACH THE BASICS OF INFANT CARE AND EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING. THE CLASSES ARE DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE LOW-LITERACY LEARNERS WITH A LINGUISTICALLY ACCESSIBLE AND CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE CURRICULUM. MICOP'S TEQUIO YOUTH GROUP PROMOTES INDIGENOUS PRIDE AND ENCOURAGES ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND CONTINUING ON TO HIGHER EDUCATION. MICOP PROVIDES ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIPS TO TEQUIO STUDENTS TO HELP FURTHER THEIR EDUCATION. MICOP ALSO OFFERS WELLNESS CLASSES TO SUPPORT THE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH OUR LIVING WITH LOVE PROGRAM AND OUR CONNECTING WITH MY PEERS PROGRAM.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since March 2002.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.