The Teen Project Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The Teen Project, Inc. was founded in 2007 and is privately funded non-profit California corporation. It provides housing, education, sober living and mentoring to youth ages 18 to 24 (transitional age youth). See Schedule O for further details.
- Income
- $13.3 million
- Spending
- $11.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 86%
- Reserves
- -4.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 74%
- Employees
- 123
- Volunteers
- 10
- Highest pay
- $260,145, ceo
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
Fair: 50 out of 100. Higher than 27% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 54% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 11% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 12% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1586% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 16% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 254 of 5 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
0 of 10Did not give 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 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 (3)
- $6.2 million spent. Freehab reduced Beds from 74 to 24 this fiscal year. Freehab specializes in providing residential substance abuse treatment to the at risk population. Freehab focuses on females 18-35 that are at risk, aging out of foster care and victims of human trafficking. Freehab also has an additional 16 beds for Crisis Residential Treatment. The focus at the CRTP is treating acute mental health.
- $3.8 million spent. Veras Sanctuary is the only licensed residential drug treatment site in Orange County dedicated to victims of human trafficking. Vera's Sanctuary's residential treatment drug treatment ASAM levels 3.1, 3.3 and 3.5 and social model detox services to prior foster youth and pregnant young women lacking family support who has been victims of human trafficking and are 18-26 years old. VSW also administers the Sanctuary Recovery Center which is a 6 bed Residential SUD treatment program. The SRC serves adolescents ages 13-17.
- $105,695 spent. Lake Forest Sober College House - free room and board and full life support for homeless and prior foster young women interested in pursuing in higher education. This is a two year program in a beautiful home in a family neighborhood. The young women in our program are in college or trade schools, they have paid internships in their field, an automobile attainment program and savings for life program. In addition, there is an Outpatient component to the services provided in the area.
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 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 November 6, 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 June 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 September 2007.
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 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.