Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE DAVE THOMAS FOUNDATION FOR ADOPTION IS A NATIONAL NONPROFIT PUBLIC CHARITY DEDICATED EXCLUSIVELY TO FINDING PERMANENT HOMES FOR MORE THAN 150,000 CHILDREN WAITING IN NORTH AMERICA'S FOSTER CARE SYSTEMS. SEE SCHEDULE O FOR ADDITIONAL NARRATIVE ON THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION.CREATED BY WENDY'S FOUNDER DAVE THOMAS, WHO WAS ADOPTED, THE FOUNDATION IMPLEMENTS EVIDENCE-BASED, RESULTS-DRIVEN NATIONAL SERVICE PROGRAMS, FOSTER CARE ADOPTION AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS AND INNOVATIVE GRANTMAKING INITIATIVES, AND OFFERS FREE RESOURCES TO ORGANIZATIONS AND PROSPECTIVE PARENTS.
- Income
- $61.6 million
- Spending
- $52.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 83%
- Reserves
- 23.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 65%
- Employees
- 79
- Volunteers
- 50
- Highest pay
- $505,827, president & 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
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 23.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 14% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 10% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1583% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 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: 100 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2522 of 23 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 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 (4)
- $35.1 million spent. WENDY'S WONDERFUL KIDS:WENDY'S WONDERFUL KIDS, A SIGNATURE PROGRAM OF THE FOUNDATION, IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN ACROSS THE NATION - ONE CHILD AT A TIME. THE DAVE THOMAS FOUNDATION FOR ADOPTION AWARDS GRANTS TO PUBLIC AND PRIVATE AGENCIES TO HIRE ADOPTION PROFESSIONALS WHO IMPLEMENT AN EVIDENCE-BASED, CHILD-FOCUSED RECRUITMENT STRATEGY TARGETED EXCLUSIVELY ON MOVING AMERICA'S LONGEST-WAITING CHILDREN FROM FOSTER CARE INTO ADOPTIVE FAMILIES. SEE SCHEDULE O FOR ADDITIONAL NARRATIVE ON WENDY'S WONDERFUL KIDS.RESEARCH RELEASED IN 2011 FROM A FIVE-YEAR RIGOROUS EVALUATION OF WENDY'S WONDERFUL KIDS CHILD-FOCUSED RECRUITMENT MODEL SHOWED THAT CHILDREN SERVED BY THE PROGRAM ARE UP TO THREE TIMES MORE LIKELY TO GET ADOPTED. WENDY'S WONDERFUL KIDS RECRUITERS WORK WITH CHILDREN AND YOUTH AT GREATEST RISK OF AGING OUT OF FOSTER CARE WITHOUT AN ADOPTIVE FAMILY. THE RECRUITERS HAVE SMALLER CASELOADS, TO ENSURE THEY HAVE THE TIME AND RESOURCES TO GIVE EACH CHILD THE ATTENTION THAT CHILD DESERVES AND EMPLOY AN AGGRESSIVE EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE MODEL FOCUSED ON FINDING THE BEST HOME FOR A CHILD.THE DAVE THOMAS FOUNDATION FOR ADOPTION SUPPORTS 529 WENDY'S WONDERFUL KIDS RECRUITERS WORKING FOR CHILDREN IN THE U.S. MORE THAN 15,529 CHILDREN HAVE BEEN ADOPTED AS A RESULT OF WENDY'S WONDERFUL KIDS, AND ANOTHER 1,043 ARE IN THEIR PRE-ADOPTIVE PLACEMENTS SIMPLY WAITING FOR A FINAL COURT HEARING.
- $7.1 million spent. ADOPTION AWARENESS & ADVOCACY:THE FOUNDATION IS COMMITTED TO NATIONALLY COMMUNICATING THE URGENCY OF FOSTER CARE ADOPTION AND TO ENCOURAGING EVERYONE TO BECOME AN AMBASSADOR FOR WAITING CHILDREN. YEAR-ROUND AWARENESS EFFORTS INCLUDE DAILY SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS; MARKETING PROGRAMS DISPELLING MYTHS AND MISPERCEPTIONS SURROUNDING THE ISSUE OF FOSTER CARE ADOPTION AND THE CHILDREN WAITING TO BE ADOPTED; THE DEVELOPMENT AND DISTRIBUTION OF FREE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES; THE PRODUCTION OF NATIONAL TELEVISION ANNOUNCEMENTS; SEE SCHEDULE O FOR ADDITIONAL NARRATIVE ON PROGRAM GRANTS & AWARENESS.MEDIA ENGAGEMENT AND THOUGHT LEADER SPEAKING AND KEYNOTE OPPORTUNITIES; AND PARTICIPATION IN A NUMBER OF EVENTS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. ADDITIONALLY, SINCE 2002, THE FOUNDATION HAS COMMISSIONED SEVERAL GROUNDBREAKING STUDIES TO MEASURE AMERICANS' PERCEPTIONS OF FOSTER CARE ADOPTION.IN ADDITION TO FUNDING WENDY'S WONDERFUL KIDS GRANTS, RESOURCES GENERATED BY THE FOUNDATION HELP TO AWARD STRATEGIC NATIONAL GRANTS TO ADOPTION AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT SHARE THE FOUNDATION'S MISSION. THESE GRANTS PROVIDE CRITICAL FOSTER CARE ADOPTION SERVICES AND SUPPORT, PROMOTE BEST PRACTICES IN FOSTER CARE ADOPTION, AND ASSIST WITH EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND STRATEGIES FOR PARENTS AND CHILD WELFARE PROFESSIONALS.ORGANIZATIONS WERE FUNDED UNDER THE NATIONAL GRANTS PROGRAM, INCLUDING THE ALLIANCE FOR CHILDREN'S RIGHTS, AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION FUND FOR JUSTICE AND EDUCATION, CONGRESSIONAL COALITION ON ADOPTION INSTITUTE, CENTER FOR THE RIGHTS OF ABUSED CHILDREN, CHILD WELFARE LEAGUE OF AMERICA, JUSTCHOICE, FAMILY TO FAMILY SUPPORT NETWORK, FOSTERING CHANGE FOR CHILDREN, FOSTERING MEDIA CONNECTIONS, GENERATIONS UNTIED, KENT STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION, NATIONAL ADOPTION ASSOCIATION, NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR ADOPTION, SECOND NURTURE, THINK OF US, TREEHOUSE FOUNDATION, UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT, AND VOICE FOR ADOPTION.
- $1.2 million spent. POST ADOPTION:ROBUST POST-ADOPTION SERVICES ARE CRITICAL FOR MANY FAMILIES WHO ADOPT FROM FOSTER CARE AND OTHER VENUES. THE DAVE THOMAS FOUNDATION FOR ADOPTION HAS DEVELOPED A FREE RESOURCE BOOKLET, "A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO POST-ADOPTION" FOR DISTRIBUTION THAT DEFINES THE TYPES OF RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR PARENTS AFTER AN ADOPTION IS FINALIZED, HOW TO SELECT AND LOCATE PROVIDERS, AND WHAT TO DO IF RESOURCES DO NOT EXIST IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. IT ALSO INCLUDES RECOMMENDATIONS OF OTHER NATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN HELP. SEE SCHEDULE O FOR ADDITIONAL NARRATIVE ON PROGRAM GRANTS & AWARENESS.IN ADDITION, THE FOUNDATION HAS FUNDED THE CENTER FOR ADOPTION SUPPORT AND EDUCATION (BURTONSVILLE, MD) TO SUPPORT THE CONTINUED EXPANSION OF A TRAINING FOR ADOPTION-COMPETENT MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS; HAS FUNDED FAMILIES RISING TO PROVIDE ADVOCACY AND LEGISLATION AROUND ADOPTION TAX CREDITS AND SUBSIDIES TO SUPPORT FAMILIES POST-ADOPTION; HAS FUNDED ADOPTEE MENTORING SOCIETY TO SUPPORT A MENTORING PROGRAM FOR ADOPTEES AND; FUNDED ADOPT AMERICA NETWORK, ADOPTIVE AND FOSTER FAMILY COALITION OF NEW YORK, AID TO ADOPTION OF SPECIAL KIDS, LUND FAMILY CENTER, CARING FOR KIDS, CHILDREN'S NETWORK OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA, LUTHERAN FAMILY SERVICES OF NEBRASKA, ADOPTION RHODE ISLAND, BETHANY CHRISTAN SERVICES OF GEORGIA, RAISE THE FUTURE, AND STANDFORD SIERRA YOUTH AND FAMILIES TO PROVIDE POST-ADOPTION SUPPORTS TO WWK FAMILIES.
- $439,249 spent. OTHER PROGRAMS:ADOPTION-FRIENDLY WORKPLACE:EXPENSES $384,677 INCLUDING GRANTS OF $0 REVENUE $0IN 1990, PRESIDENT GEORGE H.W. BUSH ASKED DAVE THOMAS, FOUNDER OF WENDY'S, TO BE THE SPOKESPERSON FOR A NEW ADOPTION INITIATIVE. DAVE, AN ADOPTEE AND ADOPTION ADVOCATE, ENTHUSIASTICALLY ACCEPTED THE CHALLENGE AND BEGAN TO SPEAK OUT PUBLICLY, ASKING PEOPLE TO CONSIDER FOSTER CARE ADOPTION AND ENCOURAGING OTHER BUSINESS LEADERS TO OFFER ADOPTION AS A PART OF THEIR EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS. ADOPTION-FRIENDLY WORKPLACE WAS DEVELOPED TO KEEP DAVE THOMAS' WORK IN MOTION. THIS SIGNATURE PROGRAM OFFERS FREE TOOLKITS AND EXPERT GUIDANCE TO EMPLOYERS ACROSS THE NATION. THE GOAL IS TO PROVIDE COMPANIES WITH THE TOOLS AND SUPPORT NEEDED TO SET UP AND PROVIDE THEIR EMPLOYEES ADOPTION BENEFITS, INCLUDING FINANCIAL REIMBURSEMENT AND PAID LEAVE. THE FOUNDATION COMPILES AND PUBLISHES AN ANNUAL LIST OF THE NATION'S 100 BEST ADOPTION-FRIENDLY WORKPLACES LIST AND HIGHLIGHTS THE FORWARD-THINKING EMPLOYERS THAT HAVE ADOPTION BENEFITS IN PLACE.NATIONAL ADOPTION MONTH AND DAY:EXPENSES $54,572 INCLUDING GRANTS OF $0 REVENUE $0NOVEMBER IS NATIONAL ADOPTION AWARENESS MONTH, A TIME TO CELEBRATE AND RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT FOSTER CARE ADOPTION. THE FOUNDATION JOINS THIS IMPORTANT CONVERSATION BY IMPLEMENTING A MONTH-LONG STRATEGIC EFFORT THAT FOCUSES ON OUTREACH AND EDUCATION, RESOURCE DISTRIBUTION, AND MEDIA COVERAGE TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF FOSTER CARE ADOPTION ACROSS THE COUNTRY.NATIONAL ADOPTION DAY IS HELD EACH YEAR ON THE SATURDAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING. ON THIS DAY DURING NATIONAL ADOPTION AWARENESS MONTH, COURTS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY MAKE IT A PRIORITY TO FINALIZE PENDING FOSTER CARE ADOPTIONS, WHILE CELEBRATING ALL FAMILIES WHO ADOPT. THE FOUNDATION IS HONORED TO BE A LEAD FOUNDING AND FUNDING PARTNER OF THIS EFFORT.
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 December 1992.
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.
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