Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE SOUTHWEST AUTISM RESEARCH & RESOURCE CENTER (SARRC) IS A NONPROFIT, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO AUTISM RESEARCH, EDUCATION AND OUTREACH FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM AND THEIR FAMILIES.
- Income
- $25.0 million
- Spending
- $20.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 0.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 59%
- Employees
- 310
- Volunteers
- 970
- Highest pay
- $383,183, president & ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 69 out of 100. Higher than 43% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 14% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 20% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 7% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1574% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 17 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 45% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2521 of 21 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, 2024, 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)
- $2.0 million spent. RESEARCH: TO ADVANCE AUTISM RESEARCH, SARRC INITIATES AND COLLABORATES IN LARGE-SCALE STUDIES TO FIND ANSWERS TO PRESSING QUESTIONS FACED BY INDIVIDUALS WITH ASD (AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER) AND THEIR FAMILIES. SARRC'S CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH IS FOCUSED ON IMPROVING SCREENING AND DIAGNOSIS FOR AUTISM, ENHANCING BEHAVIORAL AND PHARMACEUTICAL TREATMENTS FOR AUTISM, AND EDUCATING PROFESSIONALS IN ORDER TO INCREASE THEIR CAPACITY TO SERVE THE AUTISM COMMUNITY.
- $12.3 million spent. CLINICAL SERVICES: FOLLOWING A FAMILY-CENTERED APPROACH, SARRC IS FOCUSED ON ASSISTING FAMILIES ON THEIR JOURNEY ONCE A CHILD IS DIAGNOSED WITH ASD. SARRC'S CLINICAL MODEL IS GROUNDED IN APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS WITH A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON NATURALISTIC BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS IN INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENTS (E.G. AT HOME, IN SCHOOL, ON THE JOB AND IN THE COMMUNITY). EACH OF OUR PROGRAMS, CLASSES AND TRAININGS ARE GUIDED BY BEST-PRACTICE MODELS; THE MOST CURRENTLY AVAILABLE SCIENCE; IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE AND PRODUCING MEANINGFUL OUTCOMES; AND THE INDIVIDUALIZED NEEDS OF THE CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS, ADULTS AND FAMILIES WE SERVE.
- $596,527 spent. RESIDENTIAL TRANSITION ACADEMY: THE FIRST PLACE AZ TRANSITION ACADEMY OPERATED BY THE CENTER, IS A TWO-YEAR INTENSIVE AND COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY BASED STATE-OF-THE-ART PROGRAM DESIGNED TO TRANSITION YOUNG ADULTS WITH AUTISM TO LIVING INDEPENDENTLY IN THE COMMUNITY. THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH FIRST PLACE AZ AND THE CENTER, STUDENTS LIVE IN THEIR OWN APARTMENTS WITHIN A MULTI-GENERATIONAL APARTMENT COMPLEX.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 March 1997.
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.