Tampa Heights Junior Civic Association
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
TAMPA HEIGHTS JUNIOR CIVIC ASSOCIATION IS A COMMUNITY BASED, RESIDENTDRIVEN ORGANIZATION THAT CONNECTS YOUTH AND FAMILIES TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES, PROVIDES YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD LEADERSHIP AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, AND SECURES RESOURCES TO RESPOND TO IDENTIFIED NEEDS
- Income
- $577,186
- Spending
- $651,037
- Spent on programs
- 77%
- Reserves
- -19.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 75%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 5
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 36 out of 100. Higher than 8% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
2 of 20It owes 87% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 13% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 105% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1577% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 74 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 7 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no 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.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 (1)
- $499,583 spent. THJCA served over 300 youth and children across 8 programs providing leadership and civic engagement training. The organization provided daily community and youth gardening at the Tampa Heights Community Garden, hosting at least two community and social events per month at the garden pavilion. The Youth Garden and Art Wellness program also utilized this space. Additionally, THJCA hosted an average of five community events and meetings per month at the Tampa Heights Community meet-up pavilion in the garden. THJCA supported other organizations, including maintaining a community garden in the Highland Pines neighborhood. As a founding member of the 10-year-old Coalition of Community Gardens (COCG)which now includes 70 community gardens across four Tampa Bay countiesTHJCA helps combat the historical 3-year failure rate of local gardens. The coalition supports garden sustainability and education, emphasizes health benefits for youth and families, and ensures food availability in lower-income and food desert communities. The Tampa Heights Community Center, leased for 30 years from the Florida Department of Transportation, serves as the hub for Tampa Heights events and houses the Tampa Heights civic association, hosting all monthly board and general membership meetings. THJCA also maintained its Northsite facility for a small independent school (grades 1-12) and provided office space for the redevelopment company partnering with the Tampa Housing Authority to reconstruct the Robles Park complex into 2,800 mixed-use residential units. While THJCAs services historically targeted residents of this complex, this along with recent high-end developments and displacement over the past ten years have shifted the population. Displaced youth who previously attended 7 local schools in and around Tampa Heights are now scattered across 37 schools throughout Hillsborough County. Consequently, THJCA has expanded its services county-wide to continue providing wrap-around civic engagement and leadership training for youth and families from age 6 through post-high school. Additionally, THJCA also provided in-school and after-school mentoring in two high schools and one elementary school in north west county and in south-east Hillsborough county, as well as taking 90 high-school students to tour 9 colleges and universities.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 September 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 2002.
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.