Make a Difference
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Make A Difference, Inc. is a state licensed Intensive Outpatient Treatment Program designed to treat the critical needs (mental health and chemical addiction issues) of indigent and uninsured adults in need of intensive treatment on an outpatient basis. However, these individuals cannot afford to pay for such needed services. State grants such as CTC- Community Treatment Collaboration, ARP-Addiction Recovery Program, and COC - Continuum of Care make it possible to assist in meeting the needs of these indigent clients. Our treatment services include individual, group, family therapy, case management services, home monitoring, psychiatric evaluations by an MD Board Certified psychiatrist, medications, medication follow-up, transportation, housing assistance, as well as collaborating with other health agencies that provide medical, dental, and vision care to help meet the overall needs of our clients in the community.
- Income
- $331,686
- Spending
- $285,461
- Spent on programs
- 100%
- Reserves
- 8.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 100%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 6
- Highest pay
- $60,000, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 82% of charities in its peer group (mental health, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 14% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 2% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 15100% of spending went to programs.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 91 out of 100. Higher than 79% of charities in its peer group (mental health, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 6 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
6 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 August 31, 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 (5)
- $24,000 spent. Addiction Recovery Program(ARP) reimburses for addiction recovery services rendered. ARP grants help make it possible to continue to treat countless individuals in need of our services. The beneficial outcome of our program has helped clients become mentally stable, gain sobriety from a lifestyle of alcohol/chemical addiction, get their GED or go back to school, become employed or get job promotions, elevate an individual's self-esteem, develop a sense of hopefulness, tell others about how they can benefit by participating in our program, etc. Additional funding is needed in order to meet the growing demands of our target population. More state federal funding would allow our agency to expand and create more programs that will prove to be even more beneficial to the clients we serve. We take pleasure in meeting the needs of our clients.
- $83,000 spent. Community Treatment Collaboration(CTC) helps with costs associated with intensive outpatient treatment services like intake, group therapy, individual/group sessions. CTC grants help make it possible to continue to treat countless individuals in need of our services. The beneficial outcome of our program has helped clients become mentally stable, gain sobriety from a lifestyle of alcohol/chemical addiction, get their GED or go back to school, become employed or get job promotions, elevate an individual's self-esteem, develop a sense of hopefulness, tell others about how they can benefit by participating in our program, etc. Additional funding is needed in order to meet the growing demands of our target population. More state/federal funding would allow our agency to expand and create more programs that will prove to be even more beneficial to the clients we serve. We take pleasure in meeting the needs of our clients.
- Shelby County Government help make it possible to continue to treat countless individuals in need of our services. The beneficial outcome of our program has helped clients become mentally stable, gain sobriety from a lifestyle of alcohol chemical addiction, get their GED or go back to school, become employed or get job promotions, elevate an individual's self-esteem, develop a sense of hopefulness, tell others about how they can benefit by participating in our program, etc. Additional funding is needed in order to meet the growing demands of our target population. More state federal funding would allow our agency to expand and create more programs that will prove to be even more beneficial to the clients we serve. We take pleasure in meeting the needs of our clients.
- $171,169 spent. Continuum of Care (COC) Outpatient addiction treatment and mental health treatment. Clients learned about the illness of substance addiction and learned to prevent relapse. Clients also became stabilized and compliant with taking their psychotropic meds as a result. Relapse prevention, abstinence, and mental health stabilization for COC on an outpatient basis. The beneficial outcome of our program has helped clients become mentally stable, gain sobriety from a lifestyle of alcohol chemical addiction, get their GED or go back to school, become employed or get job promotions, elevate an individual's self-esteem, develop a sense of hopefulness, tell others about how they can benefit by participating in our program, etc. Additional funding is needed in order to meet the growing demands of our target population. More state federal funding would allow our agency to expand and create more programs that will prove to be even more beneficial to the clients we serve. We take pleasure in meeting the needs of our clients.
- $7,292 spent. Addition Recovery Program American (ARPA) The ARAP grant? A Rescue Plan Act Supplemental Funding Substance Use, Prevention and Treatment. It afforded us the opportunity to provided additional case management and must needed services for clients who were diagnosed w/ Covid-19. We also provided drugs and alcohol recovery support services for these clients in need of such specialized services.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 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 August 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 October 2011.
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.