Aurora Commons
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Aurora Commons cultivates belonging and community to foster health and healing among our neighbors experiencing poverty and homelessness.
- Income
- $2.1 million
- Spending
- $2.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 77%
- Reserves
- 0.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 66%
- Employees
- 27
- Volunteers
- 87
- Highest pay
- $141,632, executive director
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: 53 out of 100. Higher than 20% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 13% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 2% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1576% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 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. Higher than 82% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 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 (1)
- $1.8 million spent. Aurora Commons cultivates community and belonging to foster health and healing among our neighbors experiencing poverty and homelessness. Aurora Commons welcomed 41,937 visits from our neighbors experiencing poverty & homelessness, a 64% increase from the year before. The increase is reflected in all of our program engagement as well. Advocates worked with 1,117 individuals, 10% increase from FY24. Our team-based advocacy leaves lots of room for people to come as they are and sit down with an advocate. This low-barrier approach has helped us better connect with those who come to Aurora Commons each week. Our onsite clinics also saw an increase of patients, SHE Clinic seeing 276 individuals and Aurora Clinic seeing 222 individuals. Our goal is to continue to re-imagine how we can better serve our amazing neighbors. After over 11 years of holding the stories of our neighbors we recognize both the complexities of each individual narrative as well as some of the commonalities that emerge as barriers to seeking care and taking steps toward stability. We offer many practical resources for our neighbors who are struggling to access basic survival needs, however, at the heart of our philosophy of care we know that over time as these neighbors build trusting relationships with our staff, they will feel safe enough to address their more complex needs and overcome these challenges and barriers they face when trying to navigate the larger network of social services in Seattle.
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 November 2015.
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.