Society of St Vincent Depaul Cape and Islands District Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
To coordinate the philanthropic activities of 12 local Society of St Vincent de Paul Conferences in the geographic area known as Cape Cod MA. Each Conference provides help and services in its own parish. The District Council oversees these activities in accordance with the National Society's rules.
- Income
- $885,216
- Spending
- $687,046
- Spent on programs
- 93%
- Reserves
- 19.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 98%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 552
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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 87% of charities in its peer group (religion, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 19.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 22% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 20% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1593% 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
Weak: 27 out of 100. Higher than 8% of charities in its peer group (religion, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
5 of 250 of 19 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
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 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 (4)
- $525,474 spent. Provide financial assistance as it relates to housing issues. That assistance includes the payments of rents, mortgages, temporary housing such as motel rooms, rehab facilities and rental deposits 1st, last + security. Much of the help given is in partnership with other social agencies in the area. Each of the 12 individual conferences in this group provides assistance to 8-15 families each month. Most assistance is provided no more than 1 time per year. Need is generally caused by sickness or temporary loss of employment. Most of the people we help live from paycheck to paycheck.
- $49,872 spent. Payment of utility bills for the needy living in the area. Most of the requests for this type of help comes as a result of shut-off notices. We also receive numerous calls in the winter for heating fuel. Although there is an active fuel assistance program operating on the Cape, it is never enough. In many instances, the heating oil is also used to provide hot water and cooking, so that by the time fuel assistance kicks in, the amount of fuel left in the oil tank from the previous year is very low.
- $48,732 spent. Operate food pantries within the parish area of the individual conferences to provide food, free of cost, to clients. These pantries serve a double purpose - not only do they feed the needy and their families but also give the needy family a special financial tool as every dollar the he/she does not need to spend on food is a dollar that he/she can use to pay for rent or utilities or other basic needs. The dollar expense for operating this program is very low as all of our food pantries are affiliated with the Greater Boston Food Bank GBFB - a recipient of the benefits from the USDA - and therefore can purchase food, including meats, for around 26 cents per pound. Food is also received weekly, free of charge, from large food chains operating in our area. Food pantries, not associated with the GBFB, are funded by product donations from their local parish members. Clients are urged to use our food pantries weekly. It is estimated that our food pantries were visited some 36,000 times during the current fiscal year and the value of the food distributed was in excess of $750,000. Our food pantries are operated by volunteers.
- $13,275 spent. To provide financial support to other conferences within our District and St Vincent dePaul USA through twinning as well as provide funding for disaster relief on the National level.
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? Worth knowing.
Status was revoked on February 15, 2021 for not filing returns for three years. The IRS now lists it as tax-exempt again.
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 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 July 2020.
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.