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Cardinal Services Inc of Indiana

EIN 35-6005615 · Warsaw, IN

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood78 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MISSION OF CARDINAL SERVICES, INC. OF INDIANA IS TO ASSIST AND ADVOCATE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND CHALLENGES TO LIVE LIVES FULL OF DIGNITY, GROWTH, AND OPPORTUNITY.

Income
$14.0 million
Spending
$12.7 million
Spent on programs
88%
Reserves
11.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 72%
Employees
491
Volunteers
95
Highest pay
$677,824, 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

Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 72% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 11.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 14% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 9% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 50% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    88% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 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 50% of charities in its peer group (education, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    14 of 14 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (4)
  1. $3.9 million spent. RESIDENTIAL: CARDINAL'S RESIDENTIAL LIVING PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE TO ADULTS NEEDING ASSISTANCE WITH DAILY LIVING REQUIREMENTS. RESIDENTS LIVE IN GROUP HOMES WITH OTHER RESIDENTS OF SIMILAR ABILITIES. THEY ARE ENCOURAGED TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT AND AS INDEPENDENT AS POSSIBLE. DURING THE DAY, RESIDENTS WORK AT COMMUNITY JOBS, PARTICIPATE IN THE COMMUNITY AND/OR PARTICIPATE IN DAY PROGRAMS. DURING THE LAST YEAR, MORE THAN 100 ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES WERE SUPPORTED IN A GROUP HOME SETTING LEARNING DAILY LIVING SKILLS, SUCH AS COOKING, CLEANING, AND ACCESSING THE COMMUNITY. ACQUISITION OF DAILY LIVING SKILLS HAS ALLOWED SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS TO MOVE FROM A GROUP HOME INTO THEIR OWN APARTMENT, THUS BECOMING MORE FULLY INTEGRATED INTO SOCIETY.
  2. $5.5 million spent. COMMUNITY LIVING: INDEPENDENCE IS IMPORTANT TO US ALL, WHETHER WE LIVE WITH A DISABILITY OR NOT. CARDINAL'S COMMUNITY LIVING SERVICES SUPPORT ADULTS TO LIVE AS INDEPENDENTLY AS POSSIBLE, YET STILL RECEIVE THE SUPPORT THEY NEED. SERVICES ARE DEVELOPED BASED ON THE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS OF THE PERSON. THIS INCLUDES FINDING A PLACE TO LIVE AND THE MONEY TO PAY FOR LIVING EXPENSES. SERVICES MAY BE AS COMPLETE AS FULL-TIME 24 HOUR STAFFING OR AS MINIMAL AS MEETING WITH STAFF ONCE PER WEEK - IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS OF THE PERSON. DURING THE CURRENT YEAR 50 PEOPLE WERE SERVED IN THEIR OWN APARTMENT LEARNING DAILY LIVING SKILLS, SUCH AS COOKING, CLEANING, AND ACCESSING THE COMMUNITY. MANY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SECURE COMMUNITY EMPLOYMENT AND EARN A COMPETITIVE WAGE, THUS BECOMING MORE FULLY INTEGRATED INTO SOCIETY.
  3. $1.8 million spent. CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES: CARDINAL SERVICES SERVES THE YOUNGEST, MOST VULNERABLE SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION WITH THE PURPOSE OF EDUCATING CHILDREN AND PREPARING THEM FOR SCHOOL, AS WELL AS OFFERING THE SKILLS THAT PARENTS NEED TO BE THE MOST EFFECTIVE IN THEIR ROLES. AN EMPHASIS IS PLACED UPON PROPER NUTRITION AND MEDICAL CARE FOR THE PROPER DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHILDREN. SERVICES ARE COMPREHENSIVE AND ATTEMPT TO MEET WHATEVER NEED THE FAMILY MAY HAVE, MOST NEEDS ARE BASED UPON INCOME (SEE ADDITIONAL DATA ON SCHEDULE O).(CONTINUED FROM PART III, LINE 4C) CARDINAL SERVICES OFFERS THREE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES. 1) WIC IS A FEDERAL NUTRITION PROGRAM SERVING TO SAFEGUARD THE HEALTH OF INCOME ELIGIBLE WOMEN, INFANTS, AND CHILDREN UP TO AGE FIVE WHO ARE AT NUTRITIONAL RISK. CARDINAL SERVES OVER 3,000 PARTICIPANTS EACH MONTH, PROVIDING SUPPLEMENTAL FOODS, NUTRITIONAL EDUCATION, AND NUTRITIONAL HEALTH SCREENINGS. 2) HEAD START/EARLY HEAD START PROGRAMS PROMOTE SCHOOL READINESS BY ENHANCING THE SOCIAL AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN THROUGH THE PROVISION OF EDUCATIONAL, HEALTH, NUTRITIONAL, DISABILITY, SOCIAL, MENTAL HEALTH, AND OTHER SERVICES TO ENROLLED CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. 3) HEALTHY FAMILIES IS A PROGRAM OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILD SERVICES THAT WORKS WITH FAMILIES TO REDUCE STRESS WHILE INCREASING AND BUILDING UPON STRENGTHS. HEALTHY FAMILIES PROMOTES POSITIVE PARENT-CHILD INTERACTIONS THROUGH CHILD DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION AND SCREENINGS. SERVICES ARE VOLUNTARY AND MAY BE RECEIVED UP TO THE CHILD OF FOCUS' THIRD BIRTHDAY.
  4. OTHER CARDINAL SERVICES' PROGRAMS INCLUDE:-CARDINAL PROVIDES TRANSPORTATION SERVICES THROUGH THE KOSCIUSKO AREA BUS SERVICE (KABS). KABS IS MEDICAID APPROVED AND CAN TRANSPORT TO MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS STATEWIDE.-CARDINAL'S ADULT DAY SERVICES IS MADE UP OF TWO PROGRAMS: ADULT CLASSROOMS AND PREVOCATIONAL TRAINING WITHIN CCI. THE CLASSROOMS ALLOW CONSUMERS TO SPEND THE DAY WITH PEOPLE AT A SIMILAR LEVEL OF ABILITY IN A CLASSROOM SETTING. ACTIVITIES ARE PLANNED AND STAFFED BY TRAINED DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS IN 15-30 MINUTE INCREMENTS AND ARE COORDINATED TO CREATE A MEANINGFUL DAY FOR EVERY PERSON. FOR THOSE WITH THE DESIRE AND ABILITY TO WORK THERE IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK IN THE MANUFACTURING AREA AT CARDINAL SERVICES, KNOWN AS CCI. CCI MANUFACTURING IS CARDINAL'S ON-SITE PREVOCATIONAL TRAINING WORKSHOP, PROVIDING MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. BY CONTRACTING WITH AREA COMPANIES TO DO A JOB, CCI IS ABLE TO FILL A NEED IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, TURNING OUT HIGH QUALITY PRODUCTS. AT THE SAME TIME, EMPLOYEES HOLD A JOB AND EARN A WAGE.-CAREER LINKS IS CARDINAL'S SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM, HELPING PEOPLE TO ACHIEVE AND MAINTAIN EMPLOYMENT AND INDEPENDENCE. CAREER LINKS' UNIQUE PROGRAM WORKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS TO DEVELOP EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. ONCE A JOB IS OBTAINED, A TRAINED CAREER LINKS' EMPLOYMENT SPECIALIST PROVIDES SUPPORT TO BOTH THE EMPLOYER AND THE NEW EMPLOYEE.

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since June 1965.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.