The Contributor Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
PRINT AND DISTRIBUTE A WEEKLY NEWSPAPER THAT FOCUSES ON ISSUES SURROUNDING HOMELESSNESS AND POVERTY AND IS SOLD BY HOMELESS AND FORMERLY HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS ON THE STREET AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO PANHANDLING.
- Income
- $1.9 million
- Spending
- $1.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 88%
- Reserves
- 8.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 66%
- Employees
- 21
- Volunteers
- 20
- Highest pay
- $128,997, executive di
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 83% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 14% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 29% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1588% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2511 of 11 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 December 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 (2)
- $1.3 million spent. OUR C.O.V.E.R. HOUSING NAVIGATION PROGRAM OFFERS PERSON-CENTERED SUPPORT TO OUR VENDORS, FROM OBTAINING IDENTIFICATION AND LIFE-LINE PHONES, TO FINDING AND FURNISHING AN APARTMENT, OUR APPROACH IS TESTED ON THE GROUND EVERY SINGLE DAY AND IS ALSO BACKED UP BY ROBUST LONGITUDINAL RESEARCH ACROSS COMMUNITIES WORLDWIDE. THE HOUSING FIRST MODE HAS SHOWN PROMISING RESULTS IN IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND CHANGING THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF UNHOUSED PERSONS. HOWEVER, THE CONTRIBUTOR'S MODEL PROVIDES A CRUCIAL MISSING PIECE: CONSISTENT, REGULAR CONTACT AND SMALL-SCALE AID TO ITS CONSTITUENTS, COMBINED WITH ACTUAL INCOME TO SECURE INTERIM HOUSING AND NECESSITIES. RESEARCH SHOWS OF ALL VENDORS WHO SELL THE CONTRIBUTOR FOR SIX MONTHS OR MORE, OVER SEVENTY PERCENT TRANSITION INTO PERMANENT HOUSING.
- $175,911 spent. WE PRINT A BI-WEEKLY, HYPERLOCAL NEWSPAPER THAT CHALLENGES STEREOTYPES SURROUNDING HOMELESSNESS AND TELLS THE STORIES OF OUR CONTRIBUTOR VENDORS. PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS RECEIVE TRAINING AND CREATE THEIR OWN MICRO-BUSINESS BY PURCHASING COPIES OF THE PAPER AND SELLING THEM TO THE PUBLIC. CONTRIBUTOR VENDORS RECEIVE A STARTER PACK THAT ALLOWS THEM TO BEGIN SAFELY SELLING PAPERS IMMEDIATELY, AND A BUS PASS TO RETURN. NOT ONLY DOES THIS INCOME ENCOURAGE DIGNITY AND SELF-ESTEEM AMONG CONTRIBUTOR VENDORS, IT'S ALSO OFTEN THE CRUCIAL LIFELINE BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN NIGHTS ON THE STREETS AND SIGNING THE LEASE ON A HOME TO CALL ONE'S OWN. UNLIKE PANHANDLING, A VENDOR'S PAPER PURCHASES ARE TRACKED IN OUR DATABASE AND CAN BE USED FOR SUBSIDIZED AND TRADITIONAL HOUSING APPLICATIONS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 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 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 December 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 May 2010.
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.