Council for South Texas Economic Progress
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO ENSURE RESIDENTS ACQUIRE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE AND HAVE ACCESS TO ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES TO ENABLE THEM TO PURSUE MEANINGFUL CAREERS AND LIVE PROSPEROUS LIVES IN RIO SOUTH TEXAS.
- Income
- $575,773
- Spending
- $1.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 67%
- Reserves
- Over 10 years of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 85%
- Employees
- 6
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $199,680, ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending November 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 82 out of 100. Higher than 59% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover more than ten years of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 84% of income.
Spending floor
15 of 1566% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending November 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 92% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $250k to $1m).
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 November 30, 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 (1)
- $704,537 spent. COSTEP WILL PROVIDE A REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT APPROACH THAT WILL ACCELERATE GROWTH BY DRIVING BUSINESS RECRUITMENT AND INDUSTRY-FOCUSED WORKFORCE PIPELINE DEVELOPMENT TO SHAPE FORWARD-THINKING STRATEGIC INITIATIVES. COSTEP WILL PERFORM INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC RECRUITMENT ACTIVITIES TARGETING INDUSTRIES WITH AN EXISTING FOOTPRINT IN THE REGION. THE PURPOSE OF COSTEP IS TO BRING TOGETHER BUSINESS AND EDUCATION COMMUNITIES TO PROMOTE, SPONSOR, AND ADVANCE BUSINESS PROSPERITY AND THE ECONOMIC SUCCESS OF THE REGION AND ITS CITIZENS. COSTEP'S PROGRAM OF WORK ENCOMPASSES THE FOLLOWING FOUR STRATEGIC INITIATIVES: 1. EXPANDING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES, SPECIFICALLY DOMESTIC/INTERNATIONAL RECRUITING, INCLUDES ACTIVITIES SUCH AS: SITE SELECTOR OUTREACH, TARGETED BUSINESS RECRUITMENT, LEAD GENERATION, FAM TOURS AND QUICK TOURS. 2. LEVERAGE THE SYMBIOTIC BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO ATTRACTING COMPANIES TO THE REGION BY PROMOTING THE HIGH-VALUE MANUFACTURING OPPORTUNITY IN MEXICO DELIVERS AN INCREDIBLE VALUE PROPOSITION THAT WILL BE LEVERAGED, PROMOTED, AND FURTHERED THE TWIN-PLANT INTERNATIONAL CONCEPT. THIS CONCEPT CONSISTS OF MANUFACTURING IN NORTHERN MEXICO CITIES WITH MANAGEMENT AND LOGISTICS IN THE SOUTHERN US CITIES. 3. AGGREGATE ALL EXISTING BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE AND RESOURCES AND CONDUCT NEW DATA PROJECTS. ACTIVITIES AND SERVICES MAY INCLUDE: DATA ACQUISITION, REGIONAL DEMOGRAPHICS, REGIONAL PROPERTIES, INDUSTRY DATA, REGIONAL ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT AND REGIONAL GAP ANALYSIS.4. TARGET NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL MARKETING WITH A CAMPAIGN THAT INCLUDES MANY ASSETS, SUCH AS INFRASTRUCTURE, THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO ALL JURISDICTIONS FOR LOCAL AND REGIONAL ADVANTAGE. ACTIVITIES AND SERVICES MAY INCLUDE: TARGETED MARKETING CAMPAIGN, SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN, REGIONAL VIDEOS, WEBSITE AND INTERNATIONAL/NATIONAL PLACEMENT.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending November 30, 2024, 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 November 2024.
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 April 2022.
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.