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Starr Commonwealth

EIN 38-1359593 · Albion, MI

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair63 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

STARR COMMONWEALTH'S MISSION IS TO LEAD WITH COURAGE TO CREATE POSITIVE EXPERIENCES SO THAT ALL CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES FLOURISH.

Income
$8.5 million
Spending
$10.8 million
Spent on programs
53%
Reserves
32 months of spending
Largest source of income
other income, 38%
Employees
70
Volunteers
8
Highest pay
$359,579, president and chief executive officer

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

Fair: 63 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 32.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 27% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 27% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    53% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 47 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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 of 8 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 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 (3)
  1. $2.4 million spent. PROFESSIONAL LEARNINGDURING THE 2024-2025 FISCAL YEAR, 3,053 UNIQUE PROFESSIONALS ENGAGED WITH STARR'S PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PROGRAMMING, SERVICES, OR RESOURCES. 2,049 PROFESSIONALS IN THE U.S. AND GLOBALLY RECEIVED TRAINING ON THE TOPICS OF TRAUMA, RESILIENCE, POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, MINDFULNESS, AND INDIGENOUS WISDOM. THROUGH STARR TRAININGS AND CONSULTATIONS, HELPING PROFESSIONALS LEARNED EFFECTIVE TOOLS FOR IMPLEMENTING TRAUMA-INFORMED, RESILIENCE-FOCUSED CARE, INCLUDING WAYS TO FOSTER CONNECTIONS WITH THE YOUTH THEY SERVE. STARR CERTIFIED 1,275 PROFESSIONALS AS SPECIALISTS, COACHES, AND/OR TRAINERS IN TRAUMA-INFORMED, RESILIENCE-FOCUSED CARE. IN A SAMPLE OF HELPING PROFESSIONALS WHO PARTICIPATED IN FOUNDATIONAL SPECIALIST CERTIFICATION TRAININGS, 97% (N = 708) RATED THE COURSE AS BENEFICIAL, VERY BENEFICIAL, OR EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL AND 96% (N = 734) AGREED OR STRONGLY AGREED THAT THE TRAINING WOULD BENEFIT HOW THEY WORK WITH YOUTH.
  2. $2.2 million spent. COMMUNITY-BASEDDURING THE 2024-2025 FISCAL YEAR, 402 UNIQUE CLIENTS WERE SERVED THROUGH DIRECT SERVICE PROGRAMS: 259 CLIENTS IN OUR STARR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES OUTPATIENT AND HOLISTIC SERVICES PROGRAM, 107 YOUTH IN OUR STUDENT RESILIENCE & EMPOWERMENT CENTER, AND 35 CLIENTS IN OUR F.O.C.U.S. FORWARD PROGRAM (54 CLIENTS/YOUTH RECEIVED SERVICES FROM MORE THAN ONE PROGRAM). STARR'S BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROGRAM OFFERS INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY THERAPY, ACADEMIC SUPPORT, GROUP THERAPY, SCHOOL-BASED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES, TRAUMA ASSESSMENTS AND INTERVENTIONS, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, AND CASE MANAGEMENT. CLIENTS ATTENDED 4,139 APPOINTMENTS, OF WHICH 172 WERE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY EVALUATIONS OR SESSIONS. THE AVERAGE CLIENT AGE WAS 15 YEARS (RANGE: 2 TO 73 YEARS OLD). OUR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROGRAM PROVIDED 3,236 IN-PERSON AND 903 TELEHEALTH (PHONE OR VIDEO) SESSIONS. OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CLIENTS SURVEYED DURING THE 2024-2025 FISCAL YEAR (N = 68), 94% INDICATED THEY WOULD RECOMMEND THE PROGRAM TO A FRIEND IN NEED OF SIMILAR HELP, 94% INDICATED THEY WOULD COME BACK TO THE PROGRAM IF THEY WERE TO SEEK HELP AGAIN, AND 92% INDICATED THAT OVERALL, THEY WERE SATISFIED WITH THE SERVICES THEY RECEIVED. F.O.C.U.S. FORWARD IS A COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAM FOR OPPORTUNITY YOUTH (INDIVIDUALS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 16 AND 24). THE PROGRAM CONNECTS YOUTH WITH LOCALLY ESTABLISHED EDUCATIONAL AND SKILLED TRADES TRAINING, APPRENTICESHIPS, AND PATHWAYS TO GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT AND CAREERS. FROM A SAMPLE OF 34 OPPORTUNITY YOUTH, 100% AGREED OR STRONGLY AGREED THAT THEY WOULD RECOMMEND F.O.C.U.S. FORWARD IF A FRIEND WAS IN NEED OF SIMILAR HELP, 100% REPORTED THEY RECEIVED THE KIND OF SERVICES THEY WANTED, AND 94% AGREED OR STRONGLY AGREED THAT THE SERVICES THEY RECEIVED HELPED THEM TO DEAL MORE EFFECTIVELY WITH THEIR PROBLEMS.
  3. $1.1 million spent. SCHOOL-BASED STARR PROGRAMMING ALSO INCLUDES THE STUDENT RESILIENCE & EMPOWERMENT CENTER (SREC). SREC IS A COUNTY-WIDE, SCHOOL-BASED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH ACCESS TO SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, AND MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS THAT CAN LEAD TO IMPROVED HEALTH AND WELL-BEING. THIS IMMERSIVE, HALF-DAY PROGRAM BUILDS ON EXISTING COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN STARR AND LOCAL SCHOOLS, WHICH TOGETHER WITH THE LOCAL YMCA AND COUNTY PUBLIC MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDER BRING A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TREATMENT MODEL INTO THE SCHOOL DAY. DURING THE 2024-2025 FISCAL YEAR, THE SREC PROGRAM SERVED A TOTAL OF 107 UNIQUE STUDENTS: 84 STUDENTS DURING THE 2024-2025 ACADEMIC YEAR, 33 STUDENTS DURING THE SUMMER SREC PROGRAM, AND 12 STUDENTS DURING THE START OF THE 2025-2026 ACADEMIC YEAR (WITH 25 STUDENTS SERVED DURING MORE THAN ONE PROGRAM SESSION). STUDENTS WHO COMPLETED THE PROGRAM REPORTED INCREASED INDEPENDENCE AND GENEROSITY, INCREASED ENGAGEMENT IN SUPPORTIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH ADULTS AND PEERS, AND IMPROVED DEMONSTRATION OF MASTERY AND GOAL-SETTING SKILLS. FROM A SAMPLE OF 68 STUDENTS WHO COMPLETED THE SREC PROGRAM, 96% WERE MOSTLY OR VERY SATISFIED WITH THE AMOUNT OF HELP THEY RECEIVED, 94% WOULD RETURN TO THE SREC PROGRAM IF THEY WERE TO SEEK HELP AGAIN, AND 94% RECEIVED THE KIND OF SERVICES THEY WANTED.

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

  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 September 2025.

    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 January 1953.

    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.