Calhoun County Guardian
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
WE BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY BY PROVIDING FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP AND ADVOCACY SERVICES TO PEOPLE IN NEED. WE PROMOTE THE OPTIMUM INDEPENDENCE AND ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY OF THOSE WE SERVE.
- Income
- $1.7 million
- Spending
- $1.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- 2.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 95%
- Employees
- 46
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $63,001, ceo
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
Weak: 41 out of 100. Higher than 8% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.9 months of spending.
Debt
2 of 20It owes 97% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 10% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 9% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2510 of 10 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 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 (1)
- $1.6 million spent. GUARDIAN FINANCE AND ADVOCACY SERVICES IS A NON-PROFIT THAT SERVES CLIENTS IN SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN. OUR PRIMARY COUNTIES OF SERVICE ARE KALAMAZOO AND CALHOUN, ALTHOUGH OUR SERVICES EXTEND TO CLIENTS WITHIN A 75-MILE RADIUS OF OUR TWO OFFICES. IN OUR FISCAL YEAR OF OCTOBER 2024 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2025, WE SERVED 1,293 CLIENTS ACROSS OUR TWO OFFICES. OUR THREE MOST SIGNIFICANT PROGRAMS ARE GUARDIANSHIP, CONSERVATORSHIP, AND REPRESENTATIVE PAYEE. ALL PROGRAMS SEEK TO SAFEGUARD INDIVIDUALS, ALLOWING THEM TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL AND MAXIMIZE THEIR INDEPENDENCE.LEGAL GUARDIANSHIP OCCURS WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL IS FOUND INCOMPETENT THROUGH A COURT OF LAW. IN MANY INSTANCES, THIS IS THE RESULT OF DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, MENTAL ILLNESS, OR AGE-RELATED ILLNESS SUCH AS DEMENTIA. OUR ORGANIZATION SAFEGUARDED 408 INDIVIDUALS DURING THE PAST YEAR BY MAKING MEDICAL, PLACEMENT, AND LEGAL DECISIONS.CONSERVATORSHIP, DESCRIBED AS GUARDIANSHIP OF THE ESTATE, IS AN AUTHORITY GRANTED BY THE PROBATE COURT. OUR ORGANIZATION WORKED WITH 74 INDIVIDUALS IN THIS CAPACITY OVER THE PAST YEAR. GUARDIAN FINANCE AND ADVOCACY SERVICES WAS ABLE TO SAFEGUARD THEIR ASSETS, THUS MEETING THEIR NEEDS.OUR THIRD PROGRAM IS REPRESENTATIVE PAYEE, AN AUTHORITY GRANTED BY THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION. WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL CANNOT MANAGE THEIR INCOME TO MEET THEIR BASIC NEEDS, SOCIAL SECURITY WILL APPOINT A REPRESENTATIVE PAYEE TO ASSIST IN BUDGETING. IN THIS ROLE, OUR AGENCY WORKS WITH THE CONSUMER TO CREATE A BUDGET AND THEN PAYS THE INDIVIDUAL'S MONTHLY PRIORITY NEEDS (I.E., RENT AND UTILITIES).
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? 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 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 May 1982.
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.