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Community Action Coaltion for South Central Wisconsin Inc

EIN 39-1053827 · Madison, WI

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair56 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

AT COMMUNITY ACTION COALITION FOR SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN, INC. (CAC) OUR MISSION IS TO TRANSFORM OUR COMMUNITIES BY FOSTERING CONDITIONS WHERE EVERYONE CAN ACHIEVE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SECURITY. CAC EXISTS TO PUSH BACK ON POVERTY. OUR ORGANIZATION WAS BORN OUT OF THE WAR ON POVERTY, AND THAT PURPOSE MOTIVATES US TO THIS DAY. BUT WHILE WE'VE BEEN AROUND FOR FIVE DECADES, WE'RE COMMITTED TO EVOLVING THE WAY WE WORK TO HELP PEOPLE LIVE BETTER LIVES. IT'S TIME FOR A NEW APPROACH TO HOUSING SECURITY, FOOD SECURITY AND ESSENTIAL RESOURCES. WE CHAMPION FLEXIBILITY RATHER THAN RELYING ON A ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL SOLUTION. BY WORKING WITH OUR STRONG NETWORK, WE IDENTIFY SPECIFIC NEEDS WITHIN EACH OF OUR THREE COMMUNITIES, AND CARRY OUT A PLAN TO GENERATE THE GREATEST IMPACT. WHEN WE TRANSFORM TOGETHER, WE CREATE LASTING CHANGE.

Income
$8.4 million
Spending
$7.9 million
Spent on programs
92%
Reserves
1.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 55%
Employees
50
Volunteers
19
Highest pay
$125,760, executive director

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

Fair: 56 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 27% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 6% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 52% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    92% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    15 of 15 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 (3)
  1. $3.1 million spent. HOUSING SECURITY PROGRAMS: IN 2024, CAC DELIVERED COMPREHENSIVE HOUSING SOLUTIONS ACROSS THREE COUNTIES, SUPPORTING INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES TO SECURE SAFE AND STABLE HOUSING. CORE SERVICES INCLUDED RENTAL AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE, HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION, HOUSING PLACEMENT AND NAVIGATION, RAPID RE-HOUSING, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, INNOVATIVE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, EMERGENCY SHELTER SUPPORT, REDUCING SCHOOL MOBILITY, SUPPORTING EARLY CHILDHOOD ZONES, SERVING VETERANS AND FAMILIES, AND CASE MANAGEMENT. ADDITIONAL SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON PROVIDING TAILORED SUPPORT FOR HOUSEHOLDS NEEDING RECOVERY VOUCHERS, WORKFORCE INNOVATION AND INDEPENDENT LIVING SUPPORT, AND/OR SERVICES TO REDUCE BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT AND ADVANCEMENT. CAC ALSO WORKED IN CLOSE PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES TO PROVIDE WRAPAROUND SUPPORTS AND COALITION BUILDING. GROUNDED IN A HOUSING FIRST APPROACH AND A STRONG NETWORK OF COLLABORATIVE SERVICES, CAC ASSISTED 1611 HOUSEHOLDS WITH HOUSING AND RELATED NEEDS IN 2024, WHILE ALSO ENGAGING WITH 67 COORDINATED ENTRY COALITION MEMBERS.
  2. $3.5 million spent. FOOD SECURITY PROGRAMS:IN 2024, CAC ENABLED ACCESS TO FOOD AND NUTRITION ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH ITS CENTRALIZED FOOD BANK HUB AND DELIVERY SYSTEM. CAC SOURCED AND DISTRIBUTED OVER 1.3 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD INCLUDING SHELF-STABLE GOVERNMENT COMMODITIES AND PURCHASED SUPPLEMENTAL ITEMS SUCH AS FRESH PRODUCE, LOCALLY GROWN PRODUCTS, CULTURALLY RELEVANT CHOICES, AND PROTEIN SOURCES TO COMMUNITY PANTRIES AND FEEDING AGENCIES AT NO COST. THROUGH THIS DISTRIBUTION NETWORK, CAC REACHED 79,414 FOOD-INSECURE INDIVIDUALS. IN ADDITION, TO HELP INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY STRETCH THEIR GROCERY BUDGETS, CAC ADMINISTERED A FOOD ACCESS MATCHING PROGRAM, PROVIDING FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO 1,332 INDIVIDUALS USING NUTRITION ASSISTANCE BENEFITS.
  3. $744,678 spent. COMMUNITY PROGRAMS:IN 2024, CAC PROVIDED VITAL COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES TO SUPPORT HEALTH, FINANCIAL STABILITY, RESOURCE NAVIGATION, AND COMMUNITY CONNECTEDNESS. SERVICES INCLUDED INTAKE AND REFERRAL, COMMUNITY RESOURCE FAIRS, VACCINE OUTREACH, AND FINANCIAL LITERACY PROGRAMMING. THROUGH THESE EFFORTS, CAC ASSISTED 30,489 INDIVIDUALS. CAC ALSO PRIORITIZED MENTAL HEALTH IN THE COMMUNITY. CAC PROVIDED SHARED LEARNING AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOCUSED ON MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID AND WELLNESS, REACHING AND TRAINING 86 COMMUNITY MEMBERS. IN ADDITION, TARGETED PROGRAMMING SUPPORTED THE TRAUMA RECOVERY AND MENTAL HEALTH OF 55 HEALTHCARE WORKERS. ADDITIONALLY, CAC STRENGTHENED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND MOBILIZATION THROUGH ITS EVENTS AND COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT EFFORTS, REACHING 931 COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO IDENTIFY NEEDS AND DEVELOP MORE COORDINATED RESPONSES.

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 1967.

    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.