Hope House of Milwaukee Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
IT IS THE MISSION OF HOPE HOUSE TO END HOMELESSNESS & CREATE HEALTHY COMMUNITIES.
- Income
- $7.0 million
- Spending
- $7.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 93%
- Reserves
- 1.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 65%
- Employees
- 34
- Volunteers
- 15
- Highest pay
- $129,938, executive director
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
Fair: 64 out of 100. Higher than 51% of charities in its peer group (housing, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 7% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 25% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1593% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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 70% of charities in its peer group (housing, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2510 of 12 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 (3)
- $2.3 million spent. BETTER WAYS TO COPE FISCAL AGENT SERVICES - IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MILWAUKEE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (DHHS), HOPE HOUSE SERVES AS A FISCAL AGENT FOR THE SUB-GRANTEE AWARD RECIPIENTS OF THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT REGRANTING PROJECT. IN 2025, DHHS HAS $2,089,124 IN FUNDS ALLOCATED FOR THE REGRANTING PROJECT, OF WHICH HOPE HOUSE WILL RECEIVE FUNDING FOR FISCAL AGENT SERVICES WITH THE REMAINING FUNDS BEING DISBURSED TO 21 SUB-GRANTEE AWARD RECIPIENTS.
- $1.3 million spent. FAMILY BONDS - A HUD COC FUNDED JOINT COMPONENT PROJECT COMPRISED OF TEMPORARY HOUSING FOR HOMELESS FAMILIES AT OUR 209 W. ORCHARD ST. FACILITY, AND RAPID REHOUSING FOR FAMILIES IN THE COMMUNITY. IN 2025, THIS PROGRAM SERVED 125 FAMILIES COMPRISED OF 160 ADULTS AND 327 CHILDREN. 94% OF FAMILIES REMAINED IN PERMANENT HOUSING AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
- $513,827 spent. FAMILY FLEX FUND - THE FAMILY FLEX FUND PROGRAM BEGAN IN 2021 WITH THE GOAL OF PREVENTING HOMELESSNESS WHENEVER POSSIBLE AND QUICKLY RE-HOUSING FAMILIES THAT DO EXPERIENCE LITERAL HOMELESSNESS WITHIN 90 DAYS. THE FLEX FUND EFFORT PROVIDES A FLEXIBLE POOL OF RESOURCES, INCLUDING FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR RENT, UTILITIES, AND SECURITY DEPOSITS AS WELL AS CASE MANAGEMENT, TO SERVE THOSE WHO WOULD OTHERWISE SLIP THROUGH GAPS IN THE SYSTEM. SINCE ITS CREATION, FFF HAS PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN AUGMENTING MILWAUKEE'S HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE SYSTEM, ALLOWING FAMILIES OTHERWISE UNDERSERVED BY EXISTING PROGRAMS, ACCESS TO FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR RENT AND HOUSING-RELATED NEEDS EITHER TO PREVENT THEIR HOMELESSNESS OR SHORTEN THEIR TIME IN EMERGENCY SHELTER. IN 2025, THIS PROGRAM SERVED 76 FAMILIES.
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since January 1988.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.