Evolve Adoption & Family Services
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
To achieve a world where everyone has nurturing, permanent, and supportive familial relationships by providing a full breadth of inclusive, ethical programming in: adoption, foster care, pregnancy support, youth services, cultural support and education.
- Income
- $2.5 million
- Spending
- $2.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- 2.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 93%
- Employees
- 26
- Volunteers
- 50
- Highest pay
- $117,467, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 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
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 15% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 8% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 36 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 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 256 of 6 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 June 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 (4)
- $990,571 spent. Foster Care: EVOLVE's Foster Care Programs include traditional foster care, kinship care, respite care, and emergency shelter care. We specialize in kinship care, working to keep children within their extended family and kin network to reduce the trauma of out of home care whenever possible. In non-relative foster care, we work to recruit and prepare families who are willing and able to provide a nurturing, supporting and affirming environment for children and youth, many who have experienced significant trauma, usually between the ages of 10-18 years old. We conduct thorough home studies to ensure that the families we license are safe and prepared to support the children and youth that will be in their care. We also provide individual and group training and classes that educate families on trauma informed care, the impacts of abuse and neglect, and supporting children's culture, beliefs, identity, emotional, physical, and behavioral needs. Placement support is ongoing until transition or permanency is achieved. The ultimate goal of foster care is high quality temporary care while the children's birth family gets the help that is needed for their children to be returned to their care.
- $367,311 spent. Family Support: EVOLVE provides a variety of family connection and cultural support programming through UMOJA MN, including two weekend-long family camps annually to empower and educate adoptive, foster and kinship families raising Black youth; connecting them with their culture and larger community. We provide a four-week Culturally Responsive Parenting Class for caregivers twice annually, Caregiver Connection meetings throughout the year, teach textured haircare support, hold multi-week youth support groups for youth age 9-17, and host a Black Teens in Action group where youth plan and execute a service project to give back to the community and earn a stipend.
- $273,472 spent. Adoption Services and Related: EVOLVE's programs include the Minnesota Adoption Permanency Program (MAPP), focusing on the adoption of children in the foster care system, with an emphasis on older youth and teens, large sibling groups and children with special needs. We also provide ethical private adoption programming in domestic infant open adoption, and home study and post-placement services for families who are adopting internationally. We conduct thorough home studies to ensure that the families are safe and prepared to support the children and youth that will be in their care. We also provide individual and group training and classes that educate families on trauma informed care, the impacts of abuse, neglect, orphanage care, and supporting children's culture, beliefs, identity, emotional, physical, and behavioral needs. We provide Post-Adoption Services, which includes short term case management support for families in need after permanency, as well as assistance to adult adoptees in search and records retrieval. In Pregnancy Services we provide free, non-coercive and non-directive support to individuals and couples experiencing unplanned pregnancy. This includes all options: counseling, assistance with applying for medical assistance, provision of infant care items, parenting education and support, referrals to resources for housing, chemical dependency and mental health services, resource connection for termination support and aftercare, voluntary open adoption planning and placement services, and post-natal/post-adoption counseling and support.
- $248,425 spent. Youth Services: EVOLVE has two core areas of youth services. EVOLVE's Child-Specific Recruitment (CSR) program is provided for youth in foster care who are in need of a permanent family. Our child-centered approach leads with the unique strengths and needs of each youth, developing a trusting relationship through meaningful engagement, and prioritizing their voice and preferences. We work to identify and assess appropriate adoption matches, engage in Lifebook work, prepare youth for permanency and support them through transition into their adoptive family, from placement through finalization. Our Successful Transitions to Adulthood for Youth (STAY) programming serves youth in foster care aged 14-23, who are at risk of aging out or who have already transitioned out of foster care without a permanent family. These services include individual case management, independent living skills groups and development, assistance with housing and limited material support, as well as Youth Leadership Councils where youth can share their voice and help address concerns within the system. EVOLVE is the designated provider of this service for 13 Minnesota counties.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 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 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 June 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 May 1977.
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.