Los Olivos Cis
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Promoting solidarity and cultural exchange across borders between the people of El Salvador and others in the search for development and dignity. The mission of Los Olivos CIS is carried out primarily through program grants to the Center for Interchange and Solidarity (CIS) in El Salvador.
- Income
- $952,261
- Spending
- $968,285
- Spent on programs
- 89%
- Reserves
- 3.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 79%
- Employees
- 1
- Volunteers
- 26
- Highest pay
- $19,360, el salv legal rep
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
Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (international, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 9% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1589% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 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. Higher than 95% of charities in its peer group (international, $250k to $1m).
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 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 (4)
- $445,102 spent. Youth Leadership Development and Scholarship Programs: The CIS worked with twenty-five local Salvadoran scholarship committees and twenty-four sister organizations as well as individual donors to raise funds for 226 youth to go to the university, 245 to high school and 82 students in k - 9th grade in 2024. Of those students 28 graduated with university degrees and 77 from high school. Thirty-four university students benefitted from CIS housing in San Salvador, San Miguel, and San Rafael Cedros, who live too far away to commute and do not have relatives in major cities. *** CIS high school and university scholarship students provided tutoring support to younger students in technology, English, math, and reading to be able to maintain their studies. Many parents cannot read or write or have low levels of formal education to be able to aid in the learning process of their children. Students conducted environmental projects planting trees, training on composting and recycling, coordinated community trash pickup campaigns, and organized talks and made signs to build awareness about respect for the environment. Students organized trainings and do follow up on clean water filter training and distribution by CIS. ***CIS organized a student retreat with One hundred and twenty-eight students representing 25 communities participated in the three-day retreat in La Palma, Chalatenango with the theme of "Dialogue with organized youth to strengthen our communities". *** CIS School for Solidarity and Transformation trained 46 students in leadership development in two six-month courses: 30 students participated in human rights school and 16 students participated in community organization, workshop and meeting facilitation skills and formed a network to help follow up with CIS community meetings and conferences. *** The CIS Gender Scholarship Fund provided eight university scholarships to women and their children, who have been discriminated against, and others who have been wrongly jailed for miscarriages (accused of abortion) and have won back their freedom, so they can work to overcome marginalization and stigmatization and have access to dignified jobs. Most of these recipients live in extreme poverty and marginalized conditions.
- $293,080 spent. Civil rights, democratic development, emergency aid, and advocacy programs: Los Olivos CIS continued to support 25 organizations in the CIS Community Network for Cooperation and Solidarity. CIS work is carried out by 19 permanent staff and 26 long term volunteers (3 months or more). *** CIS Clean Water and the Environment program. CIS trained and distributed water filters to 242 families, benefitting 1,116 individuals. CIS installed 2 Clean Water for the World Purification Units benefiting 252 individuals. CIS carried out organizational development work with eight local water committees, forty trainings were organized on health, hygiene, environment, and filter care and distribution, and maintenance and follow up was done with 36 Clean Water for the World industrial purification units. *** The CIS continued its art and mental health program in Paso Puente, Distrito Italia, Residencial Libertad, and Romero Community in Tonacatepeque as part of an integral approach to overcoming poverty and violence, while building community. The program gives youth an alternative to migration and joining gangs to survive and they are invited to dream ways they can contribute to building a better future. *** CIS advocated respect for human rights, due process, presumption of innocence, and to allow families to have visits and correspondence with the incarcerated. CIS provided support (moral, advice, food baskets) to 40 families who have innocent family members detained. CIS provided legal support to 30 families, the majority on the Holy Spirit Island where there are no gangs, as well as to former scholarship students and family members in other communities. CIS trained staff and scholarship students in human rights and to take sworn statements. CIS and its attorneys won the appeal of a minor condemned to 10 years in prison based on false testimony but had to do legal follow up to get him freed February 12, 2024, two months after being absolved. *** CIS coordinated two election observer missions with 54 accredited and trained observers in El Salvador and 46 accredited and trained observers in the United States where Salvadorans were allowed to vote for the first time.
- $101,166 spent. Educational delegations and language and cultural exchange: CIS hosted five delegations to El Salvador with a total of 57 participants, which included sister relationships which are the base of the scholarship and leadership development program. Additionally, CIS representatives participated in six visits with 15 participants to the United States - scholarship students visited St. Elizabeth, Holy Spirit and other parishes in Kansas City and Dayton Ohio, participated in the International Columbian Festival in Washington D.C. with Salvadoran crafts coordinator, and the human rights delegation to Washington D.C. and New York. *** CIS imparted Spanish classes to 135 students- 59 in person, 13 private classes, 63 online from 14 different countries. *** CIS trained eleven volunteer English teachers online and in person to teach 101 English as a Second language students and covering four ten-week cycles. CIS provided partial scholarships to 15 students including three women freed from prison, two CIS staff, and 10 CIS university scholarship recipients.
- $21,157 spent. Small business and women's development programs: CIS supported 17 women's businesses and artisan workshops in 2024: Las Delicias Bakery, Sausage to Go, El Espino Sausages, Divine Bakery, Holy Spirit Candies, Colorada Seamstresses, indigo dye and embroidered clothing, wooden crafts, organic coffee, and others. CIS provided one scholarship to a woman in the sausage businesses to study a technical degree in management of meat and dairy products and the son of an artisan that produces accessories with recycled materials in the Las Tinecas workshop. *** CIS crafts coordinator and women's business coordinator in conjunction with the Design and Communications Department of the Jesuit University and the Monica Herrera Business School facilitated a second year of training with a course in design principles. *** CIS supported 12 artisan workshops which generate income for 50 families by selling their products in our store including purses and accessories, coconut jewelry, organic coffee, painted wooden products, cards and jewelry made from recycled materials, indigo dyed clothing, embroidery, and other items.
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
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 2024.
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 August 1998.
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.
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