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Aunt Ritas Foundation

EIN 41-2176501 · Phoenix, AZ

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak43 out of 100GovernanceFair64 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

AUNT RITAS FOUNDATION HAS BEEN PURSUING SINCE 2005 ITS MISSION TO END HIV IN ARIZONA, BUT HAS A RICH HISTORY DATING BACK TO THE 1980S. IN 1986 THREE INDIVIDUALS, RANDY SCHROCK, GARY MANGUM AND SKIP ONEILL, FOUNDED AUNT RITAS FOUNDATION IN THE BEGINNING YEARS OF THE EPIDEMIC. THEY SAW AT THE BEGINNING OF THE EPIDEMIC A LACK OF RESOURCES FOR THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY DYING FROM AIDS AND RECOGNIZED SOMETHING NEEDED TO BE DONE. THESE THREE FRIENDS SET ON A HUMBLE QUEST TO RAISE MONEY IN ANNUAL BAKE SALES TO PROVIDE RELIEF FOR THOSE LIVING WITH, AND DYING FROM, AIDS. WHEN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE RYAN WHITE CARE ACT BEGAN IN THE EARLY 1990S, FUNDING BECAME MORE PLENTIFUL AND THE NEED FOR AUNT RITAS FOUNDATION WANED. THE FINAL BAKE SALE OF THE ORIGINAL AUNT RITAS FOUNDATION WAS HELD IN 1996. IN 2005, PASSIONATE COMMUNITY MEMBERS REVIVED AUNT RITAS FOUNDATION WITH THE PURPOSE OF BRINGING BACK AIDS WALK ARIZONA, WHICH HAD ENDED A FEW YEARS PRIOR. THIS BEGAN THE NEW CHAPTER OF A

Income
$822,074
Spending
$764,214
Spent on programs
56%
Reserves
1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 39%
Employees
5

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

Weak: 43 out of 100. Higher than 8% of charities in its peer group (diseases, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 74% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 7% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 11% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    56% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 42 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

Fair: 64 out of 100. Higher than 32% of charities in its peer group (diseases, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 11 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (2)
  1. $363,725 spent. AUNT RITAS FOUNDATION IS DEDICATED TO THE ELIMINATION OF, AND SUFFERING FROM, HIV AND AIDS. WITH OUR BASIC PRINCIPLE OF BY THE COMMUNITY AND FOR THE COMMUNITY WE COLLABORATE WITH ALL ARIZONA HIV SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS PHILANTHROPICALLY SUPPORTING THEIR CRITICAL SERVICES WHILE FORGING UNIQUE PARTNERSHIPS AT STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, AS WELL AS PRIVATE CORPORATIONS. AUNT RITAS FOUNDATION HAS PROVIDED MORE THAN 2,100,000 IN GRANT FUNDING IN SUPPORT OF CRITICAL HIV PREVENTION AND TREATMENT PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT ARIZONA.
  2. $68,016 spent. AUNT RITAS FOUNDATION WAS A FOUNDING MEMBER WITH THE CITY OF PHOENIX FAST TRACK CITIES INITIATIVE AND PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN ADVOCATING AT THE ARIZONA LEGISLATURE AND STATE GOVERNMENT TO ESTABLISH LAWS, REGULATIONS, AND POLICIES THAT FURTHER OUR EFFORTS TO EDUCATE, PREVENT HIV, AND TREAT HIV. WITH THE LAUNCH OF HIVAZ.ORG AND VIHAZ.ORG IN 2014, AUNT RITAS FOUNDATION COMMENCED ITS OWN HIV EDUCATION, OUTREACH, TESTING AND ADVOCACY INITIATIVES TO FILL IN THE SERVICE GAPS NOT PROVIDED BY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. TODAY WE OFFER UNIQUE HIV TESTING INITIATIVES THAT PROVIDE FREE HOME HIV TEST KITS AND VOUCHERS THROUGHOUT ARIZONA VIA WWW.GETTESTEDAZ.ORG. AUNT RITAS FOUNDATION INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS HAVE HELPED ALL ARIZONANS KNOW THEIR STATUS, ALONG WITH SUPPORTING THEM IN THE PREVENTION AND/OR TREATMENT CARE THEY NEED. AUNT RITAS FOUNDATION WAS A FOUNDING MEMBER WITH THE CITY OF PHOENIX FAST TRACK CITIES INITIATIVE AND PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN ADVOCATING AT THE ARIZONA LEGISLATURE AND STATE GOVERNMENT TO ESTABLISH LAWS, REGULATIONS, AND POLICIES THAT FURTHER OUR EFFORTS TO EDUCATE, PREVENT HIV, AND TREAT HIV. WITH THE LAUNCH OF HIVAZ.ORG AND VIHAZ.ORG IN 2014, AUNT RITAS FOUNDATION COMMENCED ITS OWN HIV EDUCATION, OUTREACH, TESTING AND ADVOCACY INITIATIVES TO FILL IN THE SERVICE GAPS NOT PROVIDED BY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. TODAY WE OFFER UNIQUE HIV TESTING INITIATIVES THAT PROVIDE FREE HOME HIV TEST KITS AND VOUCHERS THROUGHOUT ARIZONA VIA WWW.GETTESTEDAZ.ORG. AUNT RITAS FOUNDATION INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS HAVE HELPED ALL ARIZONANS KNOW THEIR STATUS, ALONG WITH SUPPORTING THEM IN THE PREVENTION AND/OR TREATMENT CARE THEY NEED.

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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since July 2005.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.