Friends of Little Saigon Seattle Fls-S
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF FRIENDS OF LITTLE SAIGON IS TO PRESERVE AND ENHANCE LITTLE SAIGON'S CULTURAL, ECONOMIC, AND HISTORIC VITALITY.
- Income
- $3.1 million
- Spending
- $2.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 90%
- Reserves
- -22.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 69%
- Employees
- 11
- Volunteers
- 198
- Highest pay
- $98,711, 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
Weak: 47 out of 100. Higher than 17% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
2 of 20It owes 83% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 12% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 142% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1590% 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. Higher than 68% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 7 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 (3)
- $2.0 million spent. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: BI-LINGUAL (ENGLISH AND VIETNAMESE) ENGAGEMENT EMPOWERING LITTLE SAIGON STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING RESIDENTS, BUSINESS OWNERS, AND OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS, TO ADVOCATE FOR THE COMMUNITY THEY WANT TO SEE. THIS INCLUDES THE LITTLE SAIGON LANDMARK PROJECT (MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT); ENSURING THAT NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENTS AND CONSTRUCTION BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY; BRIDGING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES; AND ADVOCATING FOR POLICIES AND PLANS TO ADVANCE COMMUNITY GOALS. OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, WE ENGAGED ABOUT 100 STAKEHOLDERS.
- $255,483 spent. ARTS & CULTURE: PRESERVING VIETNAMESE CULTURE THROUGH ARTS, LANGUAGE EDUCATION, AND SPECIAL EVENTS. THIS INCLUDES OPERATING OUR CULTURAL SPACE; SEASONAL FESTIVALS AND EVENTS; ROTATING ART EXHIBIT; 10-WEEK VIETNAMESE LANGUAGE COURSE; SMALL BUSINESS AND ARTIST POP-UPS; AND PUBLIC ART PROJECTS. MANY OF THESE ARE OFFERED AT OUR CULTURAL SPACE, AND WE ESTIMATE 48,000 VISITORS IN OUR SPACE PER YEAR.
- $240,373 spent. SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT: WORKING WITH AND SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESS THROUGH CAPACITY BUILDING, IN-LANGUAGE INFORMATION, AND EVENTS. THIS INCLUDES PROVIDING FREE BI-LINGUAL TECHINCAL ASSISTANCE; REFERRALS; ACCESS TO RESOURCES FOR NEW AND EXISTING BUSINESSES; SMALL BUSINESS INCUBATION FOR BUDDING ENTREPRENEURS AND SMALL BUSINESSES TO TEST OUT THEIR CONCEPTS AND PRODUCTS THROUGH POP-UPS AND RETAIL SPACE AT OUR CULTURAL SPACE. WE DO CONSISTENT OUTREACH TO NEARLY 80 BUSINESSES AND PROVIDE DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO NEARLY 20.
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 October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Worth knowing.
Status was revoked on May 15, 2019 for not filing returns for three years, and reinstated on May 15, 2019.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since March 2021.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 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.