Bearings Bike Shop Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION IS TO PUT THE RIGHT TOOLS IN THE HANDS OF YOUTH ENABLING THEM TO ADVANCE THEIR SKILLS TO BUILD PRODUCTIVE LIVES.
- Income
- $2.3 million
- Spending
- $1.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 79%
- Reserves
- 8.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 92%
- Employees
- 26
- Volunteers
- 74
- Highest pay
- $139,542, executive di
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 80% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 5% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 44% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 75% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1579% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 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 2511 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 March 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 (1)
- $1.0 million spent. THROUGH FOUR PROGRAMS, BEARINGS BIKE WORKS UNIQUELY PROVIDES LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND RESOURCES TO HELP YOUTH DEVELOP IN THE CONTEXT OF WORK - ALL CONNECTED TO BIKE BUILDING, RIDING, RACING AND RELATED LIFE SKILLS. SKILLS FOR LIFE IS BEARINGS- DROP-IN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM WHERE KIDS ARE EXPOSED TO TRANSFERABLE TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS FROM THE STARTING POINT OF A CHILDHOOD ICON, THE BIKE. IN SKILLS FOR LIFE, ALL PROGRAM ACTIVITIES AND SKILLS ASSESSMENTS ARE BASED ON BUILDING AND FIXING BIKES; LEARNING IS SELF-PACED, AND EARNING AND MAINTAINING A BIKE PROVIDES NATURAL INCENTIVES FOR PROGRESS. SOFT SKILLS AND CHARACTER STRENGTH DEVELOPMENT ARE EMBEDDED INTO THE EXPERIENCE AND SUPPORTED BY CARING, TRUSTED ADULT MENTORS. IN 2023, OVER 300 STUDENTS LOGGED OVER 4,000 HOURS IN SKILLS FOR LIFE PROGRAMMING, DEVELOPING SKILLS AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS. STUDENTS DEMONSTRATED SKILL MASTERY THROUGH MECHANICAL CURRICULUM "LEVEL UPS" 150 TIMES. OVER 80% OF STUDENTS SURVEYED REPORT HAVING AT LEAST ONE HIGH QUALITY DEVELOPMENTAL RELATIONSHIP WITH AN ADULT LEADER AT BEARINGS. GEARING UP IS A SCHOOL-PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM THAT OFFERS HANDS-ON, STUDENT- CENTERED LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND INTERVENTION FOR STRUGGLING STUDENTS. BEARINGS STAFF COACH THE STUDENTS THROUGH THE MECHANICAL CURRICULUM, BUILDING POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS AND USING AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES TO FOSTER SOFT SKILLS AND CHARACTER STRENGTHS WHILE ALSO PROVIDING CONTEXT FOR CLASSROOM CONTENT. IN 2023, BEARINGS SERVED 52 YOUTH THROUGH GEARING UP; 100% COMPLETED THE FIRST LEVEL OF THE MECHANICAL CURRICULUM. SCHOOL LEADERS REGULARLY REPORT TO BEARINGS THAT STUDENTS HONE SKILLS SUCH AS SELF-GOVERNANCE, PERSEVERANCE AND CRITICAL THINKING BECAUSE OF BEARINGS' PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM. FRAMEWORKS IS BEARINGS' WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS THAT CREATES SKILL-BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH REAL-LIFE WORK EXPERIENCE IN THE CONTEXT OF BEARINGS RETAIL BIKE SHOP. BEARINGS TAKES A MARKET-BASED APPROACH TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT: THE PROGRAM REWARDS HARD WORK AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT, INVITING TEENS TO APPLY FOR EMPLOYMENT AT BEARINGS THROUGH ENROLLMENT IN THE PROGRAM. FRAMEWORKS CURRENTLY FUNCTIONS IN TWO FORMATS: AN 8-WEEK SUMMER INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS; AND A 12-18-MONTH ADVANCED MECHANICAL AND JOB TRAINING PROGRAM FOR YOUNG ADULTS 18-22 WHO ARE DISCONNECTED FROM SCHOOL AND WORK. TO DATE, 100% OF FRAMEWORKS GRADUATES HAVE ENROLLED IN POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION OR SECURED EMPLOYMENT WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF HIGH SCHOOL COMPLETION. AS KIDS GROW IN THEIR ENJOYMENT OF RIDING THE BIKES THEY'VE EARNED, BEARINGS INVITES THEM TO STEP INTO CYCLING AND BEGIN TO LEARN MORE ADVANCED BIKE HANDLING SKILLS. OUR YOUTH MOUNTAIN BIKING PROGRAM INCLUDES CLINICS, CAMPS, AND A COMPETITIVE MOUNTAIN BIKING TEAM. BECAUSE OF ITS INFRASTRUCTURE, BEARINGS IS ABLE TO PROVIDE A UNIQUE COMPETITIVE SPORT EXPERIENCE IN AN URBAN SETTING THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE INACCESSIBLE DUE TO THE NUMEROUS BARRIERS TO ENTRY, INCLUDING THE HIGH COST OF COMPETITIVE CYCLING. FURTHER, THE IMPORTANCE OF INTRODUCING A SPORT-BASED PROGRAM NOT ONLY ALLOWS YOUTH TO DEVELOP POSITIVE, MENTORING RELATIONSHIPS WITH COACHES AND A SOCIAL SUPPORT SYSTEM AMONG THEIR PEERS, BUT ALSO IMPACTS CURRENT HEALTH DETERMINANTS AND LONG-TERM HEALTH OUTCOMES. THROUGH FOUR PROGRAMS, BEARINGS BIKE WORKS UNIQUELY PROVIDES LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND RESOURCES TO HELP YOUTH DEVELOP IN THE CONTEXT OF WORK - ALL CONNECTED TO BIKE BUILDING, RIDING, RACING AND RELATED LIFE SKILLS. SKILLS FOR LIFE IS BEARINGS- DROP-IN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM WHERE KIDS ARE EXPOSED TO TRANSFERABLE TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS FROM THE STARTING POINT OF A CHILDHOOD ICON, THE BIKE. IN SKILLS FOR LIFE, ALL PROGRAM ACTIVITIES AND SKILLS ASSESSMENTS ARE BASED ON BUILDING AND FIXING BIKES; LEARNING IS SELF-PACED, AND EARNING AND MAINTAINING A BIKE PROVIDES NATURAL INCENTIVES FOR PROGRESS. SOFT SKILLS AND CHARACTER STRENGTH DEVELOPMENT ARE EMBEDDED INTO THE EXPERIENCE AND SUPPORTED BY CARING, TRUSTED ADULT MENTORS. IN 2023, OVER 300 STUDENTS LOGGED OVER 4,000 HOURS IN SKILLS FOR LIFE PROGRAMMING, DEVELOPING SKILLS AND BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS. STUDENTS DEMONSTRATED SKILL MASTERY THROUGH MECHANICAL CURRICULUM "LEVEL UPS" 150 TIMES. OVER 80% OF STUDENTS SURVEYED REPORT HAVING AT LEAST ONE HIGH QUALITY DEVELOPMENTAL RELATIONSHIP WITH AN ADULT LEADER AT BEARINGS. GEARING UP IS A SCHOOL-PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM THAT OFFERS HANDS-ON, STUDENT- CENTERED LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND INTERVENTION FOR STRUGGLING STUDENTS. BEARINGS STAFF COACH THE STUDENTS THROUGH THE MECHANICAL CURRICULUM, BUILDING POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS AND USING AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES TO FOSTER SOFT SKILLS AND CHARACTER STRENGTHS WHILE ALSO PROVIDING CONTEXT FOR CLASSROOM CONTENT. IN 2023, BEARINGS SERVED 52 YOUTH THROUGH GEARING UP; 100% COMPLETED THE FIRST LEVEL OF THE MECHANICAL CURRICULUM. SCHOOL LEADERS REGULARLY REPORT TO BEARINGS THAT STUDENTS HONE SKILLS SUCH AS SELF-GOVERNANCE, PERSEVERANCE AND CRITICAL THINKING BECAUSE OF BEARINGS' PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM. FRAMEWORKS IS BEARINGS' WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS THAT CREATES SKILL-BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH REAL-LIFE WORK EXPERIENCE IN THE CONTEXT OF BEARINGS RETAIL BIKE SHOP. BEARINGS TAKES A MARKET-BASED APPROACH TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT: THE PROGRAM REWARDS HARD WORK AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT, INVITING TEENS TO APPLY FOR EMPLOYMENT AT BEARINGS THROUGH ENROLLMENT IN THE PROGRAM. FRAMEWORKS CURRENTLY FUNCTIONS IN TWO FORMATS: AN 8-WEEK SUMMER INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS; AND A 12-18-MONTH ADVANCED MECHANICAL AND JOB TRAINING PROGRAM FOR YOUNG ADULTS 18-22 WHO ARE DISCONNECTED FROM SCHOOL AND WORK. TO DATE, 100% OF FRAMEWORKS GRADUATES HAVE ENROLLED IN POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION OR SECURED EMPLOYMENT WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF HIGH SCHOOL COMPLETION. AS KIDS GROW IN THEIR ENJOYMENT OF RIDING THE BIKES THEY'VE EARNED, BEARINGS INVITES THEM TO STEP INTO CYCLING AND BEGIN TO LEARN MORE A
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 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 October 13, 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 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 March 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 October 2012.
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.
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