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Urban Neighborhood Initiative Inc

EIN 45-4879810 · Kansas City, MO

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak35 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

UNIS MISSION IS TO PARTNER WITH KANSAS CITYS URBAN CORE NEIGHBORHOODS TO BRING BUSINESS, GOVERNMENT, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TOGETHER TO IMPROVE PROSPERITY, HEALTH, SAFETY & EDUCATION IN THE COMMUNITY.

Income
$2.1 million
Spending
$2.7 million
Spent on programs
75%
Reserves
-3.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 64%
Employees
10
Volunteers
50
Highest pay
$176,842, ceo & president

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: 35 out of 100. Higher than 7% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 52% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 33% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 38% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    75% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 17 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 25

    23 of 23 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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 (3)
  1. $769,139 spent. PURPOSED BUILT COMMUNITIES-AS PART OF UNIS FOCUS ON BUILDING HEALTHY NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE ALL CAN SUCCEED AND THRIVE WAS INITIATED THE PHILLIPS COLLECTIVE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WENDELL PHILLIPS NEIGHBORHOOD.UNI HAS ACQUIRED OPTIONS ON OVER 100 VACANT PROPERTIES IN THE WENDELL PHILLIPS NEIGHBORHOOD, AND HAS STARTED THE CRADLE-TO-COLLEGE EDUCATION PIPELINE WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE KANSAS CITY NEIGHBORHOOD ACADEMY(KCNA). UNI HAS ALSO PURCHASED TWO BLOCKS OF LAND WHICH IS DIRECTLY EAST OF THE SCHOOL. A RFP WAS RECENTLY ISSUED WHICH SEEKED A PLAN TO DEVELOP MIXED-INCOME HOUSING. UNI IS ALSO WORKING WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION ON HEALTH AND WELLNESS SERVICES FOR THE COMMUNITY.
  2. $1.3 million spent. VACANT TO VIBRANT - WORKS TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF VACANT PROPERTIES WITHIN THE UNI AREA, ENSURE THAT REVITALIZATION EFFORTS BUILD SUSTAINABLE AND EQUITABLE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE HEALTHY, SAFE AND ATTRACTIVE PLACES TO LIVE AND SHARED BY PEOPLE OF ALL ECONOMIC LEVELS. UNDER THIS UMBRELLA, UNI MANAGED THREE ACTON GROUPS: CLEAR TITLES GREEN SPACES,AND PROMOTE EQUITABLE NEIGHBORHOODS (PEN). CLEAR TITLES WORKED TO IMPROVE THE NOTICE PROCESS FOR PROPERTIES WHICH ARE GOING INTO TAX SALE. GREEN SPACES FACILITATES A PROCESS TO ENGAGE UNI NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS TO PRIORITIZE VACANT LOTS WHICH THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE TRANSFORMED. PEN WORKS TO PROMOTE AFFORDABLE HOUSING STATEGIES FROM KCMOS HOUSING POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS WHILE ALSO ENGAGING DEMONSTRATION BLOCK RESIDENTS TO IDENTIFY ASSETS, DESCRIBE THEIR VISION FOR THE BLOCK AND HELP TO IDENTIFY RESOURCES TO MAKE THE VISION REAL.
  3. $3,717 spent. OTHER COMMUNITY EVENTS WHICH UNI HOSTS VARIES. FOUR (4) BLOCK PARTIES WERE HELD TO ENGAGE WITH RESIDENTS AND HELP THEM ENGAGE WITH ONE ANOTHER, TWO (2) FAIRS WERE HELD TO CONNECT RESIDENTS WITH RESOURCES MAY HELP THEM, VOLUNTEER/CLEAN UP DAYS TO BEAUTIFY THE COMMUNITY AND CANVASSED TO KEEP THE RESIDENTS INFORMED OF THINGS WHICH WERE GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY.

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 August 2012.

    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.