Americas Kids Belong Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Americas Kids Belong works to dramatically improve the experiences and outcomes of kids in foster care so they can thrive in safe,loving families, supported by Foster Friendly communities where they belong.
- Income
- $2.9 million
- Spending
- $3.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 61%
- Reserves
- 6.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 99%
- Employees
- 31
- Volunteers
- 300
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 61 out of 100. Higher than 33% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 6.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 6% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 16% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 25% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1561% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 55% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
18 of 253 of 3 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.
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, 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)
- $2.0 million spent. In 2025 America's Kids Belong celebrated 10 years of progress to dramaticallyimprove the experiences and outcomes for kids in foster care. It is work that yields downstream, generational impact, illuminated by last year'srelease of Brian Mavis' book, Go Upstream: Diving Into Foster Core ToHeal 10 Social Wounds. It is rare to see foster care rank among the top issues of concern to Americans,yet kids who experience foster care often lack a sense of belonging. Detachedfrom families, they are far more vulnerable to the issues that do makeheadlines-homelessness, poverty, trafficking, incarceration, addiction and more.The goal of this report each year is lo be accountable to you, our investors, for the impact we're generating. We hold our measurable impact in delicate balance with individual stories of lives changed. This year we are proud to report some big numbers. And we are grateful to share some of the stories of how America's Kids Belong is caring for children, families and communities.In 2025 we formally launched Fostering Front Door, building on a decade of trust and digital growth to meet rising interest in foster care, with clear pathways for learning and action. This momentum was fueled by platforms we introduced in 2024, including the Foster Friendly Podcast and the FosterCon webinar series. Through FosterCon, foster parents earn continuing education credits, reducing barriers to support and strengthening retention. Notably, about 30% of participants across both platforms are social workers, extending AKB's reach deep into the child welfare system. Together, these efforts are turning curiosity into understanding--and understanding into action. The cornerstone of our mission is our Belong Project, a video storytelling initiative that helps adoption-eligible kids in foster care find belonging with families. Our shoot days create memorable experiences for the kids and show appreciation to the dedicated workers who get them there.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 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 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 2025.
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 March 2013.
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.
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.