Sandy Hook Promise Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SEE SCHEDULE O
- Income
- $30.5 million
- Spending
- $31.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 11.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 91%
- Employees
- 160
- Volunteers
- 22,770
- Highest pay
- $297,820, chief executive officer
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 86 out of 100. Higher than 75% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 11.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 5% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 17% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1575% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 14 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2511 of 13 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 June 30, 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 (2)
- $12.9 million spent. SANDY HOOK PROMISE FOUNDATION'S (FOUNDATION) EVIDENCE-INFORMED KNOW THE SIGNS PREVENTION PROGRAMS TEACH YOUTH AND ADULTS TO RECOGNIZE THE WARNING SIGNS OF SOMEONE WHO MAY BE IN CRISIS, SOCIALLY ISOLATED, OR AT-RISK OF HURTING THEMSELVES OR OTHERS AND HOW TO GET HELP. FOUNDATION'S PROGRAMS DO THIS BY STRENGTHENING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN YOUTH AND ADULTS, EQUIPPING EDUCATORS WITH FLEXIBLE TRAINING OPTIONS, MATERIALS, AND RESOURCES; AND EMPOWERING YOUTH TO CO-CREATE, LEAD, AND ADVOCATE FOR SAFER SCHOOLS, HOMES, AND COMMUNITIES. FOUNDATION'S PROGRAMS ALSO ALIGN WITH INSTRUCTIONAL STANDARDS FOR STRENGTHENING RELATIONSHIP SKILLS, SOCIAL AWARENESS, RESPONSIBLE DECISION-MAKING, AND SELF-AWARENESS. FOUNDATION'S PROGRAMS INCLUDE:- START WITH HELLO TEACHES YOUTH HOW TO MINIMIZE SOCIAL ISOLATION, EMPATHIZE WITH OTHERS, AND CREATE A MORE POSITIVE SCHOOL CULTURE. - SAY SOMETHING TRAINS STUDENTS TO RECOGNIZE WARNING SIGNS AND THREATS OF SOMEONE WHO MAY BE IN CRISIS AND AT-RISK OF HARMING THEMSELVES OR OTHERS AND WHEN AND HOW TO TELL A TRUSTED ADULT.- SAY SOMETHING ANONYMOUS REPORTING SYSTEM SUPPLEMENTS THE SAY SOMETHING PROGRAM BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO A TRUSTED ADULT 24/7/365 FOR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES VIA A DOWNLOADABLE APP, TELEPHONE HOTLINE, TEXT MESSAGE, AND WEBSITE TO REPORT CONCERNING BEHAVIORS. FOUNDATION'S NATIONAL CRISIS CENTER THEN REVIEWS THESE TIPS, GATHERS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND, IF/WHEN DEEMED TO BE A CREDIBLE THREAT OF IMMINENT DANGER, FORWARDS SUBMISSIONS TO LAW ENFORCEMENT, SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION, AND OTHER EMERGENCY SERVICES TO INTERVENE AND PROVIDE HELP.- SAVE PROMISE CLUBS ARE STUDENT-LED ORGANIZATIONS THAT ENCOURAGE YOUTH TO TAKE CHARGE OF KEEPING SCHOOLS SAFE BY TEACHING, MODELING, AND CONTINUALLY REINFORCING THE KEY MESSAGES OF START WITH HELLO AND SAY SOMETHING. EACH SAVE PROMISE CLUB RECEIVES TOOLS AND RESOURCES TO PLAN EVENTS, ACTIVITIES, AND PROJECTS THAT PROMOTE KINDNESS, SOCIAL CONNECTION, AND THE VALUE OF LOOKING OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER.- BEYOND DIFFERENCES SUITE OF PROGRAMS INCLUDING KNOW YOUR CLASSMATES, NO ONE EATS ALONE AND BE KIND ONLINE, EMPOWER MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS TO BUILD MEANINGFUL PEER-TO-PEER CONNECTIONS BASED ON RESPECT AND KINDNESS TO HELP CREATE A POSITIVE SCHOOL CLIMATE.MORE THAN 12 MILLION YOUTH AND ADULTS PARTICIPATED IN FOUNDATION'S PROGRAMS FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025. FOUNDATION HAS EFFECTIVELY AVERTED AT LEAST 18 CREDIBLE PLANNED SCHOOL SHOOTING ATTACKS, SAVED HUNDREDS OF YOUNG LIVES FROM SUICIDE, AND PREVENTED COUNTLESS OTHER ACTS OF VIOLENCE. FOUNDATION CONTINUES TO INVEST SUBSTANTIAL EFFORT AND RESOURCES IN IMPROVING THE FUNCTIONALITY AND EFFICACY OF FOUNDATION'S FLEXIBLE TRAINING OPTIONS AND TOOLS, INCLUDING SUBSTANTIAL EMPHASIS ON RESPECT, CONNECTION, AND KINDNESS. THESE INVESTMENTS HAVE WELL POSITIONED FOUNDATION FOR WIDER PROGRAM DELIVERY THROUGH IN-PERSON TRAINING, VIRTUAL-LIVE TRAININGS USING VIDEO CONFERENCING, OR SELF-LED DIGITAL TRAININGS AND SUSTAINABILITY FOR ALL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS.
- $10.4 million spent. MAKE THE PROMISE NETWORK AND PROMISE LEADER VOLUNTEERS.- FOUNDATION'S MAKE THE PROMISE INITIATIVE UNITES AND AMPLIFIES THE VOICES OF MILLIONS TO PROTECT CHILDREN IN ADVANCING PROVEN SOLUTIONS TO END SCHOOL SHOOTINGS AND VIOLENCE. FOUNDATION ACHIEVES THIS VIA TARGETED MESSAGING AND EDUCATION THROUGH ADVERTISING, PUBLIC RELATIONS, DIGITAL PROMOTIONS, SOCIAL MEDIA, EVENTS, AND SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS. FOUNDATION ALSO BUILDS AND MAINTAINS A NATIONAL GRASSROOTS NETWORK OF VOLUNTEER "PROMISE LEADERS" WHO ARE EMPOWERED WITH THE SKILLS, TOOLS, AND MATERIALS TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE KNOW THE SIGNS MESSAGE AND ENGAGE WITH FOUNDATION'S WORK, ADVOCATE FOR STRUCTURAL CHANGE, AND FUNDRAISE TO SUPPORT MORE PREVENTION PROGRAMS FOR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 June 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 2013.
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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