Unearth and Empower Communities
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Creating pathways to college, employment and entrepreneurship for Comp ton youth through engagement with STEM education and the arts.
- Income
- $510,328
- Spending
- $510,101
- Spent on programs
- 90%
- Reserves
- -0.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 88%
- Employees
- 11
- Highest pay
- $40,625, co exec dir
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
Weak: 47 out of 100. Higher than 15% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 71% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 0% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 32% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1590% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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
Good: 86 out of 100. Higher than 72% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).
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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (7)
- DiscoverU Enrichment Centers
- Compton Youth Career Pathways
- $31,170 spent. Community Art Camp
- Compton Mural Project 30000 dollars The Compton Mural Project engaged 20 Black and Latino youth in 50 hours of public art civic engagement and cultura history programming. Using collaborative artmaking and
- collaborative learning, participants strengthened creativity critical thinking, problem-solving, and family engagement in culturally responsive STEAM education.
- OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES HOUSES OF STEM, COMPTON MURAL PROJECT, GIRL SUPPORT, DISCOVE RU ENRICHMENT CENTER, AND COMPTON YOUTH CAREER PATHWAYS
- ADDITIONAL PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS WE HAVE SERVED 714 FAMILIES, HIRED 65 YOUTH, & HAD 533 COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS, RAISING OVER $1M FOR STEM EDUCATION
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 November 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.