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Crisis Text Line Inc

EIN 46-5039599 · New York, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood72 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

BY LEVERAGING INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH, WE ARE SHAPING MENTAL HEALTH POLICY AND SYSTEMS TO CREATE A WORLD WHERE EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO THE SUPPORT THEY NEED ANYTIME, ANYWHERE.

Income
$38.5 million
Spending
$38.6 million
Spent on programs
80%
Reserves
7.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 89%
Employees
296
Volunteers
14,000
Highest pay
$419,879, chief executive officer

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

Good: 72 out of 100. Higher than 61% of charities in its peer group (mental health, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 7.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 17% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 0% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 15% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    80% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 37% of charities in its peer group (mental health, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 10 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, 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 (3)
  1. $16.3 million spent. CRISIS TEXT LINE PROVIDES FREE, 24/7, HIGH-QUALITY TEXT-BASED MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT AND CRISIS INTERVENTION BY EMPOWERING A COMMUNITY OF OVER 14,000 TRAINED VOLUNTEERS AND PAID SUPERVISORS TO SUPPORT PEOPLE IN THEIR MOMENTS OF NEED. ANYONE CAN TEXT FROM ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES, ANYTIME. A LIVE, TRAINED CRISIS COUNSELOR RECEIVES THE TEXT AND RESPONDS FROM A SECURE ONLINE PLATFORM. CRISIS TEXT LINE RECRUITS, TRAINS, DEVELOPS, AND RETAINS VOLUNTEERS TO APPROPRIATELY COMMUNICATE WITH AND SERVE ALL COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COUNTRY. SUPERVISORS SUPPORT AND OVERSEE THE VOLUNTEER CRISIS COUNSELORS AND ALL CONVERSATIONS ON THE CRISIS TEXT LINE PLATFORM IN REAL TIME.
  2. $12.4 million spent. CRISIS TEXT LINE'S MISSION RELIES ON INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT THE 24/7 TEXTING AND CHAT MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS INTERVENTION PLATFORM. THE TECHNOLOGY TEAM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CODING, REFINING, AND SUPPORTING THE CRISIS TEXT LINE TEXTING AND CHAT PLATFORM AS WELL AS MAINTAINING AND UPDATING A LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AS PART OF THE PLATFORM. THE TEAM'S ROLE INCLUDES ENGINEERING, PRODUCT, DESIGN, DATA, AND ANALYTICS.CRISIS TEXT LINE CONTINUES TO DEVELOP ENHANCED ARCHITECTURE DESIGNS FOR THE PLATFORM AS WELL AS TESTING AND DEVELOPING A GENERATIVE AI CONVERSATION SIMULATOR TO IMPROVE TRAINING FOR VOLUNTEERS. CRISIS TEXT LINE TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT CREATES AND SUPPORTS CUSTOMIZED AND INTEGRATED PLATFORM SOLUTIONS TO SUPPORT THE NATIONAL 988 SUICIDE & CRISIS LIFELINE AS WELL AS OUR PARTNERS.
  3. $2.1 million spent. CRISIS TEXT LINE HAS A DEDICATED TEAM OF RESEARCH SCIENTISTS THAT LEAD RIGOROUS MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH SCIENCE EFFORTS TO EVIDENCE AND AMPLIFY CRISIS TEXT LINE IMPACT FOR TEXTERS, VOLUNTEERS, AND COMMUNITIES. CRISIS TEXT LINE RESEARCH AND IMPACT STUDIES AIM TO STRENGTHEN MENTAL HEALTH POLICY, PRACTICE, AND SYSTEMS IN THE BROADER FIELD NATIONALLY AND GLOBALLY. IN 2025, CRISIS TEXT LINE RELEASED SEVERAL IMPORTANT REPORTS, INCLUDING A LARGE-SCALE STUDY ON VOLUNTEER IMPACT, EVIDENCING BENEFITS OF VOLUNTEERING AS A CRISIS COUNSELOR THAT GO FAR BEYOND THE POSITIVE EFFECT ON THE LIVES OF OUR TEXTERS TO BENEFIT VOLUNTEERS, THEIR FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES.

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

  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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

  4. 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 October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since October 2014.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 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.