Volunteer Firefighter Alliance
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- Only 28% of its spending went to programs.
- Raising each dollar of donations cost 59 cents.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
ASSIST LOCAL VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPAREMENTS ACROSS THE NATION WITH FUNDRAISING, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, VOLUNTEER RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT AND TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF LOCAL VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARMENTS.
- Income
- $4.3 million
- Spending
- $4.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 28%
- Reserves
- 0.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 4
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $111,618, executive director
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: 27 out of 100. Higher than 1% of charities in its peer group (public safety and disaster relief, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.8 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 45% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 1% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 15% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1528% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 59 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
Good: 83 out of 100. Higher than 66% of charities in its peer group (public safety and disaster relief, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 6 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
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give 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 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)
- $626,656 spent. FIREFIGHTER RECRUITMENT PROGRAM: HELP VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS RECRUIT MEMBERS THROUGH OUR NATIONAL DIRECT MAIL OUTREACH PROGRAM, AND BY PROVIDING CUSTOMIZED MARKETING MATERIALS TO INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS. THROUGH OUR RECRUITMENT PROGRAM IN 2024 WE HAVE MAILED OUT OVER 2.8 MILLION PIECES OF EDUCATION ON VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER RECRUITMENT TO RESIDENTS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
- $136,681 spent. FIRE PREVENTION PROGRAM: PROVIDE FREE FIRE PREVENTION MATERIALS AND EDUCATION MATERIALS TO SCHOOLS, FIRE DEPARTMENTS, SENIOR CENTERS, AND ANY OTHER AT-RISK GROUPS (HEARING IMPAIRED, DISABLED, ETC) IN 2024 THE ALLIANCE PROVIDED 254,500 PIECES OF FIRE SAFETY AND PREVENTION ACTIVITY BOOKS & MATERIALS TO OVER 353 DIFFERENT FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS IN 43 DIFFERENT STATES.
- $263,275 spent. NATIONAL FIREFIGHTER APPRECIATION CAMPAIGN: UNDERTAKING A NATIONAL APPRECIATION CAMPAIGN TO NOT ONLY THANK OUR VOLUNTEERS BUT TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE INVALUABLE SERVICES THEY PROVIDE ALL OF US. WE HAVE ASKED OUR SUPPORTERS TO SEND IN THANK YOU CARDS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. WE THEN PUT THEM IN BUNDLES OF 50 OR MORE AND SEND THEM TO A FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THEIR RESPECTIVE STATE. THROUGH THIS CAMPAIGN IN 2024 WE MAILED OUT 138,000 PERSONALIZED THANK YOU CARDS TO 2,760 DIFFERENT FIRE DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
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
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 November 6, 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 December 2024.
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 July 2014.
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 November 4, 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.