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Knitted Knockers Support Foundation

EIN 47-2406424 · Bellingham, WA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceWeak44 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Connect volunter knitters with breast cancer survivors, offering free alternatives to traditional breast prothesis.

Income
$213,557
Spending
$134,631
Spent on programs
87%
Reserves
20.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 98%
Employees
0

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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 83% of charities in its peer group (health care, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 20.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 37% of income.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    87% 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

Weak: 44 out of 100. Higher than 17% of charities in its peer group (health care, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    5 of 5 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    0 of 5

    Reports that it does not keep minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • 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. $57,955 spent. Provide free breast prostheses to women who have had a mastectomy. A website, knittedknockers.org is maintained where women can go online and order their free knitted knockers. These knocker orders are fulfilled by volunteers throughout the country.Knitted Knockers Support Foundation (KKSF) has created and provided through a network of volunteers over 1,095,462 knitted knockers through 2025. Media, Speaking Engagements and social media are utilized to help spread the word to recruit volunteers as well as reach out to the women who can use these gifts of comfort and dignity. Traditional breast prosthetics can be hot, heavy, expensive and cant be worn for some time after surgery. Knitted Knockers are soft, light, huggable, can be worn in a regular bra and are free. There are over 100,000 mastectomies done a year in the US many of whom will wear a prostheses for at least awhile. The demand for knitted knockers has been huge with over 13,000 a month currently being provided. Knitted Knockers utilizes Facebook (42,000 followers), Instagram, TikTok and YouTube to help spread the word reaching out to the hundreds of thousands of women who have had a mastectomy and not been reconstructed. Knitted knockers has been on TV, radio, in countless newspapers, blogs and video productions (several viewed millions of times).
  2. $30,592 spent. Support Medical Professionals to provide to their patients. KKSF supports over 2,410 Medical Clinics by providing brochures, knockers and other information free to their patients. KKSF connects volunteer knitters and crocheters with registered medical clinics to provide knitted knockers directly to them. Currently over 1,451 clinics have been adopted by local groups and the remaining are supported by the network of volunteer State Suppliers filling requests for knockers as they come in from their states. Medical Clinics are reached by attending medical conferences to increase awareness in the medical community about the availability of this service for their patients. Happy recipients of knitted knockers also share with their physicians and encourage them to register with us.
  3. $28,021 spent. Recruit knitters and crocheters. Our programs exist to inspire and equip thousands of volunteer knitters and crocheters to provide the inventory of knitted knockers to provide to the women requesting them through their own communities, medical clinics or nationally. This has occurred through the utilization of 197 State Providers who fill orders from their various states that come in through knittedknockers.org and over 6,780 registered groups of knitters and crocheters donating over 502,000 hours in 2025. Volunteers are recruited by going to crafting conventions where thousands of knitters and crocheters convene to enjoy their craft as well as manufacturers of yarn and needles thereby expanding the reach to potential volunteers to use their crafting skills to help others as well as word of mouth. Knittedknockers.org provides patterns for knitters and crocheters (downloaded over 2,305,000 times), video tutorials on how to make great knockers, videos about knitted knockers (viewed over 750,000 times), and information for medical clinics on how to register and provide this service free to their patients. It is a one stop place for how to request free knitted knockers and how to supply them. In addition to the estimated 502,000 hours donated by knitters/crocheters an additional 9,772 hours have been donated processing and delivering knitted knockers in 2025.

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 January 2015.

    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.