Mentoring Urban Students & Teens
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
To find responsible African American men in their early to mid 20s to help spring kids free from the hardest generational cycles of poverty through long-term mentoring.
- Income
- $971,516
- Spending
- $955,311
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 60%
- Employees
- 35
- Volunteers
- 25
- Highest pay
- $130,000, executive dir.
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
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 77% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 1% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1574% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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
Good: 81 out of 100. Higher than 66% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2511 of 12 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
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
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 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 (1)
- $711,351 spent. Mentoring - 6 African American Mentors are being coached through college by meeting with their Coach during the month. Only 11% of first generation low income students finish college. All MUST Mentors are on track to finish college. These mentors are working with 14 vulnerable African American high school students through weekly one-on-one breakfasts. These students also go on group outings twice a month. The outings are designed for fun, to stretch the youth and mentors and also to give them life skills that will help them succeed. About 1/2 of the youth we serve would drop out of high school without our intervention. All but one youth is on track to graduate high school. The younger guys watch the older for four years and begin to think, 'If he can do it... so can I!'
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? Worth knowing.
Status was revoked on November 15, 2010 for not filing returns for three years, and reinstated on November 15, 2010.
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 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 June 2015.
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.