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Service Year Exchange Inc

EIN 47-4970343 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak30 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Raising each dollar of donations cost 53 cents.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

SERVICE YEAR ALLIANCE IS AN ORGANIZATION RELENTLESSLY PURSUING A BOLD VISION MAKING A YEAR OF SERVICE A COMMON EXPECTATION AND OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL YOUNG AMERICANS AS A WAY TO TACKLE IMPORTANT CHALLENGES WHILE TRANSFORMING THEIR OWN LIVES.

Income
$911,020
Spending
$2.9 million
Spent on programs
66%
Reserves
1.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 62%
Employees
12
Volunteers
10
Highest pay
$224,071, ceo

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: 30 out of 100. Higher than 4% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 7% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 216% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 75% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    66% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 53 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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 95% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $250k to $1m).

  • 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, 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)
  1. $1.2 million spent. PROGRAMS & PARTNERSHIPS: THE PROGRAMS TEAM CREATES AND CONVENES LEARNING COHORTS OF SERVICE YEAR PROGRAMS, STATE SERVICE COMMISSIONS, IMPACT COMMUNITIES, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO PILOT, LEARN, AND DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS TO UNBLOCK SHARED CHALLENGES, DEVELOP BEST PRACTICES OR EXPLORE NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO DEPLOY SERVICE. IN 2024 THIS BODY OF WORK FOCUSED ON CONTINUING THE WORK OF THE CLIMATE LEARNING COHORT TO CONVENE, SUPPORT, AND THEN DISSEMINATE LEARNINGS FROM A GROUP OF PROGRAMS TO UNDERSTAND THE MODELS, CHALLENGES, AND OPPORTUNITIES IN UTILIZING NATIONAL SERVICE IN SUPPORT OF THE CLIMATE AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FIELDS AND LAUNCHING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE TO EXAMINE, CREATE, TEST, MEASURE, AND SPREAD EFFECTIVE PRACTICES AND INTERVENTIONS THAT BEST EQUIP CORPS MEMBERS WITH THE SKILLS AND MOTIVATIONS TO BRIDGE DIVIDES IN OUR SOCIETY. THE PROGRAMS & PARTNERSHIPS TEAM ALSO SUPPORTS THE SERVICE YEAR ALUMS NETWORK (INCLUSIVE OF AMERICORPS ALUMS, RETURNED PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS, YOUTHBUILD ALUMS, AND ALUMS FROM VARIOUS OTHER SERVICE PROGRAMS) BY ESTABLISHING THE PEER-LED ALUMNI CHAPTER STEERING COMMITTEE AND BY CREATING PARTNERSHIPS WITH ORGANIZATIONS TO CONNECT ALUMS IN THE DATABASE WITH RELEVANT LOCAL EVENTS, RESOURCES, AND OTHER CAREER, NETWORKING, AND PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
  2. $445,257 spent. SERVICE YEAR EXCHANGE: MANAGE A STATE-OF-THE-ART ONLINE MARKETPLACE AND RESOURCE HUB, TO MATCH YOUNG PEOPLE INTERESTED IN SERVICE WITH SERVICE YEAR OPPORTUNITIES, PROVIDE SERVING CORPS MEMBERS WITH A VIRTUAL COMPANION TO THEIR SERVICE, AND CONNECT ALUMS TO EACH OTHER AS PART OF A LIFELONG ALUMNI NETWORK.
  3. $221,964 spent. POLICY: THE POLICY TEAM LEADS WORK TO ENSURE THE SUCCESSFUL EXPANSION OF NATIONAL SERVICE BY BRINGING CROSS-SECTOR STAKEHOLDERS TOGETHER TO LIFT UP NATIONAL SERVICE AND FOSTERING PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS THE ENTIRE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SO THAT THE WHOLE-OF-GOVERNMENT UTILIZES THE POWER OF NATIONAL SERVICE AS A WAY TO MEET THEIR NEEDS AND PUT THE NEXT GENERATION ON PATHWAYS TO GOOD-PAYING JOBS.

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

  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 November 6, 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 2024.

    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 September 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 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.