Youth Service America
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Youth Service America is on a mission to make working together for the common good the common expectation and common experience of every young person in America. YSA activates young people ages 5-25 to find their voice take action and acquire powerful civic and 21st Century skills as they solve problems facing their communities. YSA supports its activation campaigns with grants training and resources and recognition programs for young people and their adult champions. Youth-led projects use Awareness Service Advocacy and Philanthropy ASAP strategies to create social and environmental change.
- Income
- $2.4 million
- Spending
- $3.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 95%
- Reserves
- 0.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 80%
- Employees
- 8
- Volunteers
- 10
- Highest pay
- $134,242, vice president of programs
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
Weak: 29 out of 100. Higher than 2% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.8 months of spending.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 74% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 39% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 19% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1595% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 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: 85 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).
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
10 of 10Gave 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
0 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 (5)
- $2.0 million spent. YSA is the fiscal host for Guides.vote. Guides.vote produces nonpartisan voters guides that show where candidates stand. Theyre produced by veteran journalists with links to credible sources.
- $672,373 spent. YSA awarded 415 grants of $100 - $25,000 to schools and nonprofit organizations through several grant programs to support youth-led service and service-learning activities.
- $333,900 spent. YSA activated 133,403 youth as volunteers in thousands of community projects through our campaigns including 9 11 Day of Service Election Day ServiceVote MLK Day of Service and Global Youth Service Day.
- $79,097 spent. 50% Youth Participation by America250 50by250 is focused on increasing youth ages 5-25 participation rates in volunteering and service voting and civic engagement and joining and leadership to at least 50% by Americas Semiquincentennial on July 4 2026. The primary activity in FY25 was developing a state-based Youth Service Alliance strategy and beginning to plan for a national listening tour to support a new national strategic planning effort.
- $65,821 spent. YSA provides online resources and trainings to our partners grantees and the general public. Tens of thousands of people accessed resource and training content on YSA.org in FY25.
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? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 March 1987.
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 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.