The Forum for Youth Investment
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
OUR MISSION IS TO ADVANCE EQUITABLE YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES AND OUTCOMES THROUGH QUALITY CAPACITY BUILDING AND POLICY ACTION ACROSS SYSTEMS AND SECTORS. ALL YOUNG PEOPLE REACH THEIR FULLEST POTENTIAL - IN EDUCATION, WORK, AND LIFE.
- Income
- $3.6 million
- Spending
- $7.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 76%
- Reserves
- 0.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 63%
- Employees
- 53
- Volunteers
- 11
- Highest pay
- $267,614, president and ceo
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 1% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.8 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 40% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 104% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 42% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1576% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 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 40% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 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 (3)
- $3.7 million spent. YOUTH PROGRAM QUALITY: THE FORUM'S WEIKART CENTER FOR PROGRAM QUALITY PROVIDES PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERS WITH TOOLS, ASSESSMENTS, COACHING, AND TRAINING WORKSHOPS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF YOUTH EXPERIENCES IN OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME (OST) PROGRAMMING. OUR SIGNATURE YOUTH PROGRAM QUALITY IMPROVEMENT (YPQI) APPROACH IS AN EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACH TO CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT (CQI) THAT HARNESSES THE POWER OF RESEARCH AND PRACTITIONER EXPERIENCE. ROOTED IN BOTH DATA AND FIELD-TESTED IMPLEMENTATION, YPQI MATERIALS AND PRACTICES ARE CUSTOMIZABLE AND SCALABLE TO A PARTNER'S PROGRAM TYPE, SIZE, AND SETTING.
- $1.4 million spent. CROSS-SYSTEM CONSULTING: THE FORUM ENGAGES PUBLIC AGENCIES, MULTI-SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, AND COORDINATING BODIES IN BUILDING MORE ALIGNED AND EFFECTIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ECOSYSTEMS. WE SERVE AS STRATEGIC THOUGHT PARTNERS TO SYSTEM LEADERS, HELPING THEM USE DATA TO ASSESS NEEDS, IDENTIFY GAPS, AND CO-CREATE ACTIONABLE ROAD MAPS THAT INTEGRATE SOLUTIONS ACROSS SECTORS. OUR TEAM BRINGS EXPERTISE IN SYSTEM-LEVEL CHANGE, CENTERING YOUTH AND FAMILY EXPERIENCES WHILE FOSTERING INNOVATION, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND SHARED IMPACT.
- $534,954 spent. POLICY: THE FORUM'S POLICY AND ADVOCACY EFFORTS PRIORITIZE AMPLIFYING THE VOICES AND EXPERIENCES OF YOUNG PEOPLE, ADULTS, AND COMMUNITIES TO EMBED POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT INTO FEDERAL LEGISLATION AND LOCAL POLICY. WE SUPPORT POLICYMAKERS, FUNDERS, AND SYSTEM LEADERS BY TRANSLATING RESEARCH AND FIELD EXPERIENCE INTO ACTIONABLE STRATEGIES. THROUGH CONVENINGS, COALITIONS, INITIATIVES, AND PARTNERSHIPS, THE FORUM WORKS TO ENSURE THAT DECISIONS ARE GROUNDED IN LIVED EXPERTISE AND THAT SYSTEMS ARE BETTER EQUIPPED TO SUPPORT YOUNG PEOPLE.
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 2001.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.