Collaborative Solutions for Communities
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO BE THE LEADING SOLUTION-FOCUSED RESOURCE IN BUILDING STRONG, SUSTAINABLE FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES, INNOVATIVE TRAINING, COMMUNITY CAPACITY BUILDING, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL ENTERPRISE.
- Income
- $9.1 million
- Spending
- $10.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 69%
- Reserves
- 1.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 99%
- Employees
- 94
- Volunteers
- 4
- Highest pay
- $371,748, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 35 out of 100. Higher than 4% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.7 months of spending.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 61% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 16% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 16% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1569% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 254 of 5 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
15 of 15Its accounts were audited 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 September 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 (4)
- $3.6 million spent. CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICESTHE LARGEST DIVISION OF WORK AT THE COLLABORATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR COMMUNITIES (CSC) IS CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES, TOTALING $3,643,527 IN EXPENSES, WITH THE LARGEST GRANT IN THIS AREA (47%) BEING THE COMMUNITY BASED CHILD WELL-BEING SERVICES, FUNDED BY THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA'S CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES AGENCY (CFSA). THIS PROGRAM DELIVERS COMMUNITY-BASED CHILD WELFARE SERVICES FOCUSED ON KEEPING CHILDREN SAFELY WITH THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH OUR HEALTHY FAMILIES/THRIVING COMMUNITIES COLLABORATIVE. IT ENSURES THAT CHILDREN INVOLVED IN THE PUBLIC CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM GROW UP IN SECURE, PERMANENT HOMES WITH THE SUPPORT OF THEIR FAMILIES OF ORIGIN. EACH FAMILY UNDERGOES COMPREHENSIVE NEEDS ASSESSMENT RANGING FROM CASE MANAGEMENT, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, PARENTING EDUCATION, AND TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, FAMILY GROUP CONFERENCING (FGC), AND TRUANCY PREVENTION SUPPORT. FOR 30 YEARS CSC HAS BEEN SERVING MORE THAN 150 FAMILIES ANNUALLY, PREVENTING UNNECESSARY ENTRY INTO FOSTER CARE, ASSISTING FAMILIES WITH GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT AND FINANCIAL STABILITY.OTHER ESSENTIAL PROGRAMS UNDER THE FAMILY SERVICES DIVISION INCLUDE THE DHS RAPID REHOUSING YOUTH PROGRAM, WHICH ASSISTS YOUNG PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN SECURING AFFORDABLE PERMANENT HOUSING WHILE SUPPORTING SERVICES TO REDUCE LONG-TERM RELIANCE ON PUBLIC ASSISTANCE. ADDITIONALLY, CSC'S SUCCESS IN REENTRY (SIR) PROGRAM, FUNDED BY THE DC OFFICE OF VICTIM SERVICES AND JUSTICE GRANTS, HELPS RETURNING CITIZENS REINTEGRATE INTO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PRACTICES AND SUPPORT THAT LOWERS RECIDIVISM RISKS. EACH OF THESE TARGETED PROGRAMS SERVES APPROXIMATELY 50 INDIVIDUALS ANNUALLY.FOR OVER A DECADE, CSC IMPLEMENTED THE FAMILY REHOUSING AND STABILIZATION PROGRAM (FRSP), FUNDED BY THE DC DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES (DHS) UNTIL THE PROGRAM ENDED IN SEPTEMBER 2025. THE PROGRAM, COMPRISING 30% OF THE DIVISION'S EXPENSES, PROVIDED TIME-LIMITED RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO FAMILIES TO PREVENT AND END HOMELESSNESS. CSC DELIVERED DIRECT SUPPORT TO APPROXIMATELY 150 HOMELESS FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN, OFFERING CASE MANAGEMENT INCLUDING REFERRALS FOR EMPLOYMENT TRAINING, HEALTHCARE ACCESS, CHILDCARE, AND EDUCATION. FAMILIES ALSO RECEIVED FINANCIAL COUNSELING AND BUDGET PLANNING TO FOSTER LONG-TERM ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE.
- $3.5 million spent. VIOLENCE INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION PROGRAMTHE SECOND LARGEST DIVISION OF WORK AT CSC IS THE VIOLENCE INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION PROGRAM, TOTALING $3,484,841 IN EXPENSES. WITHIN THIS DIVISION, THE HIGHEST FUNDED PROGRAM IS SAFE PASSAGE, SAFE BLOCKS (SPSB), WHICH ACCOUNTS FOR 92% OF THE EXPENSES IN THIS DIVISION. IT IS FUNDED BY THE DEPUTY MAYOR FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND JUSTICE (DMPSJ) AND THE OFFICE OF VICTIM SERVICES AND JUSTICE GRANTS (OVSJG). SPSB ENABLES CSC TO ADMINISTER A YOUTH SAFETY PROGRAM ACROSS DC'S WARDS 1, 3, 4, 5, AND 8 OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. CSC PROVIDES MONITORING AND ENGAGEMENT SERVICES TO PRE-DESIGNATED ROUTES AND METRO STOPS IN THE WARDS DURING STUDENT COMMUTE HOURS, KEEPING STUDENTS AND THE COMMUNITY SAFE. SUCCESS IS ACHIEVED THROUGH CONFLICT RESOLUTION, MEDIATION SERVICES, AND COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIP BUILDING. IT ENHANCES SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AND REDUCES STUDENT AGGRESSION. CSC HAS BEEN PART OF THE SPSB PROGRAM FOR OVER FIVE YEARS. TWENTY SCHOOLS CURRENTLY BENEFIT FROM THIS PROGRAM.THE SECOND MAJOR VIOLENCE INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION PROGRAM IS THE STOP SCHOOL VIOLENCE PROGRAM (STOP), FUNDED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (USDOJ). THIS PROGRAM IMPLEMENTS BEHAVIORAL THREAT ASSESSMENTS AND INTERVENTION AS WELL AS OTHER SCHOOL SAFETY STRATEGIES TO ASSIST IN PREVENTING SCHOOL-BASED VIOLENCE. IT EDUCATES STUDENTS AND TRAINS SCHOOL PERSONNEL ON HOW TO PREVENT SCHOOL VIOLENCE. THIS PROGRAM ALLEVIATES AND OFTEN ELIMINATES SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL FACTORS THAT MAY RESULT IN SCHOOL VIOLENCE, HENCE FOSTERING A SAFER SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT. TWO DC SCHOOLS WERE SUCCESSFULLY SERVED AND CONTINUE TO BE SERVED BY THE PROGRAM IN FY25.THE OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY MAYOR FOR EDUCATION FUNDS THE SUMMER STRONG PROGRAM, ENSURING THAT CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO SAFE, STRUCTURED ACTIVITIES AND ARE LESS VULNERABLE TO UNSAFE BEHAVIORS WHEN SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED IN THE SUMMER. SIMILARLY, THE SOCCER DIVERSION PROGRAM, PARTLY SUPPORTED BY EVENTS DC USES SOCCER AS PROACTIVE TOOL TO PREVENT GANG INVOLVEMENT AND COMMUNITY VIOLENCE THROUGH WEEKEND AND AFTER-SCHOOL SESSIONS THAT INCLUDE COUNSELING AND MENTORSHIP.
- $106,820 spent. PROGRESSIVE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMTHE THIRD LARGEST DIVISION AT CSC IS OUR PROGRESSIVE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM, TOTALING $106,820 IN EXPENSES. THIS PROGRAM, FUNDED BY THE UNITED PLANNING ORGANIZATION (UPO), SERVES AS A CORE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE, SUPPORTING OVER 100 INDIVIDUALS EACH YEAR IN SECURING EMPLOYMENT. THE PROGRAM GOES BEYOND JOB PLACEMENT BY PROVIDING INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT TO ASSIST PARTICIPANTS WITH JOB RETENTION MILESTONES AT 30, 90, 180, 270, AND 365 DAYS, AND BY HELPING CLIENTS ACHIEVE EDUCATIONAL, TRAINING, AND FINANCIAL GOALS. THE PROGRAM INCLUDES THE "THINKING FOR A CHANGE" CURRICULUM, DELIVERED THROUGH A THREE-WEEK COURSE HELD TWO TO THREE TIMES ANNUALLY, WHICH COMBINES COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL APPROACHES AND SOCIAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT TO SUPPORT CLIENTS IN ADJUSTING TO THE WORKFORCE, MANAGING RELATIONSHIPS, AND IMPROVING MENTAL HEALTH, ALL CRITICAL FACTORS IN SUSTAINING EMPLOYMENT.
- $10,868 spent. EXPENSES ALLOCATED FOR SOCIAL WORK TRAINING.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 September 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 November 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.