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Fairfax Court Appointed Special Advocates Inc

EIN 54-1555197 · Fairfax, VA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood89 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO ADVOCATE FOR ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN THROUGH THE SERVICE OF TRAINED VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE ORDERED BY THE FAIRFAX COUNTY JUVENILE AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS DISTRICT COURT TO IDENTIFY AND SAFEGUARD THE BEST INTERESTS OF EACH CHILD DETERMINED TO BE IN NEED OF COURT PROTECTION FROM ABUSE AND NEGLECT BY THEIR FAMILIES OR CAREGIVERS.

Income
$1.1 million
Spending
$1.0 million
Spent on programs
75%
Reserves
7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 64%
Employees
12
Volunteers
172
Highest pay
$140,925, executive director

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

Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 7.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 21% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 5% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 8% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    75% 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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 59% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    11 of 11 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 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)
  1. $771,954 spent. FAIRFAX COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES (CASA) PROVIDES A SINGLE, COURT-DIRECTED SERVICE AT THE REQUEST OF THE FAIRFAX COUNTY JUVENILE AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS DISTRICT COURT. OPERATING UNDER AN AGREEMENT WITH THE COURT, FAIRFAX CASA RECRUITS, SCREENS, TRAINS, AND PROFESSIONALLY SUPERVISES COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS WHO SERVE AS COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES (CASAS) FOR CHILDREN INVOLVED IN ABUSE AND NEGLECT CASES. THE ROLE OF A CASA VOLUNTEER IS DEFINED IN THE CODE OF VIRGINIA AND INCLUDES CONDUCTING INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIONS, MONITORING COMPLIANCE WITH COURT-ORDERED SERVICES, SUBMITTING WRITTEN REPORTS WITH BEST-INTEREST RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE JUDGE, AND SUPPORTING THE CHILD'S GUARDIAN AD LITEM. CASA'S MISSION IS TO ENSURE THAT EACH CHILD'S NEEDS ARE IDENTIFIED AND ADDRESSED SO THAT EVERY CHILD CAN GROW UP IN A SAFE AND PERMANENT HOME. THE INVOLVEMENT OF A CASA IN THE LIVES OF ABUSED OR NEGLECTED CHILDREN PROVIDES SIGNIFICANT INTERVENTION DURING A PERIOD OF INTENSE CRISIS FOR THE CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND HAS BEEN SHOWN TO ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE RECIDIVISM OF CHILDREN BACK INTO THE COURT SYSTEM FOLLOWING INITIAL CASE CLOSURE. ADDITIONALLY, CASA INTERVENTION HAS BEEN SHOW TO REDUCE FUTURE RISK OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AND THE RISK OF REPEATING THE CYCLE OF ABUSE AS AN ADULT.IN PURSUIT OF THIS SINGLE FOCUSED OBJECTIVE, FAIRFAX CASA UNDERGIRDS ITS PROGRAM WITH STRONG GOVERNANCE AND IS DEDICATED TO MAINTAINING A HIGHLY PROFESSIONAL STAFF TO CARRY OUT ITS COURT-MANDATED DUTIES. A CORE ACTIVITY OF FAIRFAX CASA IS THE RECRUITMENT OF WELL QUALIFIED AND THOROUGHLY SCREENED VOLUNTEERS TO FULFILL THE ORGANIZATION'S PROGRAMMATIC OBJECTIVE. 38 HIGHLY QUALIFIED VOLUNTEERS WERE SWORN INTO SERVICE DURING FY25. PROGRAMMATICALLY, FY25 WAS A VERY CHALLENGING YEAR FOR FAIRFAX CASA AS IT SERVED 404 CHILDREN WITH THE DEDICATED ADVOCACY OF 172 VOLUNTEERS. CASES CLOSED FOR 161 CHILDREN WHO WERE REUNITED WITH THEIR FAMILY OR WERE ADOPTED. CASA VOLUNTEERS SUBMITTED 322 OBJECTIVE REPORTS TO THE COURT, WHICH INCLUDED MORE THAN 2,207 BEST INTEREST RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHILDREN; JUDGES ACCEPTED AND ORDERED 93% OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS. CASA VOLUNTEERS MADE 8,130 IN PERSON VISITS TO CHILDREN AND HAD OVER 36,600 CONTACTS WITH SERVICE PROVIDERS, DONATED 23,210 HOURS OF THEIR TIME TO THEIR CASES AND TRAVELED MORE THAN 152,500 MILES IN FURTHERANCE OF THEIR ADVOCACY DUTIES. IN ADDITION TO COMPLETING 35 HOURS OF PRE-SERVICE TRAINING (AS WELL AS THREE HOURS OF COURT CASE OBSERVATIONS), CASA VOLUNTEERS ARE REQUIRED BY THE CODE TO COMPLETE 12 HOURS OF CONTINUING EDUCATION/IN-SERVICE TRAINING ANNUALLY. TO MEET THIS REQUIREMENT, FAIRFAX CASA OFFERED 22 IN-HOUSE TRAININGS AND PROVIDED INFORMATION FOR 102 COMMNUNITY TRAININGS DURING THE YEAR. VOLUNTEERS COMPLETED A TOTAL OF 1,377 HOURS OF TRAINING, AS WELL AS AN ADDITIONAL 590 HOURS OF INDEPENDENT, APPROVED STUDY.

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

  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 June 2025.

    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 November 1990.

    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.