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Special Olympics North Carolina Inc

EIN 56-1149607 · Morrisville, NC

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

THE MISSION OF SPECIAL OLYMPICS IS TO PROVIDE YEAR-ROUND SPORTS TRAINING AND ATHLETIC COMPETITION IN A VARIETY OF OLYMPIC-TYPE SPORTS FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, GIVING THEM CONTINUING OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP PHYSICAL FITNESS, DEMONSTRATE COURAGE, EXPERIENCE JOY AND PARTICIPATE IN A SHARING OF GIFTS, SKILLS AND FRIENDSHIP WITH THEIR FAMILIES, OTHER SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHLETES, AND THE COMMUNITY.

Income
$7.5 million
Spending
$8.0 million
Spent on programs
86%
Reserves
16.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 49%
Employees
50
Volunteers
43,000
Highest pay
$234,082, president/ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 89 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 16.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 6% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 7% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 8% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    86% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    21 of 21 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, 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)
  1. $5.5 million spent. SPECIAL OLYMPICS NORTH CAROLINA, INC. (THE ORGANIZATION OR SONC) IS A NONPROFIT CORPORATION AUTHORIZED AND ACCREDITED BY SPECIAL OLYMPICS, INCORPORATED (SOI). THE ORGANIZATION WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1971 TO IMPROVE THE PHYSICAL, SOCIAL, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT OF CITIZENS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES THROUGH SUCCESSFUL EXPERIENCES IN SPORTS TRAINING, HEALTH PROGRAMS AND COMPETITIONS BASED ON DATA FROM THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS 2025 GLOBAL ATHLETE CENSUS, SPECIAL OLYMPICS NORTH CAROLINA (SONC) ENGAGED NEARLY 53,000 ATHLETES AND UNIFIED PARTNERS ACROSS THE STATE, OFFERING 20 SPORTS AND HOSTING 650 EVENTS SUPPORTED BY 1,337 COACHES. THROUGH THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS UNIFIED CHAMPION SCHOOLS INITIATIVE, 31,848 STUDENTS IN 680 SCHOOLS PARTICIPATED IN INCLUSIVE ACTIVITIES. AS PART OF SONC'S ONGOING COMMITMENT TO IMPROVING ATHLETE HEALTH, 19,771 PARTICIPANTS TOOK PART IN SO GOOD, A MULTI WEEK HEALTH EDUCATION AND FITNESS PROGRAM DELIVERED EITHER AT HOME OR IN THE CLASSROOM.
  2. $1.3 million spent. SPECIAL OLYMPICS NORTH CAROLINA IS ORGANIZED AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL WITH NEARLY 100 ACCREDITED LOCAL PROGRAMS SERVING ALMOST EVERY COUNTY IN THE STATE. MOST LOCAL PROGRAMS ARE ORGANIZED BY COUNTY. LOCAL PROGRAMS ARE MANAGED BY LOCAL COORDINATORS WHO OVERSEE ALL ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAM RANGING FROM ATHLETE REGISTRATION TO FUNDRAISING TO ORGANIZING LOCAL TRAINING AND COMPETITION. LOCAL PROGRAMS HOST SPRING GAMES TAKING PLACE MARCH THROUGH MAY.ADDITIONALLY, ATHLETES REPRESENTED THE STATE IN VARIOUS OUT-OF-STATE COMPETITIONS ACROSS MULTIPLE SPORTS, SHOWCASING THEIR SKILLS AND SPORTSMANSHIP.HEALTH AND FITNESS IS ONE OF SPECIAL OLYMPICS NORTH CAROLINA'S KEY COMPONENTS TO OUR STRATEGIC PLAN. DESPITE OUR IMPACT VIA SPORTS, SPECIAL OLYMPICS' RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES (ID) ARE CONSISTENTLY LEFT OUT OF HEALTH SYSTEMS THAT ARE ILL-EQUIPPED TO DIAGNOSE AND TREAT THEM. MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS RECOGNIZE HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN BE REACHED BY PARTNERING WITH SONC. NOT SURPRISINGLY, OUR ATHLETE LEADERSHIP OF SPECIAL OLYMPICS NC HAS IDENTIFIED "HEALTH, FITNESS, AND NUTRITION" AS A TOP PRIORITY FOR THE ORGANIZATION TO ADDRESS.
  3. $57,024 spent. IN A TYPICAL YEAR, SPECIAL OLYMPICS RELIES ON THE ENERGY, EXPERTISE, AND COMMITMENT OF OVER 43,000 VOLUNTEERS EACH YEAR TO CARRY OUT YEAR-ROUND SPORTS TRAINING, COMPETITION, AND HEALTH/WELLNESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEARLY 53,000 ATHLETES AND UNIFIED PARTNERS. SPECIAL OLYMPICS RECRUITS VOLUNTEERS OF ALL AGES, BACKGROUNDS, AND AVAILABILITY TO SERVE ROLES THAT INCLUDE EVENT PLANNING, ATHLETE OUTREACH, COORDINATION OF LOGISTICS, SPORT DEVELOPMENT TEAM MEMBERS, RECRUITMENT OF OTHER VOLUNTEERS, UNIFIED CHAMPION SCHOOLS, HEALTH INITIATIVES, AND MUCH MORE. VOLUNTEER COACHES ARE ESSENTIAL TO PROVIDING QUALITY EXPERIENCES FOR PARTICIPATING ATHLETES, AND THROUGH THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS NORTH CAROLINA COACHES' CERTIFICATION PROCESS THESE VOLUNTEERS ARE TRAINED TO MEET THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 October 13, 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 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 1972.

    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 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.