Human Kindness Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Human Kindness Foundation builds community with people experiencing incarceration and their families by collaboratively creating and sharing resources that foster spirituality, mindfulness, and wellness.
- Income
- $546,916
- Spending
- $313,670
- Spent on programs
- 82%
- Reserves
- 81 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 55%
- Employees
- 4
- Volunteers
- 20
- Highest pay
- $74,988, executive dir.
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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 89% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 81.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 43% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 87% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1582% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 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: 91 out of 100. Higher than 69% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 7 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
6 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 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 (4)
- $113,590 spent. We create, curate, print, and distribute books on spirituality, mindfulness, and wellness to people experiencing incarceration and their families. This includes working with writers and authors who have experienced incarceration to create and publish new works. These resources are sent at no charge in response to requests received from people who are incarcerated, their families, and those working in prisons. In 2025, we distributed over 8,000 books free of charge and offered resources on the free educational app, Edovo, which is available at 1,400 prisons and jails across the country. We have 118 resources available on this app. These resources have been accessed over 420,000 times over the past 3 years.
- $108,954 spent. Newsletters are distributed to approximately 15,000 individuals on our mailing list - people who are currently or formerly incarcerated and their families, and those who work in the prison system. In addition, every year the foundation receives and responds individually to thousands of letters from those incarcerated, their families, prison staff, and the general public.
- $24,960 spent. Human Kindness Foundation assists small organizations with similar missions by providing administrative and financial support as a fiscal sponsor. We currently sponsor four organizations/projects: Buddhist Prison Ministry, Father Charlie Mulholland House, Prison from the Inside Out, and Orange County Community Remembrance Coalition.
- $9,273 spent. We conduct mindfulness workshops twice a month at a local prison and work with participants to help create content for our books and newsletters.
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
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 December 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 August 1987.
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.