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Passes our checks

Smart Start of Yadkin County Inc

EIN 56-1864667 · Yadkinville, NC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair52 out of 100GovernanceGood81 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

To prepare all children birth to 5 years of age to be healthy and ready for kindergarten.

Income
$509,390
Spending
$514,362
Spent on programs
77%
Reserves
0.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 95%
Employees
4
Volunteers
30
Highest pay
$82,691, 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

Fair: 52 out of 100. Higher than 19% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 9% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 17% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    77% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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: 81 out of 100. Higher than 68% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    12 of 19 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

    0 of 10

    Did not give 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

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (11)
  1. $83,824 spent. Pre-School Scholarships/NC Pre-K Enhancements offer financial assistance for children to attend public pre-kindergarten classes. The purchase of care and enhancements are paid on a direct per child basis to public schools. 18 children received full scholarships to attend preschool through Yadkin County Schools.
  2. $67,825 spent. The Nurturing Parenting Program, Nurturing Skills for Families is a home-based program provided for families and their children birth to five, living in Yadkin County and at risk of child abuse and neglect and/or domestic violence. One full-time Parent Educator provided weekly face to face visits for 16 to 24 consecutive weeks to 20 families. Through the face-to-face visits parents learn about nurturing parenting routines, alternatives to hitting, child development, and ways to build self-esteem and self-concept in self and children. The Parent Educator implemented Core Lessons that met the specific needs of the family. The Nurturing Parenting Program provided weekly hospital visitation for family engagement and recruitment to the program. 276 weekly home visits were provided to 21 families.
  3. $60,908 spent. Enhancing Child Care Quality is an activity designed to promote continuous quality improvement of child care centers and homes. Services provided include: (1) Technical assistance in the form of coaching and modeling provided to early childhood educators working in start-up, licensed and/or G.S. 110 child care facilities serving children birth to five years old. (2) Training for child care providers for DCDEE credit hours provided on child care related topics and coordination of CEU opportunities. 93 child care providers from 17 child care facilities attended at least one training offered. 47 training sessions were offered. 4 child care facilities received technical assistance to help with ECERS-R and ITERS-R standards. 2 family chid care homes received technical assistance to help with FCCERS-R standards.
  4. $59,404 spent. Early Childhood Resource Center
  5. $30,926 spent. Community Outreach and Family Engagement
  6. $30,288 spent. Child Care Health Consultant
  7. $20,362 spent. Program Coordination and Evaluation
  8. $14,156 spent. Kaleidoscope Play & Learn
  9. $12,503 spent. Dolly Parton Imagination Library
  10. $7,628 spent. Crisis Child Care Subsidy
  11. $6,100 spent. Supplements for Education

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 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 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 December 1994.

    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.