Smart Start of New Hanover County
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Smart Start of New Hanover County seeks to build bridges to develop, sustain, and enhance health, family support, and early education services for all children, ages birth to five.
- Income
- $1.8 million
- Spending
- $1.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 85%
- Reserves
- 2.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 82%
- Employees
- 29
- Volunteers
- 50
- Highest pay
- $97,986, 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: 67 out of 100. Higher than 49% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 12% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 9% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1585% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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: 85 out of 100. Higher than 47% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2518 of 19 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
0 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 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 (14)
- $551,867 spent. Curriculum and Assessment (3125-024):NHC Schools Early Childhood Department provides support to publicly-funded preschool program, including NC PreK and Headstart classrooms, through the purchase and implementation of the Teaching Strategies curriculum, an online assessment system, professional development, and coaching by a trained team. Grant funding provided by Smart Start of New Hanover County.
- $264,086 spent. Parents As Teachers (PAT) (5509-011): Evidence-based home visiting program works with high-risk families of very young children for up to 2 years to support healthy child development, positive parenting skills, access to community resources, and peer engagement. Services include regular personal visits, group connections, a variety of screenings, and resource networking.
- $186,830 spent. Community Outreach and Education (COE) (5517-018):The Community and Outreach Education team works to build awareness of early childhood development and strives to strengthen relationships and increase cooperation, resources, and services that support a trauma-informed community. A variety of support services are offered to families with young children including a space for open play with developmentally appropriate materials and the opportunity to learn about child development and community resources.
- $68,289 spent. Programming & Evaluation (PE) (5603-001): Planning activities may include conducting needs and assessments to inform programmatic priorities, developing a strategic plan based on community needs, and researching and selection of evidence-based and evidence-informed activities that best match the strategic plan and Community Early Childhood Profile (EC Profile). Coordination activities include providing technical assistance and oversight to service providers and grantees regarding program management, program implementation, and financial/programmatic monitoring. Evaluation activities may include the development, measurement and reporting of goals, providing technical assistance to service providers and grantees regarding data collection and program management, and the review of program effectiveness related to county level data such as the EC Profile, especially in relation to the goals and objectives in the partnerships strategic plan. Smart Start funds may be used to purchase and pay for refreshments/meals for meetings and events and professional development for staff. The Program, Planning, Coordination, and Evaluation team may participate in programmatic and early childhood outreach and public awareness events.
- $4,784 spent. Dolly Parton Imagination Library (DPIL) (5526-020) : This a Free program for families where each registered child will receive a book by mail at home each month.
- $29,129 spent. Assuring Better Child and Health Development (3125-226): Assuring Better Health and Development is a community-based initiative and evidence-informed model, that helps primary health care practices perform general developmental and autism-specific screening, and connect children to specialized therapies and other early intervention services. The program increases the number of children who receive needed early intervention services (birth to age 5) by helping their primary health care providers institute sustainable office practices that support the performance of screening, referral and follow-up.
- $5,538 spent. Assuring Better Child Health and Development (5410-999): Assuring Better Health and Development is a community-based initiative and evidence-informed model, that helps primary health care practices perform general developmental and autism-specific screening, and connect children to specialized therapies and other early intervention services. The program increases the number of children who receive needed early intervention services (birth to age 5) by helping their primary health care providers institute sustainable office practices that support the performance of screening, referral and follow-up.
- $176,175 spent. Family Support NHC Endowment (5506-981): This program will support two family strengthening program - Circle of Parents, a peer support group, And Kaleidoscope Play and Learn Groups or as amended through the endowment
- $2,230 spent. Literacy Programs (5512-432): The early literacy program promotes literacy in young children by supplying books to the WIC office in the form of a book vending machine.
- $34,834 spent. Early Childhood Initiatives (7010): Early Childhood Initiatives supports child development and engagement from birth to age 5.
- Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) (3104-014): The CCR&R provides an array of services designed to support the early childhood system in New Hanover County. Staff provide many of the workshops and training required by the State for early educators. These include topics such as ITS-SIDS, Playground Safety, and quality assessment tools. Up to twenty hours of yearly in-service training (depending on current level of education) for full-time childcare staff is a North Carolina requirement. Staff also provide both intensive and light touch technical assistance to childcare sites/classrooms to support quality care and re-licensure requirements. The CCR&R operate the resource room/lending library for early childhood educators and families and participates in community education and referrals through outreach events and with families that call or visit. The Smart Start CCR&R Center is part of a Regional Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) system which provides referral to families for childcare.
- $1,408 spent. Oral Health Services (3407-999):
- $113,322 spent. Early Learning Resource Center (3115-023): The CCR&R provides an array of services designed to support the early childhood system in New Hanover County. Staff provide many of the workshops and training required by the State for early educators. These include topics such as ITS-SIDS, Playground Safety, and quality assessment tools. Up to twenty hours of yearly in-service training (depending on current level of education) for full-time childcare staff is a North Carolina requirement. Staff also provide both intensive and light touch technical assistance to childcare sites/classrooms to support quality care and re-licensure requirements. The CCR&R operate the resource room/lending library for early childhood educators and families and participates in community education and referrals through outreach events and with families that call or visit. The Smart Start CCR&R Center is part of a Regional Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) system which provides referral to families for childcare.
- $113,564 spent. Positive Parenting (PP) (5505-015): Positive Parenting Program (Triple P) offers evidence-based principles and advice providing tools that parents need to raise confident, healthy children, and to build stronger family relationships. Parents must be referred from NHC Department of Social Services.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since March 1996.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 November 4, 2026.
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