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Palmetto Goodwill Services

EIN 57-0632511 · Charleston, SC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood78 out of 100GovernanceStrong93 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

PALMETTO GOODWILL SERVICE'S (GOODWILL) MISSION IS CHANGING LIVES BY PROVIDING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO TRAINING, EDUCATION, AND EMPLOYMENT. GOODWILL ENRICHES THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WHILE PROVIDING QUALITY SERVICE TO CUSTOMERS. WORK AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES ARE PROVIDED THROUGH ACTUAL CONTRACT SERVICE WORK PERFORMED FOR GOVERNMENT ENTITIES AND LOCAL BUSINESSES. CUSTOMERS RELY ON GOODWILL TO PROVIDE FOOD SERVICE, JANITORIAL, GROUNDSKEEPING AND MAILROOM SERVICES. WORK SKILLS ATTAINED THROUGH ABILITY ONE CONTRACT SITES HELP PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES GAIN SKILLS AND BECOME MORE SELF-SUFFICIENT.

Income
$18.8 million
Spending
$18.1 million
Spent on programs
96%
Reserves
8.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 97%
Employees
392
Volunteers
592
Highest pay
$543,239, president ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 61% of charities in its peer group (employment, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 8.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 41% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 2% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    96% of spending went to programs.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (employment, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    3 of 3 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, 2024, 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. $16.0 million spent. PALMETTO GOODWILL SERVICES (GOODWILL) CONTINUED CREATING EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLIND OR HAVE SIGNIFICANT DISABILITIES UNDER THE SOURCEAMERICA ABILITYONE PROGRAM WHICH HAS A CONGRESSIONAL MANDATE THAT 75% OF DIRECT LABOR HOURS ARE PERFORMED BY THIS POPULATION OF EMPLOYEES. GOODWILL REPORTED DIRECT LABOR HOURS OF 83% WHICH DEMONSTRATES THE COMMITMENT TO INCREASING TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES ABOVE THE FEDERAL MANDATE. GOODWILL ALSO REPORTED FIVE CONTRACT SITES WHERE 100% OF THE DIRECT LABOR HOURS WERE WORKED BY INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLIND OR HAVE SIGNIFICANT DISABILITIES. WAGES ARE AT OR ABOVE $17.20/HOUR FOR ALL INDIVIDUALS WORKING AT THESE CONTRACT SITES. GOODWILL EMPLOYS 266 INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLIND OR HAVE SIGNIFICANT DISABILITIES PERFORMING SERVICES IN FEDERAL BUILDINGS AND MILITARY INSTALLATIONS IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND VIRGINIA. GOODWILL IS RECOGNIZED AS THE LARGEST (NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION) EMPLOYER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLIND OR HAVE SIGNIFICANT DISABILITIES IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA. IN 2024, GOODWILL CREATED 23 NEW EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.
  2. $371,199 spent. PALMETTO GOODWILL SERVICES RENEWED THREE 5-YEAR CONTRACTS IN 2024 WITH A TOTAL VALUE OF $2.4 MILLION; ONE MAILROOM, ONE JANITORIAL AND ONE GROUNDS MAINTENANCE CONTRACT. THE MAILROOM SERVICE CONTRACT HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE 2017. THE JANITORIAL CONTRACT HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE 2021. THE GROUNDS MAINTENANCE CONTRACT HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE 2018. THESE THREE CONTRACTS GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR 11 PEOPLE TO HAVE GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT.
  3. $890,256 spent. PALMETTO GOODWILL SERVICES (GOODWILL) RECEIVES SEVERAL DIFFERENT RATINGS AND CERTIFICATIONS FROM WIDELY KNOWN SYSTEMS AND ORGANIZATIONS. DURING THE FALL OF 2024, GOODWILL SWITCHED TO A NEW QUALITY CONTROL SYSTEM CALLED VECTOR AND IMPROVED THEIR QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEM PROGRAM FOR ALL CONTRACT SITES. THESE IMPROVEMENTS HAVE LED AND WILL CONTINUE TO LEAD TO HIGHER CPARS (CONTRACTOR PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT REPORTING SYSTEM) RATINGS. GOODWILL RECEIVED 4 SATISFACTORY AND 4 VERY GOOD RATINGS UNDER CPARS SINCE MAKING THOSE IMPROVEMENTS. CPARS IS A U.S. GOVERNMENT SYSTEM THAT COLLECTS AND REPORTS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF FEDERAL CONTRACTORS ACROSS DIFFERENT CATEGORIES, SUCH AS QUALITY, SCHEDULE, COST CONTROL, MANAGEMENT, AND REGULATORY COMPLIANCE. CPARS RATINGS RANGE FROM EXCEPTIONAL TO UNSATISFACTORY. PALMETTO GOODWILL SERVICES HAS A REQUIREMENT AT THEIR LARGEST FULL FOOD SERVICE CONTRACT TO HAVE MEMBERS OF MANAGEMENT AND SUPERVISORS BE SERVSAFE CERTIFIED. GOODWILL HAS FOUR TEAM MEMBERS INSTRUCTOR/PROCTOR CERTIFIED TO TEACH SERVSAFE AND TO PROCTOR THE EXAM. IN 2024, GOODWILL SERVSAFE CERTIFIED A TOTAL OF 32 TEAM MEMBERS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since May 1945.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.