Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Mountain Child Advocacy Center

EIN 58-1828408 · Asheville, NC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong90 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

The mission of the Mountain Child Advocacy Center is to prevent harm, protect children and heal families through best practice programs and community collaboration.

Income
$909,224
Spending
$877,703
Spent on programs
67%
Reserves
12.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 59%
Employees
14
Volunteers
15
Highest pay
$87,616, current 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

Strong: 90 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 12.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 3% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 24% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    67% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 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

Strong: 100 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    15 of 15 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 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 (3)
  1. $105,167 spent. Mountain Child Advocacy Center Programs Descriptions After achieving national accreditation as a Child Advocacy Center in January 2017, Mountain Child Advocacy Center continues to lead the region in quality services for child abuse victims. Child Abuse Prevention Education: The Mountain CAC child abuse prevention education program is an evidence-based, trauma-informed approach that aims to help kids understand boundaries, identify a safety network of adults, understand what abuse is and know that it is never the childs fault. Mountain CAC Prevention Educators present personal safety lessons to approximately 5,000 K-5th students every year. Mountain CACs Community Educator presented evidence-based training to over 200 adults in the community. Darkness to Lights Stewards of Children and Recognizing and Reporting Abuse are curriculums that teach adults how to recognize and appropriately respond to child abuse victims. The adult prevention education program offers additional supports for parents and caregivers; Circles of Security Parenting (COSP), Resource Parenting Curriculum (RPC), and Non-Offending Parent (NOP) support groups. Circles of Security Parenting (COSP) is designed to improve parent-child attachment and is our primary approach when working with adults around parenting. We have found that as attachment improves, behaviors also improve. Circles of Security Parenting teaches the parent to recognize the need their child is expressing and to respond to the need in a healthy, supportive manner. Parenting classes are provided for approximately 50 families every year.
  2. $118,297 spent. Advocacy Program: The Family Advocate serves the child victim and non-offending family members to navigate the process of a child abuse investigation and links the child and family to other services. The Family Advocate works with over 250 families a year with varying degrees of intensity. Mountain CAC treats some of the toughest cases in the region, and our Family Advocate operates as a referrals specialist, making important therapy decisions. The Family Advocate is a reassuring and knowledgeable guide providing linkage to resources and supports. This includes medical and legal needs, as well as housing, food assistance, and safety resources. The Family Advocate represents the child victim through the Multidisciplinary Team case reviews and keeps the family updated on investigative and court progress.
  3. $367,572 spent. Crisis Intervention /Counseling: Mountain CAC clinicians treat children with abuse and other PTSD trauma, providing services for hundreds of children annually. Additionally, Mountain CAC offers treatment to our parents/caregivers who have their own trauma history, enabling them to be healthier support for their childrens healing. Mountain CAC Therapists are rostered to provide Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT), the recognized best-practice, evidence-based treatment for child abuse victims. Mountain CAC is the only regional agency that can also offer five additional evidence-based modalities of treatment: CPT - Cognitive Processing Therapy; ART - Accelerated Resolution Therapy; AF-CBT - Alternatives for Family- Cognitive Behavior Therapy; CFTSI - Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention, and treatment for children with Problematic Sexualized Behaviors. Three therapies are also made available in Spanish, ART, AF-CBT, CPP, and TF-CBT.

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 April 1989.

    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.