Arkansas Head Start Association Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
Promoting Head Start in Arkansas. The Arkansas Head Start Association's mission is to promote structured leadership and collaboration on the state and local levels by planning, informing, advocating, and delivering innovative and quality trainings, technical assistance, and support to Early Head Start, Head Start, and Migrant-Seasonal Head Start directors, staff, parents, and friends in the state of Arkansas.
- Income
- $221,788
- Spending
- $248,638
- Spent on programs
- 93%
- Reserves
- -1.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 59%
- Employees
- 2
- Volunteers
- 20
- Highest pay
- $82,100, collaboration director
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
Weak: 24 out of 100. Higher than 4% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 124% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 12% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 10% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1593% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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: 94 out of 100. Higher than 90% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 2514 of 14 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
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 (3)
- $131,784 spent. Administered the Arkansas Head Start State Collaboration Office. The purpose of the Arkansas Head Start State Collaboration Office is to create a visible presence at the state level, which can assist in the development of significant, multi-agency and public private partnerships between Head Start and the state with specific focus on cooperation, coordination, and collaboration within nine key activity areas: 1) health care, 2) services for children experiencing homelessness, 3) welfare/child welfare, 4) child care, 5) family literacy services, 6) services for children with disabilities, 7) community services, 8) education, divided into 8A) publicly funded Pre-K partnership development and 8B) Head Start transition and alignment with K-12, and 9) professional development.
- $35,664 spent. Annual Training institute and other trainings held annually with approximately 100-300 participants at the institute and 65-150 for the school readiness summit.
- $63,556 spent. Maintained State Office to serve 19 Head Start grantees serving almost 8,000 children and families. The Board and Executive Committee had 6 meetings. (19 programs at the end of year)
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 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 October 13, 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 December 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 December 1995.
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 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.