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Southern Partners Fund Inc

EIN 58-2409301 · Atlanta, GA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood70 out of 100GovernanceGood80 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SOUTHERN PARTNERS FUND IS A FOUNDATION CREATED TO SERVE SOUTHERN COMMUNITIES AND ORGANIZATIONS SEEKING SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE BY PROVIDING THEM WITH FINANCIAL RESOURCES, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING, AND ACCESS TO SYSTEMS OF INFORMATION AND EMPOWERMENT.

Income
$3.5 million
Spending
$5.0 million
Spent on programs
86%
Reserves
42.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 70%
Employees
7
Volunteers
25
Highest pay
$248,876, executive dir.

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: 70 out of 100. Higher than 45% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 42.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 41% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 52% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    86% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 cents.

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

Governance

Good: 80 out of 100. Higher than 32% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    5 of 25

    1 of 9 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 (4)
  1. $3.3 million spent. IN 2024, SOUTHERN PARTNERS FUND AWARDED $3,289,154 GRANTS TO 72 NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS LOCATED IN OUR 12 STATE FUNDING REGION.
  2. $644,047 spent. RAISING RESOURCES IN THE RURAL SOUTH: SOUTHERN PARTNERS FUND SUCCESSFULLY PROVIDED CAPACITY BUILDING TRAINING TO ORGANIZATIONS LOCATED WITHIN OUR 12 STATE FUNDING REGION. THE FOCUS OF THIS INITIATIVE WAS TO INCREASE GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS ABILITY TO RAISE FUNDS USING INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES SUCH AS CROWD FUNDING AND INCREASED SOCIAL MEDIA ACCESS.
  3. $310,279 spent. SPF LAUNCHED THE SOCIAL JUSTICE INSTITUTE (SJI) AS A LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT ANDCAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAM TO ENHANCE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF GRANTEE GROUPS AND OTHERGRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS COMMITTED TO SOCIAL JUSTICE IN THE SOUTH. SJIS FRAMEWORKINCORPORATES GRANTMAKING, ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT,CULTURE AND THE ARTS. SJI PROMOTES KNOWLEDGE BUILDING, BEST PRACTICES INORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT, AND COLLECTIVE UNDERSTANDING OF CURRENT AND HISTORICHUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES IN THE SOUTH. SJI HAS SEVERAL COMPONENTS:- PEER-TO-PEER COACHING AND NETWORKING- EXECUTIVE COACHING- ONE-ON-ONE ORGANIZATIONAL ASSESSMENTS- CONSULTING FOR SELECT COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS- REGIONAL WORKSHOPS ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST- TWO-DAY EXPERIENTIAL TRAININGS TWICE PER YEARA SIGNIFICANT BRANCH OF SJI IS THE YOUNG LEADERS FOR SOCIAL CHANGE (YLSC) FELLOWSHIPTHAT SUSTAINS THE RACIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE MOVEMENT THAT REQUIRES THE CONTINUEDSUPPORT AND CULTIVATION OF OUR FUTURE LEADERS. YLSC WAS DESIGNED TO HELP INDIVIDUALSAGED 18-TO-35 TO BECOME MORE GROUNDED AND EFFECTIVE LEADERS. THIS PROGRAM IS ANOPPORTUNITY FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS TO ENHANCE THEIR LEADERSHIP SKILLS, LEARN NEWSKILLS, AND APPLY SAID SKILLS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES.
  4. $57,841 spent. AT LEAST 80% OF SPFS MEMBERSHIP MUST BE DERIVED FROM LEADERS OF CURRENTLY ORPREVIOUSLY FUNDED GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS AND REPRESENT DIVERSE ISSUES ANDEXPERIENCE. SERVING IN FIVE-YEAR TERMS, SPFS MEMBERSHIP IS CONSTANTLY EVOLVINGTHANKS TO THE BOARD AND MEMBERSHIPS COMMITMENT TO NOMINATING POTENTIAL CANDIDATESWHOSE WORK AND VALUES ALIGN WITH THOSE OF THE FOUNDATION. THEY MEET AT LEAST TWICE AYEAR AND SERVE ON COMMITTEES, INCLUDING GRANTMAKING POLICY AND GRANTS DECISIONS,FINANCE AND INVESTMENTS, AND ARE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE ORGANIZATION. MEMBERSHIPIS AN INTEGRAL PIECE OF SPFS DEMOCRATIC PHILANTHROPY. THE MEMBERSHIP SERVES AS ALEADERSHIP POOL FROM WHICH SPFS BOARD IS ELECTED, AND ENSURES THAT OPERATING,GRANTMAKING AND PROGRAM DECISIONS REFLECT THE PERSPECTIVE OF RURAL SOUTHERNGRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS. ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING OPPORTUNITY OF SPF TO GATHERTOGETHER RURAL ORGANIZERS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO VOCALIZE THE WORK OR ISSUESPREVAILING IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, RECEIVE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE OR TRAINING THAT WILLIMPROVE THEIR LEADERSHIP ABILITIES, AND OFFER GROUNDING STRATEGIES THAT WILLDETERMINE AND GUIDE THE INVESTMENTS MADE BY THE FOUNDATION.

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 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 December 2024.

    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 October 1998.

    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.