Manatee Childrens Services Incorporated
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Preventing child abuse, restoring healing, and strengthening all children and their families through advocacy, treatment, and shelter.
- Income
- $5.8 million
- Spending
- $5.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 90%
- Reserves
- 1.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 85%
- Employees
- 84
- Volunteers
- 52
- Highest pay
- $136,833, ceo
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
Good: 71 out of 100. Higher than 44% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.4 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 19% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 11% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 15% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1590% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2512 of 12 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
15 of 15Its accounts were audited 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 (3)
- $2.1 million spent. RESIDENTIAL: Manatee Children's Services operates a continuum of residential programs that provide immediate safety and long-term stability for children who have experienced abuse or neglect. Through the Emergency Shelter, operating since 1979, children ages 6-17 receive short-term care including crisis intervention, counseling, academic support, and advocacy while permanent placements are arranged. Across reporting periods, approximately 97% of children served in the Emergency Shelter consistently demonstrate at least two age-appropriate personal safety strategies, such as identifying unsafe situations, understanding how to report threats, and recognizing appropriate boundaries: skills shown to reduce future risk of abuse. Children requiring longer-term care may transition to one of MCS's licensed residential group homes, which provide trauma-informed, family-style care and 24/7 supervision for youth ages 10-17, many of whom are at risk of or have experienced human trafficking. By prioritizing placement stability and individualized services, approximately 96% of youth in MCS group homes reliably develop and demonstrate age-appropriate independent living skills, including personal care, communication, budgeting, household responsibilities, and problem-solving. Together, these residential programs emphasize protection, healing, and skill development to support safe transitions into permanent homes or independent adulthood. TREATMENT: Since 1993, Manatee Children's Services has provided specialized, evidence-based mental health treatment to child abuse victims and their non-offending family members through Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT). Delivered through the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) and Sexual Abuse Treatment Program (SATP), this trauma-informed, family-centered program reduces trauma-related symptoms while strengthening caregiver protective capacity and long-term safety. Non-Offending Caregiver groups equip caregivers with the skills needed to recognize risk, respond to disclosures, and maintain safe, stable home environments, while children learn to identify unsafe situations, understand boundaries, resist grooming behaviors, and report abuse. Program success is measured through post-treatment safety outcomes that reflect both child skill development and improved caregiver support. Across reporting periods, approximately 99% of participants who complete treatment consistently experience abuse-free home environments for up to 18 months following services, demonstrating sustained ability to recognize and respond to personal safety threats and reinforcing families' capacity to prevent future harm. PREVENTION: Manatee Children's Services operates a comprehensive portfolio of prevention programs designed to stop abuse before it occurs by strengthening families, educating youth, and reducing risk factors associated with maltreatment. Through evidence-based and nationally recognized programs including TRUTH (Teens Reaching Understanding Through Healthy Relationships), GAP (Grandparents as Parents), KIDS Personal Safety, and family-focused prevention initiatives, children and caregivers receive education, advocacy, and skill-building support that promote safety and stability. TRUTH serves youth ages 10-17 and their families with a focus on healthy relationships, personal safety, and teen pregnancy prevention; across reporting periods, 100% of participating youth consistently remain free of first-time or repeat pregnancies for up to 18 months following program completion, reducing stressors linked to increased abuse risk. GAP supports kinship caregivers who step in to care for children removed from unsafe environments, providing parenting education, peer support, advocacy, and resource connections; approximately 99% of families served through GAP reliably remain stable, abuse-free, and avoid entry or re-entry into foster care, helping children remain safely with relatives. KIDS Personal Safety and related prevention programs deliver age-appropriate education that teaches children to recognize unsafe situations, understand boundaries, and seek help from trusted adults, reinforcing early protective skills. Together, these prevention services strengthen family functioning, reduce the likelihood of abuse, and support safer, more resilient homes across the community.
- $1.9 million spent. The Child Advocacy Center (CAC) serves more than 13,000 children annually that are either victims of child abuse or suspected of abuse. The CAC maintains its exceptional accreditation by the federally recognized National Children's Alliance and continues to accomplish the goal of providing potentially lifesaving evidenced based services to children and families. Prevention Services include parenting education to high risk parents that have abused or neglected their children in an effort to reunify them safely with their children. Pregnancy prevention services are offered to youth at risk of pregnancy, drug abuse and other forms of delinquency. Personal Safety skills designed to prevent child abuse are taught at every elementary school in Manatee County, reaching thousands of school aged children. (continued- Sch O) Kinship services such as support groups, basic needs referrals and services are provided to over 150 Grandparents annually to preserve relative placements for abused children. Therapy Programs provide evidenced based treatments to children that have been physically and sexually abused, witnessed domestic violence, violent crimes or suffer from extreme parental neglect. More than 95% of children seen in this program were able to overcome abuse related behavioral and emotional difficulties and developed safety skills to prevent further abuse and healthy ways to cope with past trauma.
- $574,245 spent. The Child Protection Team provides alleged child victims of abuse with specialized, non leading interviews and expert court testimony. A trained child abuse medical provider provides medical exams to collect physical evidence of abuse as well as expert testimony.
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 April 1980.
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.
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.