Dawning Family Services Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
WE EMBRACE DIVERSE FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN TOUCHED BY HOUSING INSTABILITY OR HOMELESSNESS AND SUPPORT THEIR TRANSITION TO A SAFE AND STABLE HOME.
- Income
- $2.8 million
- Spending
- $2.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 92%
- Reserves
- 8.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 63%
- Employees
- 27
- Volunteers
- 100
- Highest pay
- $124,027, ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 80% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 18% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1592% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2510 of 10 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 September 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 (4)
- $729,539 spent. EMERGENCY SHELTER: THROUGH THE EMERGENCY SHELTER COMPONENT, THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES TEMPORARY EMERGENCY SHELTER TO PARENTS WITH CHILDREN WHO ARE HOMELESS IN OUR COMMUNITY. THIS SHORT-TERM (UP TO 90-DAY) SUPPORT OFFERS SAFETY AND SERVICES TO FAMILIES SEEKING EMERGENCY SHELTER, INCLUDING THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN TURNED AWAY FROM OTHER SHELTERS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. FAMILIES IN EMERGENCY SHELTER ARE PROVIDED WITH ESSENTIAL SERVICES INCLUDING: CASE MANAGEMENT INCORPORATING THE PRINCIPLES OF TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE, HOUSING SEARCH AND PLACEMENT ASSISTANCE, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE (IN THE FORM OF CASH BENEFITS AND RENT AND UTILITIES) TO HELP THEM MOVE INTO PERMANENT HOUSING, AND POST-SHELTER SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO ENSURE STABILITY ONCE PERMANENTLY HOUSED. THIS HOUSING FIRST APPROACH MOVES FAMILIES MORE QUICKLY INTO PERMANENT HOUSING. A MAJOR U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING & URBAN DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH EFFORT OFFERS COMPELLING EVIDENCE THAT HOUSING FIRST STRATEGIES ARE SUPERIOR FOR REDUCING HOMELESSNESS FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN COMPARED TO TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAMS AND EXCLUSIVE EMERGENCY SHELTER INTERVENTIONS. IN 2025, 85 FAMILIES WERE PROVIDED WITH SHORT-TERM EMERGENCY SHELTER (102 ADULTS AND 209 CHILDREN).
- $1.1 million spent. HOUSING SERVICES, INCLUDING RAPID RE-HOUSING SERVICES: HOUSING AND SUPPORT SPECIALISTS ASSIST CLIENTS WITH HOUSING SEARCHES AND PLACEMENT, AS WELL AS DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN RELATIONSHIPS WITH PROSPECTIVE AND CURRENT PROPERTY MANAGERS AND LANDLORDS, INCLUDING ACTING AS LIAISONS BETWEEN PROPERTY MANAGERS/LANDLORDS AND CLIENTS. HOUSING AND SUPPORT SPECIALISTS MAINTAIN FIDELITY TO THE HOUSING FIRST DELIVERY MODEL, AN APPROACH THAT PRIORITIZES PROVIDING PERMANENT HOUSING QUICKLY ENDING A FAMILY'S HOMELESSNESS. RAPID RE-HOUSING (RRH) SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE FOR CLIENTS WHO MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS AND STIPULATIONS OF THE PROGRAM AND WANT TO ENROLL. RRH INTERVENTIONS (FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND FOLLOW-UP SUPPORT SERVICES) ARE DESIGNED TO HELP THOSE WHO DO NOT NEED INTENSIVE SUPPORTS TO QUICKLY EXIT HOMELESSNESS FOR PERMANENT HOUSING. IN 2025, 64 FAMILIES WERE SERVED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, AND 38 FAMILIES EXITED THE PROGRAM.
- $531,491 spent. PATH TO PREVENTION: HOMELESS PREVENTION SPECIALISTS PROVIDE SOLUTION-FOCUSED STRENGTH-BASED CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO FAMILIES IN CRISIS AND PREVENT THEM FROM ENTERING THE HOMELESS SYSTEM. SERVICES INCLUDE MEDIATION WITH LANDLORDS AND/OR FAMILY MEMBERS/FRIENDS; EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE; REFERRALS TO LEGAL, AND OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES; AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. ONE OF THE KEY COMPONENTS FOR A SUCCESSFUL HOMELESS PREVENTION PROGRAM IS FLEXIBLE FUNDING. THESE FUNDS ARE UTILIZED TO HELP FAMILIES ACHIEVE HOUSING STABILITY BY PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION TO GET THEM BACK HOME, WHICH COULD BE ANOTHER COUNTY OR OUT OF STATE WHERE THEY HAVE SAFE HOUSING AND STRONGER SUPPORT NETWORKS, BUS PASSES, MINOR CAR REPAIRS, CHILD CARE EXPENSES, BIRTH CERTIFICATES, AND/OR OTHER ALLOWABLE SERVICES THAT ARE NEEDED TO SECURE HOUSING STABILITY. IN 2025, 218 FAMILIES WERE SERVED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.
- $180,917 spent. WORK FOR SUCCESS: EMPLOYMENT SPECIALISTS WORK ONE ON ONE WITH ADULT FAMILY MEMBERS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WHO HAVE HIGH EMPLOYMENT BARRIERS. PROVIDING SAFE, STABLE HOUSING IS A PRIORITY IN ADDRESSING EMPLOYMENT FOR THE ADULT HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS. ADDITIONALLY, EMPLOYMENT SPECIALISTS ASSESS HARD-TO-EMPLOY ADULT FAMILY MEMBERS FOR EDUCATION, JOB EXPERIENCE AND NEED FOR ADDITIONAL CAREER SKILLS/JOB TRAINING, PREPARE THEM FOR JOB SEARCH, AND HELP THEM FIND GOOD JOBS. IN 2025, 63 CLIENTS WERE SERVED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 September 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 September 1986.
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.
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