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Southern Mississippi Planning and Development District Inc

EIN 64-0441554 · Gulfport, MS

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong92 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MISSION OF SMPDD IS TO PROMOTE CIVIC IMPROVEMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE LOWER FIFTEEN COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI.

Income
$46.1 million
Spending
$43.6 million
Spent on programs
97%
Reserves
3.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 93%
Employees
258
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$388,603, exec. director

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

Good: 85 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 8% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 5% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 18% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    97% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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: 92 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    41 of 41 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no 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 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 (10)
  1. $14.2 million spent. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT - WIOA, THROUGH FUNDING FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (US DOL), PROVIDED EMPLOYMENT AND EDUCATIONAL TRAINING SERVICES TO 2,690 PARTICIPANTS. AMONG THOSE SERVICED, 275 PARTICIPANTS RECEIVED INDIVIDUAL TRAINING ACCOUNTS (ITAS) THAT WERE FUNDED AT A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $847,880.31. ITA FUNDS ASSIST PARTICIPANTS WITH THEIR EDUCATIONAL COSTS. THERE WERE 65 INDIVIDUALS ENROLLED IN ON-THE-JOB (OJT) TRAINING, AT A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $562,980.92. OJT FUNDS HELP BUSINESSES OFFSET TRAINING COSTS AND CUSTOMIZE THE TRAINING TO THEIR SPECIFIC NEEDS. IN ADDITION, 369 YOUTH WERE ENROLLED IN TWIN DISTRICTS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AREA'S IN-SCHOOL AND OUT-OF-SCHOOL YOUTH PROGRAMS. MS WORKS, THROUGH FUNDING FROM ACCELERATEMS, PROVIDED TRAINING SERVICES TO 328 PARTICIPANTS, AT A TOTAL OF $956,466.81.SCSEP, THROUGH FUNDING FROM THE CENTER FOR WORKFORCE INCLUSION, AND THE MS DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT SECURITY, PROVIDED COMMUNITY SERVICE AND TRAINING SERVICES TO LOW INCOME PEOPLE THROUGH THE SENIOR COMMUNITY SERVICE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM. THERE WERE 54 ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM, AND THEY RECEIVED 34,838.75 HOURS OF EMPLOYMENT TRAINING.HIGH SCHOOL CAREER COACH- THROUGH FUNDING FROM ACCELERATEMS AND THE MS DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT SECURITY, AS THE FISCAL AGENT, SMPDD HAS HIRED 41 HIGH SCHOOL CAREER COACHES, WHICH SERVE STUDENTS IN 47 HIGH SCHOOLS, WITHIN 21 COUNTIES. THE CAREER COACH PROGRAM IS A STUDENTS' CONNECTION TO CAREER INFORMATION, OPTIONS, EDUCATION, TRAINING AND OPPORTUNITIES.TANF CAREER STEP, THROUGH FUNDING FROM THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT HUMAN SERVICES, SERVED 346 PARTICIPANTS. THE CAREER STEP PROGRAM CONNECTS INDIVIDUALS WITH MULTIPLE BARRIERS TO COACHING, TRAINING, AND SUPPORT SERVICES THAT WILL PLACE THEM ON A PATH TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY.RE-ENTRY PROGRAMS - PREPARES OFFENDERS HOUSED AT REGIONAL FACILITIES AND RE-ENTRY CENTERS FOR A SUCCESSFUL RETURN TO EMPLOYMENT, AND A REDUCTION IN RECIDIVISM. SMPDD'S RE-ENTRY PROGRAMS INCLUDE:1- RESTORE ACCELERATED RE-ENTRY PROGRAM (ARP), FUNDED THROUGH ACCELERATEMS, SERVED 43 PARTICIPANTS. 2- PATHWAYHOME5, FUNDED THROUGH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, SERVED 103 PARTICIPANTS. 3- PARTNERS FOR RE-ENTRY OPPORTUNITIES IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT (PROWD), FUNDED THROUGH THE MS DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT SECURITY, SERVED 13 PARTICIPANTS.
  2. $7.6 million spent. AREA AGENCY ON AGING - CONSISTS OF PROGRAMS FOR PEOPLE 60 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER. 687,336 UNITS OF THE FOLLOWING SERVICES WERE PROVIDED TO 5,603 CLIENTS: MEALS, HOMEMAKER SERVICES, INFORMATION AND REFERRAL, ADULT DAY CARE, CASE MANAGEMENT, LEGAL SERVICES, RESPITE CARE, SENIOR CENTER SERVICES, HOME MODIFICATIONS, AND TRANSPORTATION. INSURANCE COUNSELING WAS PROVIDED TO 1,688 INDIVIDUALS BY DIRECT CONTACT, 4,587 PEOPLE WERE REACHED THROUGH PUBLIC OUTREACH EVENTS, AND 85,252 PEOPLE WERE REACHED THROUGH MAIL-OUTS.
  3. $10.0 million spent. MEDICAID WAIVER - PROVIDES HOME AND COMMUNITY BASED SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS OVER THE AGE OF 21 WHO, IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH SERVICES, WOULD REQUIRE THE LEVEL OF CARE PROVIDED IN A NURSING FACILITY. PARTICIPANTS MUST MEET INCOME AND HEALTH REQUIREMENTS. 3,933 ELDERLY AND DISABLED MEDICAID WAIVER CLIENTS RECEIVED 41,440 UNITS OF SERVICE OF CASE MANAGEMENT AND 362,544 HOME DELIVERED MEALS.
  4. $8.0 million spent. VETERAN DIRECTED CARE - SERVES VETERANS OF ALL AGES WHO ARE AT RISK OF NURSING HOME PLACEMENT. VETERANS ARE ALLOTTED FUNDS TO EMPLOY HOME HEALTH CARE WORKERS AND TO PURCHASE ITEMS TO INCREASE THEIR ABILITY TO REMAIN IN THEIR HOMES. DURING FY 2025, 322 VETERANS PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM.
  5. $192,880 spent. OTHER SENIOR SERVICES PROGRAMS - THE FOSTER GRANDPARENT PROGRAM PROVIDED A STIPEND TO 23 PEOPLE 55 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER TO SERVE AS COMPANIONS, MENTORS, TUTORS, AND ADVISORS TO YOUNG PEOPLE. THE ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE PROGRAM PROVIDED SERVICES TO PEOPLE WITH ADRD AND THEIR CAREGIVERS. THE PROGRAM PROVIDED SERVICES TO 84 CLIENTS.
  6. $609,560 spent. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
  7. $404,794 spent. BUSINESS OUTREACH & LOAN DIVISION
  8. $1.1 million spent. SPECIAL PROJECTS
  9. $14,526 spent. OTHER PROGRAM SERVICE REVENUE
  10. $405,507 spent. CONSUMER DIRECTED CARE - ALLOWS ELIGIBLE SENIORS TO RECEIVE SERVICES IN THEIR HOME WHILE MANAGING THEIR OWN CARE PLAN AND BUDGET. DURING FY 2025, 116 SENIORS PARTICIPATED IN THE 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

  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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

  4. 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 September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since February 1976.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.