The Uncommon Friends Foundation Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
THE FOUNDATION'S MISSION IS TO PROMOTE CHARACTER EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS, BUSINESS ETHICS IN THE WORKPLACE AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION OF THE BURROUGHS HOME AND JAMES NEWTON ARCHIVES.
- Income
- $530,968
- Spending
- $471,020
- Spent on programs
- 64%
- Reserves
- 1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 36%
- Employees
- 7
- Volunteers
- 8
- Highest pay
- $80,000, executive 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
Fair: 68 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 10% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 11% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 28% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1564% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 17 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
Good: 87 out of 100. Higher than 76% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 16 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
12 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
No reported misuse
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, 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 (2)
- $34,681 spent. CHARACTER EDUCATION: IT'S ABOUT CELEBRATING AND TEACHING POSITIVE HUMAN QUALITIES. QUALITIES THAT LEAD TO PRODUCTIVE LIVES AND A THRIVING SOCIETY. THE FOUNDATION'S CHARACTER EDUCATION PROGRAM TEACHES TRAITS SUCH AS HONESTY, INTEGRITY, FRIENDSHIP, COOPERATION, AND PERSEVERANCE. THE CURRICULUM FOR GRADES 3 THROUGH 8 AND HIGH SCHOOL AND BEYOND PROVIDES TEACHERS AND STUDENTS WITH ACTIVITIES THAT INSTILL ETHICS AND POSITIVE CHARACTER TRAITS AND CAN BE INTEGRATED INTO ALL ACADEMIC SUBJECT AREAS WITHIN THE SIX COUNTIES OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. THE CURRICULUM IS ALSO AVAILABLE ONLINE FOR DOWNLOAD BY EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS WORLDWIDE.
- $267,295 spent. HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND EDUCATION: THE FOUNDATION AND NAME EVOLVED FROM JAMES D. NEWTON'S BOOK, UNCOMMON FRIENDS, RELATING TO HIS EXPERIENCES AND OBSERVATIONS OF THOSE WHO WERE INFLUENTIAL IN SHAPING THE TWENTIETH CENTURY (SUCH AS THOMAS A. EDISON, HENRY FORD, HARVEY FIRESTONE, ALEXIS CARREL AND CHARLES LINDBERGH). THE FOUNDATION SEEKS TO COLLECT, PRESERVE AND EXHIBIT ARCHIVAL AND THREE-DIMENSIONAL MATERIALS RELATED TO NEWTON. IN 2008, THE FOUNDATION MOVED INTO THE HISTORIC 1901 BURROUGHS HOME AND RESTORED IT TO DISPLAY THE NEWTON COLLECTION. HISTORICAL TOURS ARE GIVEN TO ADULTS AND CHILDREN TOURING THE NATIONAL HISTORIC REGISTERED BURROUGHS HOME.
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 October 1994.
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.