Supported Life Institute
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The mission of Supported Life Institute is to offer educational and training opportunities to assist individuals and organizations in the work of improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.
- Income
- $998,388
- Spending
- $989,827
- Spent on programs
- 89%
- Reserves
- 0.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 87%
- Employees
- 41
- Highest pay
- $92,051, slp/aac specialist
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
Fair: 51 out of 100. Higher than 19% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.3 months of spending.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 57% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 5% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1589% 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
Fair: 59 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
5 of 250 of 9 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
0 of 7Reports no 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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)
- $561,241 spent. Communication Technology Education - operated an Assistive Technology Center providing assessment and training services to 300 individuals for Augmentative and Alternative Communication needs (AAC). Trained nearly 150 professionals, family members, persons with disabilities, and community members about augmentative communication technology and support. Held one monthly AAC user group remote averaging 8 participants. Continued web-based S.T.A.R. training series on best practices for supporting and interacting with people using an AAC device to communicate.
- $176,020 spent. Conferences and workshops - provided two leading annual conferences both in-person for people with disabilities and their family members and professionals on topics of developmental disabilities and inclusive communities. These statewide conferences attracted top-notch speakers and maintained strong attendance levels of 310-330 for each. About half of overall attendees were people with disabilities, the rest professional in the disability field, or family members.
- $147,734 spent. Advocacy - Coordinated self-advocacy activities within a ten-county regional area. The program in its 27th year of Operation, continues to be guided by a planning committee with expertise in the self-advocacy discipline. Provided twenty paid staff to seven local People First Chapters and self-advocacy groups, and hosted two in-person regional self-advocacy meetings this year with an average of 50 people in attendance. Researched and distributed information about a wide variety of self-advocacy virtual meetings to self-advocates in the area. Also provided facilitation and support services to people with disabilities on Board of Directors or Consumer Advisory Committee of a key nonprofit agency in the field, Alta California Regional Center.
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 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 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 October 1996.
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.