The Montrose Center
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The Montrose Center (TMC) empowers our community, primarily gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals and their families, to enjoy healthier and more fulfilling lives by providing culturally affirming and affordable behavioral health and prevention services.
- Income
- $12.0 million
- Spending
- $11.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 82%
- Reserves
- 7.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 55%
- Employees
- 107
- Volunteers
- 779
- Highest pay
- $211,518, ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 83 out of 100. Higher than 79% of charities in its peer group (mental health, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 7.8 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 42% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 10% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1582% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 37% of charities in its peer group (mental health, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 258 of 8 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 August 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 (4)
- $4.7 million spent. Case management provided services to clients and outreach participants to promote continuity of care, enabling clients to function independently using government, private, and community resources. To support this intention, we provide services to help clients address challenges to living a healthy life, including access to mental and psychosocial services in a timely and coordinated manner. These services include assistance with completing and submitting government forms, as well as locating transportation, housing, and other resources. In addition to case management services for those living with HIV disease, specialized case management services are available to deaf/hard of hearing and survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, or a bias/hate crime.
- $3.4 million spent. The Montrose Center's counseling services are part of the Living Insightfully for Empowerment (LIFE) program, a psychotherapy and counseling program designed to empower clients' self-sufficiency in recovery without fear of encountering prejudice, ignorance, homophobia, or heterosexism in an LGBT-affirming environment. LIFE serves special populations of the LGBT community through Anti-Violence, HIV/AIDS, and Chemical Dependency programming. Anti-Violence staff provide counseling services to address issues related to domestic violence, sexual assault, hate crimes, and childhood sexual abuse. HIV/AIDS staff provide individual and group counseling to people affected by or infected with HIV or AIDS.See Schedule OChemical Dependency counselors offer a combination of education, therapy, and counseling as a state-licensed outpatient treatment program designed primarily for the LGBT community. All programs above are LGBT affirming to provide the best service and outcomes for the target population. All phases of the program offer services to family members and others significant in the lives of clients participating in the program. Counseling services were provided in-kind by student interns. The value of the in-kind services was $72,772.
- $658,092 spent. The senior program provides counseling, case management services, social and recreational activities, and health wellness education to LGBT people 60 and over. The Youth program provides adolescents and young adults who identify as LGBTQ with outreach, counseling, role models, and peer support to help prevent homelessness among youth. The Women's program supports lesbian women, breaking down barriers that lesbians face when accessing health and social services through advocacy, professional and community education, and case management. The program also hosts an annual celebration dance in support of women and their friends.
- $626,586 spent. The Montrose Center's education programs provide current and accessible information on HIV, sexually transmitted infections, chemical dependency, hepatitis, and tuberculosis by offering seminars on homophobia, heterosexism, and cultural sensitivity. The Montrose Center also provides anti-violence education that includes violence dynamics in the LGBT community. Educational services offer information and training not only to LGBT people but to the greater Houston metropolitan area as a whole to create LGBT cultural sensitivity. Seminars and outreach conversations are provided in prisons, halfway houses, inpatient and outpatient recovery centers, schools, social organizations, businesses and corporations, community and neighborhood groups, health care and legal professionals, churches, and families.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 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 August 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 June 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 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.