Citizens Development Center
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
CITIZENS DEVELOPMENT CENTER (DBA U & I) EMPOWERS MEN AND WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES TO ACHIEVE THEIR HIGHEST LEVEL OF EMPLOYMENT, AND ULTIMATELY THEIR HIGHEST LEVEL OF INDEPENDENCE. PROGRAMS INCLUDE VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT PLACEMENT SERVICES.
- Income
- $4.5 million
- Spending
- $4.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 88%
- Reserves
- 2.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 75%
- Employees
- 1,272
- Volunteers
- 29
- Highest pay
- $115,137, 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
Fair: 65 out of 100. Higher than 36% of charities in its peer group (employment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 6% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 21% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1588% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 46% of charities in its peer group (employment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 7 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
0 of 10Did not give 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 (2)
- $2.9 million spent. U & I'S WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM PROVIDES WORK READINESS TRAINING AND JOB PLACEMENT ASSISTANCE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES WITH A FOCUS ON VETERANS, YOUTH IN TRANSITION, AND THOSE LIVING IN POVERTY. SERVICES ADDRESS THE NUMEROUS EMPLOYMENT OBSTACLES THEY FACE AND INCLUDE VOCATIONAL ADJUSTMENT TRAINING, WORK EXPERIENCE, MOBILE WORK CREWS, AND EMPLOYMENT/PLACEMENT. VOCATIONAL ADJUSTMENT TRAINING (VAT) IS CURRICULUM-BASED INSTRUCTION FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS WHO ARE PREPARING TO TRANSITION OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL. THIS INSTRUCTION TARGETS SELF-AWARENESS, SOFT SKILLS, JOB PREPARATION, DISABILITY DISCLOSURE AND MONEY MANAGEMENT. THERE ARE 6 VAT MODULES RANGING FROM 10 TO 30 HOURS EACH. VAT GREATLY BENEFITS STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS BY HELPING THEM DEVELOP COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS NECESSARY FOR SUCCESS ON THE JOB AND IN THE COMMUNITY, DEVELOP JOB PREPARATION SKILLS TO INCREASE THEIR PROBABILITY OF GETTING A JOB, AND IMPROVE THEIR COMMUNICATION AND INTERPERSONAL SKILLS. WORK EXPERIENCE TRAINING PROVIDES SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS WITH EXPERIENCE IN A "REAL PEOPLE DOING REAL WORK" ENVIRONMENT, AND HELPS THE STUDENT EXPLORE CAREER OPTIONS, GAIN WORK EXPERIENCE, DEVELOP EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS, IMPROVE SOFT SKILLS, AND BUILD SELF CONFIDENCE. STUDENTS ARE ASSIGNED TO A WORK SITE FOR 4 TO 6 HOURS PER DAY FOR UP TO 12 WEEKS. AT THE WORKSITE, OUR UNTWISE CERTIFIED JOB SKILLS TRAINERS WORK SIDE BY SIDE WITH THE STUDENT TEACHING WORK AND SOFT SKILLS, REINFORCING SKILLS, AND ESTABLISHING JOB ACCOMMODATIONS. OUR MOBILE WORK CREWS PROVIDE JANITORIAL AND LANDSCAPING SERVICES FOR AREA TXDOT FACILITIES. OUR EMPLOYMENT/PLACEMENT SERVICES INCLUDE AN ARRAY OF SUPPORT AND SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES, INCLUDING VETERANS AND THOSE LIVING IN POVERTY, SO THAT THEY CAN SUCCESSFULLY OBTAIN AND MAINTAIN EMPLOYMENT. SERVICES INCLUDE EXTENSIVE ASSESSMENT, JOB READINESS TRAINING, JOB PLACEMENT ASSISTANCE, COUNSELING/GUIDANCE, WEEKLY SUPPORT GROUP, COMPUTER LAB, TRANSPORTATION TO JOB FAIRS/INTERVIEWS, MONTHLY BUS PASSES, REFERRALS/ASSISTANCE (FOOD PANTRIES, HOUSING SERVICES, CLOTHES CLOSETS, ETC.), WORK-RELATED EQUIPMENT, EMPLOYER EDUCATION, AND LIFETIME JOB RETENTION SERVICES. IN THE 2024-2025 FISCAL YEAR, U & I'S WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES SERVED 937 INDIVIDUALS. U&I'S PARTNERSHIP WITH WORK QUEST AND WAGE SERVICES PROGRAM PROVIDES PAYROLL SERVICES TO WORK QUEST/TX WORKFORCE COMMISSION WHO PROVIDE THE WORK EXPERIENCE TRAINING FOR INDIVIDUALS ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS. U&I SERVED 917 INDIVIDUALS IN THE WAGE SERVICES PROGRAM IN THE 2024-2025 FISCAL YEAR.
- $924,801 spent. U & I'S DAY HABILITATION PROGRAM PROVIDES VOCATIONAL TRAINING, LIFE SKILLS INSTRUCTION, AND PAID WORK OPPORTUNITIES TO INDIVIDUALS WITH SEVERE DISABILITIES SO THEY CAN DEVELOP ESSENTIAL WORK AND SOFT SKILLS AND BE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR MOST INDEPENDENT WORK ENVIRONMENT. CLIENTS LEARN WORK SKILLS WHILE PERFORMING PACKAGING AND ASSEMBLY JOBS. TECHNIQUES SUCH AS BREAKING THE JOB INTO SMALLER STEPS AND ADAPTIVE AIDS LIKE COUNTING BOARDS ARE USED TO ENABLE OUR CLIENTS TO COMPLETE A VARIETY OF TASKS. SOFT SKILLS TRAINING IS PROVIDED THROUGHOUT THE DAY USING POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT, INSTRUCTION, GUIDANCE, AND ROLE-PLAY. CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION IS ALSO PROVIDED TO REINFORCE SKILLS LEARNED DURING WORK TRAINING AND TEACH NEW LIFE AND SOFT SKILLS. TOPICS INCLUDE SAFETY, COMMUNICATION, SOCIALIZATION, AND WORK-READINESS. SOCIAL ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS PARTIES, ARE SCHEDULED TO FURTHER DEVELOP INTERPERSONAL SKILLS. AS EACH CLIENT HAS UNIQUE OBSTACLES TO EMPLOYMENT, INDIVIDUALIZED GOALS ARE IDENTIFIED USING A PERSON-CENTERED PLANNING MODEL. A SUBCOMPONENT OF THIS PROGRAM, ENHANCED DAY HABILITATION, PROVIDES ADDITIONAL LIFE SKILLS INSTRUCTIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE DIFFICULTY PARTICIPATING IN A FULL-DAY VOCATIONAL PROGRAM DUE TO MEDICAL, BEHAVIORAL, OR ATTENTION CHALLENGES AND/OR REQUIRE ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE IN ADAPTIVE SKILLS. IN THE 2024-2025 FISCAL YEAR, ACHIEVE SERVED 119 INDIVIDUALS IN THIS PROGRAM.
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 August 1953.
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.