Camp Fire
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
OUR PROMISE Young people want to shape the world. Camp Fire provides the opportunity to find their Spark, Lift their voice and discover who they are.
- Income
- $789,702
- Spending
- $833,929
- Spent on programs
- 94%
- Reserves
- 13.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 88%
- Employees
- 50
- Volunteers
- 100
- Highest pay
- $12,118, 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
Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 76% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 13.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 6% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 9% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1594% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 14 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
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 79% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2517 of 17 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 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)
- $585,470 spent. KIDS CARE This program offers to parents and their children affordable, licensed afterschool childcare programs for children ages 5 to 12 years old at (6) MISD and (5) ECISD campuses. The program is offered from after school each school day until 6:00P PM. The factors of affordability and easy access enhance the abilitiy of parents and older siblings to engage in employment and educational opportunities without worrying about the care of younger children.
- $195,128 spent. SUMMER CAMP This program offers to parents and their children affordable, licensed, all day summer childcare programs at St. Marks United Methodist Church and at Gonzales Elementary school. The target group for this program is the families with children ages 5 to 12 years old who need childcare so that they can go to work or school. Our program is one of the very few childcare providers that offer financial assistance to families in need.
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Worth knowing.
Not individually listed by the IRS as eligible, which is usual for local chapters covered by a parent organization's exemption. The master file records contributions to it as deductible.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since October 1965.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.