Center for the Missing
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE ORGANIZATION'S PURPOSE IS TO BRING HOPE AND HEALING TO THE MISSING AND THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH CRISIS INTERVENTION, PREVENTION AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION
- Income
- $865,460
- Spending
- $691,918
- Spent on programs
- 74%
- Reserves
- 9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 82%
- Employees
- 5
- Volunteers
- 21
- Highest pay
- $104,464, ceo
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
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 9.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 20% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 27% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1574% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 19 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 92% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $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
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 (3)
- RESPOND-TCM PROVIDES CRISIS CASE MANAGEMENT AND ON-GOING SUPPORT TO AID THE REUNIFICATION OF FAMILIES AND TO FACILITATE THE HEALING PROCESS FOR RECOVERED MISSING PERSONS AND THE SEARCHING FAMILIES WHO NEED HOPE.2025 SERVICES INCLUDE: WORKING 337 NEW MISSING PERSON CASES (INCLUDING PERSONS FOR WHOM EMERGENCY ALERTS WERE ACTIVATED) INVOLVING 86 MISSING CHILDREN, 251 MISSING ADULTS, AND SERVING 4,044 FAMILY MEMBERS. 61 FAMILIES WERE REUNITED AS A DIRECT RESULT OF TCMS SERVICES AND ACTIONS
- PREPARE-TCM PROVIDES SERVICES AND SUPPORT TO LAW ENFORCEMENT INVESTIGATORS AND AGENCIES THROUGH TRAINING AND HOUSTON REGIONAL EMERGENCY ALERT ACTIVATIONS (AMBER, SILVER, CLEAR, AND ENDANGERED MISSING PERSONS ALERTS). 2025 SERVICES INCLUDED: 4 AMBER ALERTS FOR AT RISK MISSING CHILDREN(100% SAFE RECOVERY RATE);33 SILVER ALERTS FOR AT RISK ADULTS WITH DEMENTIA (88% SAFE RECOVERY RATE);9 CLEAR ALERTS FOR ENDANGERED ADULTS (78% SAFE RECOVERY RATE); 5 ENDANGERED MISSING PERSONS ALERTS FOR AT-RISK INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES (100% SAFE RECOVERY RATE); PROVIDED 14 LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAININGS AND PRESENTATIONS FOR 346 OFFICERS ON HOW AND WHEN TO ACTIVATE THE HOUSTON REGIONAL EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEMS.
- IMPACT-TCM DISTRIBUTES CHILD ID KITS AND SAFETY PUBLICATIONS TO CHILDREN, PARENTS/CAREGIVERS, EUCATORS, AND CARING COMMUNITY MEMBERS; PROVIDES SAFETY EDUCATION TO TEACH CHILDREN HOW TO STAY SAFER IN REAL LIFE AND THE DIGITAL WORLD; TEACHES PARENTS HOW TO SAFEGUARD AND MONITOR THEIR CHILDREN IN REAL LIFE AND ONLINE, AS WELL AS WHAT TO DO IF THEIR CHILD GOES MISSING. 2025 SERVICES INCLUDED: DISTRIBUTING 749 SAFETY BROCHURES AND 2958 CHILD ID KITS, AND PRESENTING SAFETY PRESENTATIONS ATTENDED BY 1423 CHILDREN AND 352 ADULTS.
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 September 2000.
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.