Goodwill Industries of South Central California
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF SOUTH CENTRAL CALIFORNIA (GOODWILL) IS TO PROVIDE WORK OPPORTUNITIES AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT TO PEOPLE WITH BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT. GOODWILL PRIMARILY UTILIZES A TRANSITIONAL EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM MODEL, FUNDED THROUGH REVENUE GENERATED BY THE DONATED GOODS RETAIL PROGRAM, TO DELIVERMISSION SERVICES. GOODWILL PROVIDES EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, TRAINING, AND CAREERSERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND EMOTIONAL DISABILITIES, AS WELL ASTHOSE WITH DISADVANTAGES SUCH AS WELFARE DEPENDENCY, HOMELESSNESS, SOCIAL ANDCULTURAL BARRIERS, AND LACK OF EDUCATION OR WORK EXPERIENCE. ADDITIONALLY, GOODWILL PROVIDES ASSESSMENT AND EMPLOYMENT SERVICES TO CLIENTS OF THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF REHABILITATION; SERVES AS A TRAINING WORKSITE FOR STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE TRANSITION TO INDEPENDENT LIVING PROGRAM AT TAFT COLLEGE; AND OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE PARTICIPANTS REFERRED BY THE COURTS, SCHOOL SYSTEMS, AND OTHER AGENCIES TO FULFILL THEIR RE
- Income
- $20.1 million
- Spending
- $22.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 91%
- Reserves
- -3.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 100%
- Employees
- 360
- Highest pay
- $168,528, president & ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 34 out of 100. Higher than 3% of charities in its peer group (employment, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 67% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 14% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 1% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1591% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 41% of charities in its peer group (employment, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 13 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, 2024, 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)
- $20.4 million spent. THROUGH THE TRANSITIONAL EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM FUNDED THROUGH PROCEEDS FROM THE SALE OF DONATED GOODS, GOODWILL HIRES INDIVIDUALS WITH BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT AND PROVIDES THEM WITH STEADY INCOME TO HELP THEM ACHIEVE FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE. GOODWILL UTILIZES ITS RETAIL STORES, DONATION CENTERS, AND WAREHOUSE SALVAGE OPERATIONS TO PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT AND JOB TRAINING TO PEOPLE WITH VOCATIONAL DISABILITIES OR DISADVANTAGES AND OTHER HAVING A HARD TIME FINDING EMPLOYMENT. GOODWILL ACCEPTS DONATIONS OF CLOTHING AND HOUSEHOLD GOODS FROM THE PUBLIC AND SELLS THESE DONATIONS IN GOODWILL'S COMMUNITY-BASED AND ONLINE RETAIL STORES. REVENUE FFROM THE SALE OF THESE GOODS GOES DIRECTLY TOWARDS SUPPORTING AND GROWING THE GOODWILL EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM. PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROGRAM LEARN BASIC LIFE AND EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS, AS WELL AS SPECIFIC SILLS THAT PREPARE THEM FOR EMPLOYMENT IN A VARIETY OF JOBS REQUIRING CUSTOMER SERVICE PROFICIENCY. IN 2024, GOODWILL HIRED 107 LOCAL INDIVIDUALS, 66.4% OF WHOM HAD A DOCUMENTED, DECLARED BARRIER TO EMPLOYMENT. THE AVERAGE HOURLY WAGE OF THOSE 96 INDIVIDUALS WAS $16.21 PLUS BENEFITS AND 98.2% WERE HIRED INTO FULL TIME JOBS OF 35 OR MORE HOURS PER WEEK. GOODWILL WAS ABLE TO PROMOTE 38 INDIVIDUALS DURING THE YEAR AT AN AVERAGE ANNUAL WAGE INCREASE OF 21.6%. THE INTERNAL PROMOTIONS TOOK AN AVERAGE OF 18.6 MONTHS TO ACHIEVE.
- $281,653 spent. GOODWILL PROVIDED PLACEMENT AND ASSESSMENT SERVICES FOR THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF REHABILITATION (DOR) IN KERN, KINGS, FRESNO, AND TULARE COUNTIES. DOR IS AN EMPLOYMENT AND INDEPENDENT LIVING RESOURCE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILIITES. IN 2024, GOODWILL PROVIDED 56 SITUATIONAL ASSESSMENTS AND PLACED 31 INDIVIDUALS IN COMMUNITY EMPLOYMENT WITH 71.7% RETENTION AT 90 DAYS. THE PEOPLE SERVED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM HAVE VOCATIONAL BARRIERS INCLUDING PSYCHIATRIC, COGNITIVE, ADN PHYSICAL DISABILITIES. GOODWILL PROVIDED JOB READINESS TRAINING, RESUME DEVELOPMENT, INTERVIEW PREPAREDNESS, JOB PLACEMENT, AND RETENTION ASSISTANCE. THE TRANSITION TO INDEPENDENT LIVING (TIL) PROGRAM IS A POST-SECONDARY EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE AT TAFT COLLEGE FOR ADULTS WHO HAVE DEVELOPMENT/INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES INSTRUCTION, TRAINING, AND SUPPORT AND CAREER SKILLS NECESSARY FOR STUDENTS TO LIVE A PRODUCTIVE AND NORMALIZED LIFESTYLE. THROUGH REGULAR EMPLOYMENT, GOODWILL PROVIDES A WORK EXPERIENCE FOR LIVING INDEPENDENTLY UPON GRADUATION. THE KERN COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES REFERRED 13 INDIVIDUALS TO GOODWILL FOR WORK EXPERIENCE THROUGH THE EPP, PWEX, OR WELFARE TO WORK PROGRAMS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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? 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 September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
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 April 1987.
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.
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