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Storyteller Childrens Center Inc

EIN 77-0283072 · Santa Barbara, CA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood73 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Storyteller Childrens Center is a non-profit organization that provides high quality early childhood education for homeless and at risk children, as well as comprehensive support services for their families. These families fall well below the poverty guidelines and are living in shelters, cars or in multiple family environments, and nearly half of Storyteller children have special needs due to their traumatic early life experiences. Storytellers three-pronged approach to school readiness involves the parents, the teachers and the child. Our goals are for children to be prepared to enter Kindergarten ready to learn, their families able to support their childs learning and development, and that our teachers are trained as best in class and able to be effective therapeutic educators. Our seamless integration of all day services includes early childhood education, therapeutic counseling, 2.5 healthy meals a day, and medical screenings for our children; parent educations classes, home visit

Income
$2.7 million
Spending
$3.0 million
Spent on programs
76%
Reserves
8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 47%
Employees
44
Volunteers
11
Highest pay
$173,218, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 73 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 8.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 17% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 12% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 1% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    76% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    16 of 16 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 (1)
  1. $2.3 million spent. Comprehensive Developmental Screenings: Completed developmental and social-emotional screenings for 148 students, ensuring early identification of needs and successful referrals to partner agencies for additional support.High Environmental Quality: Maintained high environmental quality in classrooms, with ECERS/ITERS assessments yielding an average score of 6.5 across infant and toddler classrooms, reflecting strong care routines and safe, stimulating environments for children.Strengthened Instructional Support: Achieved an 86% score in Instructional Support on CLASS assessments, demonstrating effective practices in concept development and positive interactions that enhance childrens learning experiences.Positive Parent Feedback: Gained a 95% response rate in parent surveys, with 100% of families expressing satisfaction with program quality, indicating strong trust and appreciation for the services provided.Increased Family Engagement: Improved communication with families through the intentional use of the Learning Genie app, fostering greater parental involvement in children's daily activities and learning.Professional Development: Provided staff with targeted training sessions focused on understanding and addressing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), helping educators cultivate resilience and empathetic caregiving strategies.Data-Driven Decision Making: Initiated a structured approach to data usage for goal-setting and program direction, ensuring that outcomes from assessments inform future practices and strategies.Enhanced Classroom Environments: Responded to CLASS assessment feedback by implementing strategies to display childrens artwork and writing, and introduced multicultural materials into the classroom setting.Reflective Practice Initiatives: Fostered a culture of reflective practice through staff training, significantly enhancing educators ability to support diverse learning needs and improve educational outcomes.Collaboration with Community Agencies: Strengthened partnerships with community services, facilitating a holistic approach to child development that integrates educational, emotional, and familial support.Goals for the Storyteller Program in the 2025-2026 School YearMaintain High ECERS/ITERS Scores: Aim to enhance environmental quality further by striving for an average ECERS/ITERS score of 7.0 across all classrooms (Infants and toddler classrooms only). Improve CLASS Scores in Key Areas: Continue to build in strategies with staff around Instructional Support and Emotional Support on the CLASS assessments by implementing targeted strategies identified in feedback.Enhance Parent Engagement Programs: Increase parent participation in school events and initiatives through new outreach strategies and offerings tailored to family interests and schedules.Utilize Data for Program Improvement: Establish a bi-annual review process for data collected from evaluations and assessments, with actionable goals developed based on findings.Incorporate Multicultural Resources: Integrate at least five new multicultural resources or materials into the classroom within the first semester to reflect the diversity of the student body.Focus on Social-Emotional and Mental Health Training: Provide at least two trainings focusing on mental health and wellness for staff, enabling educators to better support children who are dealing with adversity.Launch Family Support Workshops (THRIVE Program): Implement at least three family support workshops throughout the year to further educate parents about child development and how to engage in their childs learning journey.Increase Staff Retention Rates: Enhance professional development opportunities and foster a supportive work environment to achieve a higher staff retention rate.Document and Share Success Stories: Regularly document and share success stories and impactful outcomes from programs with staff, parents, and the community to highlight the benefits of the Storyteller Program and encourage continued support.By focusing on these goals, the Storyteller Program can continue to strengthen its impact on children's development, family engagement, and community collaboration in the coming school year.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since October 1996.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.