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Family Giving Tree

EIN 77-0284682 · Santa Clara, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood78 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

BY INSPIRING COMMUNITY KINDNESS, GENEROSITY, AND VOLUNTEERISM. THE FAMILY GIVING TREE FULFILLS EXACT HOLIDAY WISHES AND PROVIDES BACKPACKS FILLED WITH SCHOOL SUPPLIES TO THOSE IN NEED.

Income
$5.6 million
Spending
$5.7 million
Spent on programs
81%
Reserves
5.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 99%
Employees
26
Volunteers
4,785
Highest pay
$195,918, chief financial officer

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

Financial health

Good: 78 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 8% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 4% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 7% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    81% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending April 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

    9 of 9 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 April 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 (2)
  1. $2.4 million spent. SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 1990, THE ORGANIZATION HAS HELD A BELIEF THAT NO ONE SHOULD FEEL FORGOTTEN DURING THE HOLIDAYS. DELIVERING A WISHED-FOR GIFT BRINGS JOY AND HOPE AND DELIVERS THE PRICELESS MESSAGE, "YOU MATTER. YOU HAVE VALUE". THE ORGANIZATION WORKS WITH NEARLY 300 SOCIAL SERVICES AGENCIES (UNHOUSED SUPPORT SERVICES, COMMUNITY CENTERS, REHABILITATION HOUSES, AND VARIOUS NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS) AND SCHOOLS TO SUPPORT ITS HOLIDAY WISH DRIVE. THESE AGENCIES SUPPLY THE ORGANIZATION WITH THE NAME AND TWO SPECIFIC WISHES OF THE CHILDREN AND INDIVIDUALS THEY SERVE YEAR-ROUND. A WISH CARD IS PRINTED FOR EACH CHILD OR INDIVIDUAL, DETAILING AGE, GENDER, FIRST NAME, AND THE SPECIFIC GIFT WISHES. THESE WISHES ARE THEN DISTRIBUTED TO NEARLY 700 VOLUNTEER DRIVE LEADERS (INDIVIDUALS, SOCIAL GROUPS, AND BUSINESSES) WHO DISPLAY WISH CARDS - OFTEN ON HOLIDAY TREES - IN A PUBLIC AREA, SUCH AS A BUSINESS LOBBY. BY SELECTING A WISH CARD, AN INDIVIDUAL COMMITS TO PURCHASING A GIFT TO DONATE FOR THOSE MOST UNDERSERVED DURING THE HOLIDAYS.THE ORGANIZATION HOSTED APPROXIMATELY 2,100 VOLUNTEERS IN 50,000 SQUARE FEET OF DONATED WAREHOUSE SPACE IN DECEMBER 2024 AND HOSTED APPROXIMATELY 3,000 VOLUNTEERS IN 50,000 SQUARE FEET OF DONATED PROGRAM SPACE IN DECEMBER 2023, WHERE THE DONATED GIFTS ARE THEN SORTED, WRAPPED, AND DISBURSED TO THE ORGANIZATION'S AGENCY PARTNERS FOR DISTRIBUTION. IN ADDITION, THE ORGANIZATION MAINTAINS A VIRTUAL GIVING TREE DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON AT WISHDRIVE.ORG. DURING THE YEARS ENDED APRIL 30, 2025 AND 2024, THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDED HOLIDAY GIFTS TO APPROXIMATELY 45,000 AND 44,000 CHILDREN, RESPECTIVELY.
  2. $2.2 million spent. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO HOLDS THE CONVICTION THAT EDUCATION IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE PATH OUT OF POVERTY; AND ACCORDING TO THE US CENSUS BUREAU, ALMOST ONE OUT OF EVERY FOUR CALIFORNIA CHILDREN ARE CURRENTLY LIVING BELOW THE FEDERAL POVERTY LINE. TOO OFTEN, THESE CHILDREN LACK THE MOST BASIC SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND EDUCATIONAL TOOLS REQUIRED FOR LEARNING AND HOMEWORK. THE ORGANIZATION'S BACK-TO-SCHOOL DRIVE AIMS TO CLOSE THE EDUCATIONAL GAP FOR CHILDREN FROM LOW-INCOME FAMILIES, BY PROVIDING BACKPACKS FILLED WITH ESSENTIAL, GRADE-APPROPRIATE SCHOOL SUPPLIES.USING A SIMILAR METHOD OF OPERATION, THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDED BACKPACKS FILLED WITH ESSENTIAL, GRADE-APPROPRIATE SCHOOL SUPPLIES - INCLUDING STEAM (SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ART AND MATHEMATICS) SUPPLIES - TO APPROXIMATELY 28,000 K-12 STUDENTS, WHO HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS SOCIOECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED BY THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCTION, DURING TH YEARS ENDED APRIL 30, 2025 AND 2024. OVER 300 DRIVE LEADERS VOLUNTEERED TO ASSIST IN DISPLAYING BACKPACK AND SCHOOL SUPPLY LIST CARDS TO SUPPORT THE GOAL OF THE BACK-TO-SCHOOL DRIVE IN 2024 AND 2023. THE ORGANIZATION HOSTED APPROXIMATELY 300 DRIVE LEADERS AND 2,000 VOLUNTEERS IN 28,000 SQUARE FEET OF DONATED PROGRAM SPACE IN AUGUST 2024 AND APPROXIMATELY 350 DRIVE LEADERS AND 200 VOLUNTEERS IN 50,000 SQUARE FEET IN AUGUST 2023, TO SORT, FILL, AND DISTRIBUTE THE BACKPACKS TO QUALIFYING SCHOOLS. APPROXIMATELY 250 SCHOOLS AND NONPROFIT AGENCIES RECEIVED THE FILLED BACKPACKS FOR DISTRIBUTION TO QUALIFYING K-12 STUDENTS IN 2024 AND 2023.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending April 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

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

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

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since July 1991.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.