Gary Sinise Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
AT THE GARY SINISE FOUNDATION, WE SUPPORT OUR NATION'S HEROES, OUR VETERANS, MILITARY, THOSE SUFFERING FROM THE INVISIBLE WOUNDS OF WAR, FIRST RESPONDERS, THEIR FAMILIES, AND THE FAMILIES OF FALLEN HEROES. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)WE DO THIS BY OUR UNIQUE PROGRAMS THAT UPLIFT, ENTERTAIN, AND HELP THEM IN THEIR GREATEST TIME OF NEED THROUGH BUILDING COMMUNITIES OF SUPPORT.
- Income
- $85.5 million
- Spending
- $82.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 89%
- Reserves
- 10.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 90%
- Employees
- 80
- Volunteers
- 2,046
- Highest pay
- $490,855, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 10.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 6% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 5% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1589% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 37% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 9 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 March 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 (4)
- $26.3 million spent. RELIEF AND RESILIENCY OUTREACH SUPPORTS OUR NATION'S DEFENDERS, WOUNDED/ILL/INJURED VETERANS, THEIR LOVED ONES AND FAMILIES OF FALLEN HEROES AS THEY COPE WITH TRAUMA AND LOSS. THE FOUNDATION PROVIDED OVER 566 GRANTS TO THESE INDIVIDUALS IN THEIR TIME OF URGENT NEED. THE GARY SINISE FOUNDATION HOSTED 11,424 PARTICIPANTS IN MENTAL WELLNESS RETREATS ALLOWING VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS TO EXPERIENCE PATHH & STRUGGLE WELL PROGRAMMING THIS YEAR. IN 2024, THE FOUNDATION HOSTED 2,587 FAMILIES OF FALLEN HEROES AT TWO ANNUAL SNOWBALL EVENTS (ONE FOR MILITARY FALLEN AND ONE FOR FIRST RESPONDER FALLEN FAMILIES) AND 3,117 ATTENDEES AT OTHER YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMMING EVENTS TO ENGAGE THE FAMILIES OF THE FALLEN ALL YEAR LONG.
- $21.4 million spent. THROUGH OUR R.I.S.E (RESTORING INDEPENDENCE, SUPPORTING EMPOWERMENT) PROGRAM, WE'RE CONSTRUCTING ONE-OF-A-KIND SPECIALLY ADAPTED SMART HOMES FOR OUR NATION'S MOST SEVERELY WOUNDED VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS. THIS INITIATIVE SUPPORTS OUR NATION'S WOUNDED HEROES, MANY WHO SUFFER FROM AMPUTATIONS, TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES (TBI), BURNS, AND POST TRAUMATIC STRESS. THESE 100% MORTGAGE-FREE HOMES EASE THE DAILY CHALLENGES FACED BY THESE HEROES AND THEIR FAMILIES WHO SACRIFICE ALONGSIDE THEM. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR, THE GARY SINISE FOUNDATION COMPLETED 4 SPECIALLY ADAPTED SMART HOMES FOR WOUNDED HEROES. BY THE END OF THE YEAR, THE FOUNDATION HAD COMPLETED 94 HOMES FOR OUR INJURED HEROES AND THEIR FAMILIES SINCE INCEPTION. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)IN ADDITION, THROUGH THE GSF R.I.S.E. PROGRAM, THE FOUNDATION ASSISTED WITH 43 ADAPTED VEHICLES, 37 MOBILITY DEVICES, AND 41 HOME MODIFICATIONS FOR AMERICA'S INJURED, WOUNDED, ILL/AGING DEFENDERS.
- $16.5 million spent. COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION WORKED HARD TO BRING JOY & RELIEF TO SO MANY ACROSS THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING PROVIDING CRITICAL FINANCIAL AID TO THOSE IN CRISIS. THIS INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, DISASTER RELIEF EFFORTS IN RESPONSE TO WILDFIRES, HURRICANES, AND OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS. THE PROGRAM ALSO DOCUMENTED ORAL HISTORY STORIES FROM WW II VETERANS AND THROUGH CONTINUED SPONSORSHIP OF A HISTORIAN FROM THE WORLD WAR II MUSEUM, GSF HAS HELPED TO DEVELOP AN AI PROFILE FOR INTERVIEWS SO THAT GUESTS CAN ALMOST ASK ANY QUESTION THEY'D LIKE TO ASK AND GET A RESPONSE. 152,877 ACTIVE DUTY, VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS WERE SERVED HEARTY, CLASSIC AMERICAN MEALS AS PART OF OUR SERVING HEROES PROGRAM, CLOSING IN ON 1,225,780 MEALS SINCE GSF BEGAN THIS TRADITION. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)THESE MEALS ARE A MESSAGE FROM GRATEFUL AMERICANS WHO APPRECIATE THEIR SERVICE AND ARE A REMINDER THAT THEIR SACRIFICES ARE NOT FORGOTTEN.
- $9.7 million spent. WHETHER THE LT. DAN BAND IS BOOSTING MORALE ON MILITARY BASES AT HOME AND ABROAD OR RAISING AWARENESS AT BENEFIT CONCERTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, THE BAND ENTERTAINS, EDUCATES, INSPIRES AND BUILDS COMMUNITIES WITH ITS EXPLOSIVE LIVE SHOW EVERYWHERE IT GOES. THE MISSION OF EVERY CONCERT REMAINS THE SAME: HONOR. GRATITUDE. ROCK & ROLL. THE LT. DAN BAND ENDED THE FISCAL YEAR PERFORMING 23 CONCERTS FOR ATTENDEES WORLDWIDE WITH MORE THAN 48,350 PARTICIPANTS.FIRST RESPONDERS OUTREACH RECOGNIZED AND SUPPORTS AMERICA'S FIREFIGHTERS, POLICE AND EMTS NATIONWIDE. THESE MEN AND WOMEN ARE INDISPENSABLE TO MAINTAINING THE SAFETY AND SUPPORT OF OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES. GRANTS ASSISTED FIRST RESPONDERS WITH URGENT NEEDS FROM PROTECTIVE GEAR TO SAFETY EQUIPMENT. IN 2024, THE PROGRAM ASSISTED FIRST RESPONDER DEPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE U.S. WITH OVER 2,367 PIECES OF EQUIPMENT, TOTALING $5,530,524. FIRE DEPARTMENTS WERE ALSO ASSISTED WITH FIRE CONFERENCE ATTENDANCE, AND SPECIALIZED TRAINING FOR VEHICLE EXTRICATION, ROPE RESCUE AND MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 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 March 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 October 2010.
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.
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