W Haywood Burns Institute
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE HAYWOOD BURNS INSTITUTE IS A BLACK-LED NATIONAL, NON-PROFIT WITH A DIVERSE TEAM OF VISIONARIES, WORKING TO TRANSFORM THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE BY FOCUSING ON A COMMUNITY-CENTERED APPROACH TO TRANSFORMATION, ANCHORED IN STRUCTURAL WELL-BEING.
- Income
- $6.8 million
- Spending
- $6.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 77%
- Reserves
- 19.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 48%
- Employees
- 25
- Volunteers
- 7
- Highest pay
- $285,181, executive director
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
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 78% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 19.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 14% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 11% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 17% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1577% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 49% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 8 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
0 of 10Did not give 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 (1)
- $4.7 million spent. STRUCTURAL WELL-BEING FRAMEWORK - CENTERING COMMUNITY TO ESTABLISH SELF-DIRECTED SOLUTIONS IS CRITICAL TO ACHIEVING TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE AND BETTER LIFE OUTCOMES. COMMUNITIES OF COLOR ARE NOT ROUTINELY ENGAGED IN THE DESIGN AND/OR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SOLUTIONS TO ACHIEVE THEIR OWN WELL-BEING. AND SECTORS HAVE REPEATEDLY FAILED TO MAKE IMPACTFUL SUSTAINABLE CHANGE.BI HAS WORKED IN 300+ JURISDICTIONS NATIONALLY TO SUPPORT LOCAL EFFORTS TO ELIMINATE RACIAL AND ETHNIC DISPARITIES. OVER TIME, HOWEVER, BI REALIZED THE LIMITATIONS OF "HARM REDUCTION AND EVOLVED TO ADDRESS THE LONGSTANDING STRUCTURAL INEQUITIES WITH A CROSS-SECTOR APPROACH TO DESIGN AND ACHIEVE STRUCTURAL WELL-BEING.BI DEFINES STRUCTURAL WELL-BEING AS A SYSTEM OF PUBLIC POLICIES, INSTITUTIONAL AND INCLUSIVE PRACTICES, CULTURAL REPRESENTATIONS, AND OTHER NORMS THAT WORK TO STRENGTHEN FAMILIES, COMMUNITIES AND INDIVIDUAL WELL-BEING FOR POSITIVE LIFE OUTCOMES. TO DISMANTLE THE NATION'S CURRENT OPERATIONAL FRAMEWORK OF STRUCTURAL RACISM, WE MUST REPLACE IT WITH A STRUCTURAL WELL-BEING FRAME TO PROVIDE FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES WHAT THEY NEED TO THRIVE: A SENSE OF BELONGING AND COMMUNITY, AND EQUITABLE ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES NECESSARY FOR POSITIVE LIFE OUTCOMES.
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 September 2003.
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.
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.