Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Caravanserai Project

EIN 81-2497638 · Palm Springs, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak35 out of 100GovernanceGood87 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

CARAVANSERAI PROJECT PROMOTES SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC PROGRESS BY BRIDGING GAPS BETWEEN CULTURES AND ENVIRONMENTS THROUGH FIDUCIARY AND INTERMEDIARY SUPPORT VIA TRAININGS, EDUCATION, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. IT SERVES AS A FIDUCIARY FOR CERTAIN PROJECTS AND ORGANIZATIONS WORKING CONSISTENTLY WITH THE MISSION OF CARAVANSERAI PROJECT INCLUDING MOSSIER SOCIAL ACTION

Income
$1.0 million
Spending
$1.8 million
Spent on programs
84%
Reserves
0.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 98%
Employees
9
Volunteers
0
Highest pay
$100,450, president

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: 35 out of 100. Higher than 4% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 20% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 75% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 58% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    84% 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

Good: 87 out of 100. Higher than 47% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 7 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • 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 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 (4)
  1. $8,924 spent. SEED LAB PRE-ACCELERATOR, LAUNCHED IN 2018, IS AN 8-MONTH PROGRAM (OCTOBER - MAY) DESIGNED TO HELP STARTUP AND EARLY-STAGE ENTREPRENEURS BUILD VIABLE MISSION-DRIVEN VENTURES FROM IDEATION TO PILOTING AND SCALING. IN 2019, THE PROGRAM WAS APPROVED BY UCR-EXTENSION AS A 9-PROFESSIONAL CREDIT SPECIALIZED CERTIFICATE. IT CONSISTS OF COHORT WORKSHOPS AND MONTHLY ONE-ON-ONE COACHING AND MENTORSHIP SESSIONS. PRIORITY IS GIVEN TO APPLICANTS REPRESENTING HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. TO DATE, OVER 47 FELLOWS GRADUATED FROM THE PROGRAM, EACH YEAR UP TO 12 NEW FELLOWS JOINING THE PROGRAM.
  2. $1.1 million spent. BUSINESS READINESS TRAINING AND GRANT MAKING ARE INTERCONNECTED AND PROVIDE MISSION-DRIVEN ENTREPRENEURS BOTH TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND FUNDING. STARTING 2022 TO 2024, CARAVANSERAI PROJECT WILL WORK WITH OVER 200 BENEFICIARIES IN THE IE AND PROVIDE A TOTAL OF OVER $1.5M IN MICRO-GRANTS. IN 2023, CARAVANSERAI PROJECT OFFERS ALMOST $1.8M IN UP TO $10,000 MICRO-GRANTS AS PART OF THE DREAM FUND PROGRAM FUNDED BY THE CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF SMALL BUSINESS ADVOCATE TO OVER 150 STARTUP ENTREPRENEURS IN CALIFORNIA WHO SUCCESSFULLY GRADUATED THE BUSINESS READINESS TRAINING PROGRAM OR SEED LAB PRE-ACCELERATOR.
  3. $364,097 spent. THE BUSINESS COACHING PROGRAM PROVIDES ONE-ON-ONE AND GROUP ADVISORY SERVICES TO ENTREPRENEURS, NONPROFIT LEADERS, AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS TO STRENGTHEN THEIR MANAGEMENT, OPERATIONS, AND LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY. PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE TAILORED GUIDANCE IN AREAS SUCH AS FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, COMPLIANCE, BUSINESS PLANNING, MARKETING, AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT. COACHING SESSIONS ARE DESIGNED TO MEET EACH PARTICIPANT'S SPECIFIC NEEDS AND TO PROVIDE ACTIONABLE TOOLS FOR GROWTH.THE PROGRAM EMPHASIZES SUPPORT FOR HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED AND UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES. BY OFFERING INDIVIDUALIZED COACHING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, IT HELPS PARTICIPANTS IMPROVE THEIR BUSINESS MODELS, ACCESS FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES, AND INCREASE THEIR CAPACITY TO CREATE JOBS AND DELIVER SERVICES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
  4. $45,621 spent. BREAKTHROUGH MASTERCLASSES AND STRATEGIC NETWORKING AND PLANNING CIRCLES ARE SHORT-TERM PROGRAMS FOR LEADERSHIP OF ADVANCED MISSION-DRIVEN ORGANIZATIONS. COHORTS OF UP TO 10 PARTICIPANTS ARE PART OF CURATED CONVERSATIONS, TRAINING, AND EXCHANGES OF IDEAS.

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

  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 November 6, 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 December 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 February 2017.

    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 November 4, 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.