Next Steps Liaison Project
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Connecting court-involved youth to their internal power.
- Income
- $55,549
- Spending
- $63,899
- Reserves
- 2.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 37 out of 100. Higher than 12% of charities in its peer group (youth development, under $250k).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.1 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 30% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 15% of income.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
This organization files the short tax form, which does not ask about boards, policies or audits. That is normal for a small charity and is not a mark against it.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 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 (1)
- $57,026 spent. Next Steps Liaison Project harnesses the powerful combination of connection and opportunity to intercept the re-incarceration cycle that for too many youth, results in an adolescence spent in and out of detention. In the current Juvenile Justice System, positive relationship formed with staff inside Juvenile Hall are consistently severed upon youth's release. Next Steps Liaison Project's innovative program design creates a rare opportunity for youth to stay in connection with a positive adult after release from detention. Our first touch point with youth is through our three programs emotional literacy classes, organic gardening and one on one mentoring inside Juvenile Hall that teach invaluable skills needed for success on the outside. Emotional Literacy classes, using the Power Source curriculum by Robin and Beth Casarjian, is an evidence-based, trauma informed social and emotional learning SEL program written specifically for court-involved youth. Garden classes provide the healing power of time spent in nature, proven to reduce stress and anxiety and increase overall wellbeing. Next Steps believes that continued connection and a bridge to opportunity upon re-entry to the community is what youth on probation need most to break the reincarceration cycle. We funnel youth directly from our programs in juvenile hall into paid internships and a variety of re-entry services and track them for two years. In 2025, a total of 129 court-involved youth were served in our Marin and San Francisco programs. We expanded re-entry services to include: *Paid Community Garden Internships *Garden from Home Internships *Support getting a driver's license *Pre-employment stipends *Providing English as A Second Language classes *Support with employment search and job applications We also launched new internships by partnering with local garden centers. The garden centers provide job training and site supervision to a youth on probation who is paid by Next Steps Liaison Project. We continue to serve 100 youth and 15 youth in our re-entry programs.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 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 December 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 February 2018.
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.
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.