Fam Intentional Community
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
To work for justice by building empowered community with refugees, immigrants, and local Houstonians. FAM builds and strengthens diverse communities in Houston through our cornerstone practices of hospitality, mutuality, storytelling, and inclusivity. Our programs and projects focus on holistic empowerment of women and families, multicultural community building, community gardening, and youth education and mentoring.
- Income
- $469,664
- Spending
- $472,672
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- 1.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 92%
- Employees
- 9
- Volunteers
- 864
- Highest pay
- $127,514, 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
Fair: 58 out of 100. Higher than 26% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.8 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 39% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 1% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 25% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 15 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: 91 out of 100. Higher than 77% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 258 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
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
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (3)
- $109,463 spent. FAM's Women's Empowerment Group (WEG) creates brave space for Congolese and other refugee women to find mutual community with American women, build a support network, and grow in confidence while navigating life in Houston. Our collaborative initiatives include adult English classes, emergency assistance, women's and pediatric healthcare support, and the Youth Empowerment Group. In addition, Pamoja ("together" in Swahili) builds empowered community by pairing newcomer and Houstonian families to form relationships, engage in mutual learning, and walk alongside one another through all of life's ups and downs.
- $132,845 spent. FAM operates a community garden called Shamba Ya Amani which means Farm of Peace in Swahili. Shamba is an urban garden run by participants who are resettled refugees, immigrants, and local Houstonians. In this agricultural endeavor, FAM assists newcomers to the USA to grow some of the food they need to feed their families and some crops for sale at local markets. Shamba serves as a model for human connection and a pathway for multicultural understanding.
- $137,099 spent. FAM provides a pathway for faith communities representing many denominations in the Houston area to work side by side with resettled refugees and immigrants who are new to Houston. FAM promotes multicultural understanding and empowered community by offering a means for people from a wide variety of religious and nonreligious groups to strategically engage in community welcoming, building, and engagement.
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 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 2024.
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 August 2017.
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.