Desert Star Institute for Family Planning Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- Only 22% of its spending went to programs.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
Our mission is to create equitable access to reproductive and sexual health care while centering Black and Indigenous people of color.
- Income
- $553,824
- Spending
- $663,844
- Spent on programs
- 22%
- Reserves
- -0.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 69%
- Employees
- 8
- Volunteers
- 20
- Highest pay
- $150,176, president and ceo
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: 25 out of 100. Higher than 3% of charities in its peer group (health care, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 34% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 20% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 31% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1522% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 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: 80 out of 100. Higher than 54% of charities in its peer group (health care, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 259 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
0 of 7Reports no 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
12 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
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 (4)
- $380,512 spent. The Health Justice Clinic is the largest program/service. Funds raised for the acquisition provided infrastructure support to keep essential services available to the communities it had been serving for a decade.
- $56,928 spent. Next Generation Abortion Providers Program trains medical students, residents, and attending physicians in reproductive health care with an emphasis on abortion training. Clinical instruction includes abortion, contraception, early pregnancy loss, other common women's health conditions, and care of transgender adults. To date, people from 21 states and 3 regions of Canada have traveled to Phoenix to be trained. We apply a reproductive justice lens to our work, so trainees have and experience very different from their traditional clinical rotations. We believe that learning about abortion in an environment where abortion occurs alongside general well-woman care increases student awareness and understanding that abortion is health care. In turn, they are inspired to advocate for women's reproductive healthcare access and delivery, and are empowered to become advocates within their own communities. 2 - 4 week rotations can be scheduled at the Desert Star Health Justice Clinic. We are a preferred site for the Medical Students for Choice Reproductive Health Externship Program and now have partnerships with several additional organizations as referral sources for training. 5 people were trained over 16 total training weeks in 2024. Impacted by the political landscape and looming 1864 total abortion ban that was ultimately repealed, we paused our training program as we awaited how the litigation and additional efforts by the attorney general would impact our ability to provide abortion services, and thereby train. Two trainee institutions canceled rotations for their learners during that time.
- $45,000 spent. Doulas 4 Change continuing education program for Black Doulas completed it's inaugural training cohort in the spring of 2024. The program mission is to educate, organize, and build leadership and power among Black birthers, birthworkers and their communities to influence policies and practices that decrease Black maternal mortality and morbidity in Arizona and support pregnant people's self determination in whatever pregnancy outcome they choose. Our goal in creating a doula-promotora model is to strengthen the skills of these needed community health workers to advocate for the communities they serve. Six doulas completed the pilot program that began January 2024 and ended in May 2024. The data indicates that increased access to community-based doula care can help improve birth outcomes and reduce the higher rates of maternal morbidity and mortality among women of color in the United States, and more specifically Arizona. Empowering Black doulas with advocacy tools, peer support, policy education, and reproductive justice framework will prepare them to support families in a way they have not been trained for before. By understanding the intersectionality of what affects the lives of Black families, how to respond to crisis under trauma informed care, and providing quality support and resources to families and each other, Black doulas are perfectly positioned to advance birth justice.
- Our remaining programs include: 1) Patient Assistance Program for low income, uninsured patients provided the long-term contraceptives Liletta IUD and Nexplanon Implant at our Desert Star Health Justice Clinic to 9 patients in 2024. 2) Community Education and Engagement Program provided 6 virtual education events, a community resource expo, convened 3 coalition spaces to advance reproductive health, rights, and justice in Arizona, and provided resources to community members at various partner sponsored events.
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 November 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.