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Sidewalk Project

EIN 82-5073158 · Los Angeles, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood71 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

WE ARE A PROJECT-BASED ARTS & PUBLIC HEALTH ORGANIZATION THAT EXISTS TO CREATE COMMUNITY AND WELLNESS FOR THOSE WHO LIVE OUTDOORS. THROUGH VARIOUS MEDIUMS, INCLUDING ART, MUSIC, FILM & PUBLIC HEALTH, OUR GROUP AIMS TO BE SOCIALLY ACTIVE AND TO EMPOWER HOUSELESS COMMUNITIES AROUND THE WORLD.

Income
$1.7 million
Spending
$1.5 million
Spent on programs
95%
Reserves
1.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 52%
Employees
24
Volunteers
8
Highest pay
$109,412, 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

Good: 71 out of 100. Higher than 47% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 16% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 76% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    95% 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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    4 of 6 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a 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

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • 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. $1.4 million spent. TSP PROGRAMS ARE OUR BIGGEST EXPENSE, WITH AFTER 2024 INDEPENDENT AUDIT FINDINGS SEEING US SPENDING 95% IN PROGRAMS. WE CONTINUED OUR WORK WITH UNHOUSED PEOPLE IN THE SKID ROW, MACARTHUR PARK AND THE FIGEROA CORRIDOR AREAS OF LOS ANGELES. WE CONTINUED TO OFFER SSP, MAT, MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT, HOUSING, EMERGENCY HOUSING, DRUG TESTING AND TREATMENT, STI TESTING AND TREATMENT, HIV TESTING AND TREATMENT, ART AND MUSIC, MURAL PAINTING, REPRODUCTIVE ACCESS, GENERAL AID, CLOTHING, FOOD AND A SAFE HAVEN TO THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WE SERVED. OUR TWO BIGGEST PROGRAMMATIC EXPENSES WERE OUR DAY WORK / JOB READINESS STIPEND PROGRAM, OUR EMERGENCY HOUSING PROGRAM. OUR GREATEST EXPENSE IS OUR DAY WORK / JOB READINESS PROGRAM. AT TSP WE OFFER DAILY CASH STIPENDS TO UNHOUSED OR SEVERELY IMPOVERISHED FOLKS TO WORK IN OUR DROP-IN CENTER WHERE THEY MAKE HARM REDUCTION KITS, SERVE FOOD, CLEAN AND HELP OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY GET THEIR NEEDS MET. THIS OFFERS FOLKS A CHANCE TO GET BACK INTO THE WORK FORCE SLOWLY BUT CONSISTENTLY. AND IT HELPS US IDENTIFY WHO WOULD BE POTENTIAL FUTURE CANDIDATES OF EMPLOYMENT AT TSP. OUR SECOND BIGGEST EXPENSE IS IN THE FORM OF EMERGENCY HOUSING. TSP WORKS WITH SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE UNHOUSED FOLK; INCLUDING WOMEN FLEEING INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE, SEX TRAFFIC SURVIVORS, UNHOUSED FOLKS HAVING JUST BEEN RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL AND SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE IN NEED OF A SAFE PLACE WHILE THEY INDUCE MAT, (MEDICALLY ASSISTED TREATMENT).
  2. $30,655 spent. CRISIS RESPONSE - IN 2024 TSP CONTINUED OUR WORK IN PROVIDING CRISIS RESPONSE TO VERY VULNERABLE UNHOUSED PEOPLE IN THE SKID ROW, MACARTHUR PARK AND FIGUEROA CORRIDOR AREAS OF LOS ANGELES, CA. OFTEN TIMES PEOPLE LIVING ON THE STREETS ARE SUFFERING FROM THINGS LIKE PAINFUL WOUNDS, HAVING BEEN BEATEN OR RAPED AND ARE IN GREAT NEED OF CARE. WE CONSIDER THESE TYPES OF EVENTS AS CRISIS. AS CRISIS RESPONSE TSP OFFERED WOUND CARE, EMERGENCY HOTELS, FOOD, CLOTHING, MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT AND GENERAL ADVOCACY FOR OUR PARTICIPANTS EXPERIENCING VARYING LEVELS OF CRISIS IN THEIR LIVES.
  3. $16,216 spent. STAFF WELLNESS PROGRAM - TSP IS A BOOTS ON THE GROUND ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS WITH VERY VULNERABLE PEOPLE LIVING UNHOUSED ON THE STREETS OF SKID ROW, MACARTHUR PARK AND FIGUEROA CORRIDOR AREA OF LOS ANGELES. PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS ARE OFTEN SUFFERING FROM CO-OCCURRING AND VERY UPSETTING SITUATIONS. DUE TO THE TRAUMA OF WORKING WITH PEOPLE LIVING IN TRAUMA, TSP EMPLOYEES OFTEN TIMES SUFFER FROM BURNOUT AND COMPASSION FATIGUE. TO KEEP OUR STAFF AS WELL AS POSSIBLE, WE OFFER STAFF BURNOUT / STAFF WELLNESS TO ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES IN AN ATTEMPT TO KEEP US ALL ENGAGED AND EMPLOYED WITH TSP. WE OFFER ANYTHING FROM THERAPY TO MASSAGES. WHATEVER LESSENS THE BURDEN ON OUR STAFF WE OFFER TO OUR STAFF.
  4. $22,280 spent. OTHER PROGRAMS INCLUDING MAT AND SELF DEFENSE

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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

  4. 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.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since March 2019.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.