Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Lift to Rise

EIN 82-5258187 · Palm Desert, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood70 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SEE SCHEDULE O

Income
$2.3 million
Spending
$3.4 million
Spent on programs
75%
Reserves
14.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 59%
Employees
15
Volunteers
30
Highest pay
$416,998, ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 45% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 14.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 11% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 45% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 69% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    75% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, 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

    6 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 June 30, 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)
  1. $2.6 million spent. LIFT TO RISE SERVES AS THE BACKBONE ORGANIZATION FOR A MULTI-SECTOR COLLECTIVE IMPACT INITIATIVE COMMITTED TO REDUCING RENT BURDEN BY 30% IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY THROUGH THE PRODUCTION OF 10,000 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING BY 2028. OUR KEY AREAS OF WORK INCLUDE: CONVENING: WE ANCHOR AND COORDINATE A REGIONAL COLLABORATIVE KNOWN AS THE HOUSING COLLABORATIVE ACTION NETWORK (CAN), GUIDING OVER 70 PARTNERS ACROSS SECTORS THROUGH BIANNUAL ACTION PLANNING AND ALIGNED CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARD OUR SHARED GOAL. PIPELINE DEVELOPMENT: WE TRACK AND MAINTAIN A REAL-TIME REGIONAL PIPELINE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS, IDENTIFYING SYSTEMIC BARRIERS ACROSS JURISDICTIONS AND DEVELOPMENTS THAT INFORM STRATEGIC INTERVENTIONS TO ACCELERATE PRODUCTION. INVESTMENT: THROUGH OUR INNOVATIVE WE LIFT CATALYST FUNDA REVOLVING LOAN FUND THAT LEVERAGES PUBLIC, PRIVATE, AND CDFI RESOURCESWE DEPLOY FLEXIBLE, LOW-INTEREST CAPITAL TO HARD-TO-FUND AND COMMUNITY-PRIORITIZED AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS THAT FACE FINANCING GAPS IN THIS HISTORICALLY UNDERINVESTED REGION. POLICY ADVOCACY: WE LEAD LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL ADVOCACY EFFORTS TO ALIGN REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS AND PUBLIC FUNDING SOURCES WITH THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY AFFORDABLE HOUSING PIPELINE, POSITIONING OUR REGION TO SECURE AND EFFECTIVELY USE MORE HOUSING RESOURCES. MOVEMENT BUILDING: WE ENGAGE AND MOBILIZE LOCAL RESIDENTS TO CIVIC ACTION THROUGH OUR RESIDENT LEADERSHIP TABLE AND COMMITTEES BY CITIES INITIATIVES, WHOSE MEMBERS SERVE AS THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND OF OUR REGIONAL HOUSING AFFORDABILITY INITIATIVE. IN ADDITION, OUR STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS WORK SHIFTS NARRATIVES AND GARNERS PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR HOUSING SOLUTIONS ACROSS THE VALLEY. KEY SUCCESSES: SINCE THE INITIATIVE'S LAUNCH IN 2018, LIFT TO RISE AND ITS PARTNERS HAVE DRIVEN TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE. THE REGION'S AFFORDABLE HOUSING PIPELINE HAS GROWN FROM AN AVERAGE OF JUST 38 UNITS PER YEAR PRE-2018 TO OVER 9,100 UNITS NOW PLANNED OR UNDERWAY. OUR CATALYST FUND HAS DEPLOYED OR COMMITTED OVER $34 MILLION IN LOANS TO SPARK DEVELOPMENT OF NEARLY 1,000 AFFORDABLE UNITS. WE HAVE ALSO MOBILIZED OVER 2,000 RESIDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, PUSHING LOCAL CITY COUNCILS, STATE LEGISLATORS, AND FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES FOR MORE RESOURCES FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THESE EFFORTS HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY RAISED THE COACHELLA VALLEY'S PROFILE AS AN INNOVATOR IN COLLABORATIVE HOUSING SOLUTIONS, RESULTING IN INCREASED INVESTMENT AND ATTENTION FROM FEDERAL, STATE, AND PHILANTHROPIC PARTNERS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, 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 October 13, 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 June 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 March 2019.

    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 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.