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Odyssey Family Executive Center of South Norwalk Inc

EIN 83-3524612 · Norwalk, CT

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak43 out of 100GovernanceFair65 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Only 6% 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 work in partnership with families, community organizations, and industry leaders to provide access to information, resources and career pathways that will position families to improve outcomes for their children and themselves.

Income
$621,259
Spending
$644,344
Spent on programs
6%
Reserves
2.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
4

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 43 out of 100. Higher than 13% of charities in its peer group (employment, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 40% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 4% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 21% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    6% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Fair: 65 out of 100. Higher than 36% of charities in its peer group (employment, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    3 of 5 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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.

  • Independent check of accounts

    12 of 15

    Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.

  • 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, 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 (6)
  1. $26,365 spent. Home Visiting Programs - This is a home visiting grant program that provides parents with weekly support to strengthen parent-child interactions, bonding, child development, community resources and family goal planning. The grant is funded through the CT Office of Early Childhood with payments received through Family & Childrens Agency
  2. $11,067 spent. CFCI - Career and Family Coaching Institute. This is a career pathway program that in 2021, provided mentorship and training to parents with interest in entering the field of early childhood education.
  3. $2,146 spent. The Parent Ally Program is designed to foster strong, trusting relationships between families and trained staff who offer peer support, guidance and advocacy. Through this program, families receive individualized. strengths-based support to help navigate lifes challenges, access critical community resources, and build confidence in their parenting.At the FEC, Pareent Allies play a vital role in promoting family stability, increasing engagement, and supporting long-term positive outcomes.
  4. $200 spent. Share Our Strength is a nationally recognized initiative focused on ending childhood hunger by connecting families to reliable food resources and nutrition education. At the FEC, this progam enhances our ability to support families by providing access to food and assistance opportunites, educational materials, and referrels to local food pantries and community-based services. It helps ensure families have consistent access to nutritious meals while increasing awareness of available supports that contribute to overall family well-being.
  5. Ritter Family Foundation: The Ritter Family Foundation believes every child has the right to a quality education and social, emotional, and physical learning, regardless of the zip code in which he or she is born. To that end, we invest in a partner with organizations that work to improve the opportunity, access, and quality of services for children and families in under-resourced communities.
  6. The Odyssey Early Childhood Registered Apprentice Program is a comprehensive workforce development intiative designed to train, support, and cultivate future early childhood educators. This program provides participants with a paid, hands-on learning experience while they work toward earning their Child Development Associate (CDA) credential. Through a structured combination of classroom instruction and on-the-job training particpants gain the knowledge and practical skills to succeed in early childhood education settings. The program expands access to high-quality training by offering an affordable and supporting career pathway, particularly for individuals who may face barriers to traditional education. Additionally, the program emphasizes professional growth through personalized mentorship, fully funded coursework, and guided support in completing CDA requirements, including portfolio development and on-site observations.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 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 2025.

    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 September 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.