Growing Oaks Association
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
To facilitate a dignified and certain transition from economic bondage to fiscally secure family life and productive community citizenship by providing educational and supportive services to families and individuals in household finance management
- Income
- $232,819
- Spending
- $228,633
- Spent on programs
- 94%
- Reserves
- 2.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 1
- Highest pay
- $73,000, secretarytreasurer
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: 57 out of 100. Higher than 21% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 49% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1594% 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
Good: 76 out of 100. Higher than 70% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).
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
0 of 8Reports no 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
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
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 (2)
- $107,000 spent. We received and managed $107,000 of funding to the newly chartered Growing Oaks Federal Credit Union, a 501c(1) organization. This not-for-profit organization engages with our clients and our community at large to help meet the banking services needs of the unserved and the underserved and those of modest means and furthers our exempt purposes in that it provides practical application of the education we provide. We collaborate with the credit union by offering our educational services to its Members to improve their financial literacy.
- $66,825 spent. Conducted nine in-person 12-week classes (English and Spanish), nine in-person 9-week classes, launched online course completed by 65 individuals (English and Spanish) for a total of 239 individuals attending with a completion rate of 84%. Completed 81 one-on-one counseling sessions. Curriculum included goal setting, saving, banking, decision making, budgeting, reducing debt, resolving credit issues, home buying, insurance and planning for retirement.
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 2019.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.