Sos Outreach
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SOS OUTREACH CHANGES YOUNG LIVES, BUILDING CHARACTER AND LEADERSHIP IN UNDERSERVED KIDS THROUGH MENTORING OUTDOORS.
- Income
- $2.7 million
- Spending
- $2.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 73%
- Reserves
- 5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 85%
- Employees
- 47
- Volunteers
- 700
- Highest pay
- $176,282, ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 73 out of 100. Higher than 45% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 14% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 0% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 0% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1573% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 15 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 92 out of 100. Higher than 75% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 16 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
7 of 7Has a 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
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 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 (2)
- $157,158 spent. SOS OUTREACH IS A YOUTH DEVELOPMENT NON-PROFIT THAT USES YEAR-ROUND, OUTDOOR SPORTS TO ENGAGE UNDERSERVED STUDENTS IN LONG-TERM MENTOR BASED RELATIONSHIPS. SOS'S CURRICULUM INTEGRATES OUTDOOR EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING, CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY SERVICE, VALUES-BASED LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, SOCIAL JUSTICE ADVOCACY, AND PEER MENTORING. THROUGH EACH OF OUR PROGRAMS, SOS PARTICIPANTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO TRANSFORM THEMSELVES AND OTHERS FOR THE BETTER USING OUR SIX CORE VALUES OF COURAGE, DISCIPLINE, INTEGRITY, WISDOM, COMPASSION, AND HUMILITY. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR, SOS SERVED 3,258 PARTICIPANTS ACROSS 15 COMMUNITIES AND 25 MOUNTAIN RESORTS.
- $1.8 million spent. SOS OUTREACH IS A YOUTH MENTORSHIP NONPROFIT THAT UTILIZES THE POWER OF SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING TO CONNECT YOUTH TO OPPORTUNITY. SINCE 1993, WE'VE CREATED ACCESS & OPPORTUNITY FOR 80,000+ KIDS, ENSURING THAT EVERY CHILD, REGARDLESS OF SOCIOECONOMIC BARRIERS, CAN THRIVE. SOS' MULTI-YEAR CURRICULUM INTEGRATES OUTDOOR EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING, CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY SERVICE, VALUES-BASED LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING, AND PEER MENTORING. THROUGH EACH OF OUR PROGRAMS, SOS PARTICIPANTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO DISCOVER THEIR FULL POTENTIAL USING OUR SIX CORE VALUES OF COURAGE, DISCIPLINE, INTEGRITY, WISDOM, COMPASSION, AND HUMILITY. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR, SOS SERVED 3,483 PARTICIPANTS ACROSS 15 COMMUNITIES AND 23 MOUNTAIN RESORTS. SOS OUTREACH RECEIVED $5,547,037 IN-KIND DONATIONS OF LIFT TICKETS, RENTAL EQUIPMENT, AND INSTRUCTION FROM MOUNTAIN RESORTS NATIONALLY TO PROVIDE PROGRAMS FOR 3,483 PARTICIPANTS. PARTICIPANTS COMPLETE PROGRAMS FROM THE ONE-DAY SNOWCORE EXPERIENCE TO THE MULTI-YEAR, MENTOR PROGRAM THROUGH THESE DONATIONS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, 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 August 2025.
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 September 1992.
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.