Unbound Now
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Unbound Now supports survivors and resources communities to fight human trafficking.
- Income
- $10.8 million
- Spending
- $10.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 78%
- Reserves
- 1.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 61%
- Employees
- 149
- Volunteers
- 60
- Highest pay
- $205,988, ceo
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: 75 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 6% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 26% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1578% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 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 29% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 255 of 6 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a 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 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 (3)
- $6.9 million spent. Survivor Services:Unbound Nows Survivor Services center around our 24/7 survivor advocacy program, which includes 24/7 crisis response, case management, and support for survivors in accessing resources on their journeys towards restoration. We meet clients at hospitals in the midst of crisis, work with partner agencies and guardians to secure safe placement for youth, visit youth in detention centers while assisting them through the criminal justice process, and much more.continued on schedule 0.
- $616,153 spent. Outreach & Training:Through its Outreach & Training program, Unbound Now facilitates live and on-demand trainings offering CEUs to equip professionals to identify and respond to human trafficking. Our medical training equips health care professionals to identify and respond to human trafficking, satisfying the H.B. 2059 mandate for human trafficking training to maintain a license. Our training for hospitality industry staff is approved by the Texas Attorney General's Office. In 2024, we trained a total of 18,698 professionals through our online course and in-person trainings.CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O. OUTREACH AND TRAINING:Unbound Now leads and participates in task forces and coalitions, bringing together stakeholders to collaborate in combating human trafficking and serving survivors. Unbound Now serves as the lead victim service provider for the Brazos Valley Human Trafficking Task Force and Tarrant County Human Trafficking Task Force and co-leads the Heart of Texas Human Trafficking Coalition. Unbound Now is proud to partner with local, state, and federal law enforcement, childrens advocacy centers, child protective services, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), and other key agencies.
- $541,210 spent. Youth Prevention:Unbound Now empowers youth to stay safe from trafficking and exploitation through prevention education in schools, juvenile detention centers, and youth-serving organizations. Prevention activities often lead to disclosures of abuse and exploitation, allowing youth to receive needed services and facilitating investigations and prosecutions. In 2024, we educated 12,643 youth to keep themselves and peers safe from trafficking and exploitation.CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O. YOUTH PREVENTION:Unbound Nows early intervention program empowers youth through individualized case management, safety planning, goal setting, and strengthening support systems for youth, preventing human trafficking by becoming a bridge between high risk youth and existing support systems.Early intervention specialists identify and respond to at-risk youth using the Commercial Sexual Exploitation Identification Tool (CSE-IT); meet with eligible youth to build rapport, determine goals, and set up a service plan, utilizing the YOUTH PREVENTION-Casey Life Skills Assessment Tool; apply Motivational Interviewing and Trust-Based Relational Intervention techniques; provide emotional support and individualized education regarding risky behaviors, helping youth implement coping mechanisms and develop life skills; reduce a youth's traumatic responses to life triggers and maintain connections to needed support services; support youth transitioning out of a juvenile detention center back into their homes, schools, and communities; support to at-risk youths' families/guardians by providing education about risky behavior, adolescents' physical and emotional development, and collaborative case planning for the youth; and connect families/guardians to available services in the community.
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 September 2020.
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.