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Project Milk Mission

EIN 85-1400742 · Akron, OH

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceFair69 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

PROJECT MILK MISSION IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF A VITAL MISSION - REDUCING INFANT MORTALITY RATES BY CHAMPIONING BREASTFEEDING, WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON SUPPORTING LOW-INCOME AFRICAN AMERICAN MOTHERS. THROUGH COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES SPANNING THE CRITICAL PHASES OF PREGNANCY AND UP TO 12 MONTHS POSTPARTUM, THE ORGANIZATION PLAYS AN INSTRUMENTAL ROLE IN PROMOTING THE NUMEROUS HEALTH BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH BREASTFEEDING FOR BOTH INFANTS AND MOTHERS.

Income
$403,922
Spending
$382,021
Spent on programs
91%
Reserves
3.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 71%
Employees
8
Volunteers
4
Highest pay
$82,612, vice chair

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

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 55% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 5% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 5% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    91% 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: 69 out of 100. Higher than 48% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    5 of 4 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a 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.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 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 (1)
  1. $347,382 spent. VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON BREASTFEEDING BASICS CLASS: THESE INTERACTIVE SESSIONS PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE ON TOPICS SUCH AS LATCHING TECHNIQUES, MILK SUPPLY, POSITIONING, AND OVERCOMING COMMON BREASTFEEDING CHALLENGES. EXPERIENCED LACTATION PROFESSIONALS LEAD THESE CLASSES, CREATING A PLATFORM FOR QUESTIONS, SHARED EXPERIENCES, AND COMMUNITY BUILDING. BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT GROUPS: FACILITATED BY KNOWLEDGEABLE GUIDES, THESE GROUPS OFFER A SUPPORTIVE SPACE FOR MOTHERS TO CONNECT, SHARE STORIES, AND LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER, FOSTERING A SENSE OF BELONGING AND CAMARADERIE. TELEHEALTH LACTATION CONSULTATIONS: AVAILABLE FROM THE COMFORT OF MOTHERS' HOMES, OUR VIRTUAL CONSULTATIONS PROVIDE TAILORED ADVICE, TROUBLESHOOTING, AND ENCOURAGEMENT FROM EXPERIENCED LACTATION CONSULTANTS. THIS SERVICE IS INVALUABLE FOR ADDRESSING SPECIFIC BREASTFEEDING CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS. COMMUNITY RESOURCE CONNECTIONS: WE ASSIST MOTHERS WITH BROADER CHALLENGES BY GUIDING THEM TO RESOURCES FOR DIAPERS, BABY SUPPLIES, AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, ENSURING COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT FOR THRIVING. IMPACT AND OUTCOMES: BREASTFEEDING INITIATION: 93% OF PROJECT MILK MISSION CLIENTS INITIATED BREASTFEEDING AFTER BIRTH, COMPARED TO 69% AMONG THE AVERAGE BLACK NEW MOMS. BREASTFEEDING AT 3 MONTHS: 83% OF OUR CLIENTS CONTINUED BREASTFEEDING AT 3 MONTHS, EXCEEDING THE 58% RATE AMONG THE AVERAGE BLACK NEW MOMS. BREASTFEEDING AT 6 MONTHS: 77% OF OUR CLIENTS MAINTAINED BREASTFEEDING AT 6 MONTHS, HIGHER THAN THE 44% RATE AMONG THE AVERAGE BLACK NEW MOMS. BREASTFEEDING AT 12 MONTHS: 19% OF OUR CLIENTS BREASTFED AT 12 MONTHS, WHICH IS LOWER THAN THE 35% RATE AMONG THE AVERAGE BLACK NEW MOMS. WE ARE COMMITTED TO FURTHER PROMOTING AND SUPPORTING CONTINUED BREASTFEEDING BEYOND 6 MONTHS. IN 2025, WE PROVIDED DIRECT SERVICES TO 696 PREGNANT AND POSTPARTUM MOTHERS. VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON BREASTFEEDING BASICS CLASS: THESE INTERACTIVE SESSIONS PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE ON TOPICS SUCH AS LATCHING TECHNIQUES, MILK SUPPLY, POSITIONING, AND OVERCOMING COMMON BREASTFEEDING CHALLENGES. EXPERIENCED LACTATION PROFESSIONALS LEAD THESE CLASSES, CREATING A PLATFORM FOR QUESTIONS, SHARED EXPERIENCES, AND COMMUNITY BUILDING. BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT GROUPS: FACILITATED BY KNOWLEDGEABLE GUIDES, THESE GROUPS OFFER A SUPPORTIVE SPACE FOR MOTHERS TO CONNECT, SHARE STORIES, AND LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER, FOSTERING A SENSE OF BELONGING AND CAMARADERIE. TELEHEALTH LACTATION CONSULTATIONS: AVAILABLE FROM THE COMFORT OF MOTHERS' HOMES, OUR VIRTUAL CONSULTATIONS PROVIDE TAILORED ADVICE, TROUBLESHOOTING, AND ENCOURAGEMENT FROM EXPERIENCED LACTATION CONSULTANTS. THIS SERVICE IS INVALUABLE FOR ADDRESSING SPECIFIC BREASTFEEDING CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS. COMMUNITY RESOURCE CONNECTIONS: WE ASSIST MOTHERS WITH BROADER CHALLENGES BY GUIDING THEM TO RESOURCES FOR DIAPERS, BABY SUPPLIES, AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, ENSURING COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT FOR THRIVING. IMPACT AND OUTCOMES: BREASTFEEDING INITIATION: 93% OF PROJECT MILK MISSION CLIENTS INITIATED BREASTFEEDING AFTER BIRTH, COMPARED TO 69% AMONG THE AVERAGE BLACK NEW MOMS. BREASTFEEDING AT 3 MONTHS: 83% OF OUR CLIENTS CONTINUED BREASTFEEDING AT 3 MONTHS, EXCEEDING THE 58% RATE AMONG THE AVERAGE BLACK NEW MOMS. BREASTFEEDING AT 6 MONTHS: 77% OF OUR CLIENTS MAINTAINED BREASTFEEDING AT 6 MONTHS, HIGHER THAN THE 44% RATE AMONG THE AVERAGE BLACK NEW MOMS. BREASTFEEDING AT 12 MONTHS: 19% OF OUR CLIENTS BREASTFED AT 12 MONTHS, WHICH IS LOWER THAN THE 35% RATE AMONG THE AVERAGE BLACK NEW MOMS. WE ARE COMMITTED TO FURTHER PROMOTING AND SUPPORTING CONTINUED BREASTFEEDING BEYOND 6 MONTHS. IN 2025, WE PROVIDED DIRECT SERVICES TO 696 PREGNANT AND POSTPARTUM MOTHERS.

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 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 December 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 September 2020.

    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.