Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO PROVIDE QUALITY MENTORS FOR CHILDREN.
- Income
- $3.1 million
- Spending
- $3.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 62%
- Reserves
- 6.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 66%
- Employees
- 54
- Volunteers
- 1,150
- Highest pay
- $133,147, pres/ ceo-te
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 57 out of 100. Higher than 24% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 6.6 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 25% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 27% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 12% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1562% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 25 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 64% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2521 of 21 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 June 30, 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)
- $2.4 million spent. SINCE 1955, BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF CENTRAL ARIZONA (BBBS) HAS PROVIDED A FREE AND UNIQUE SERVICE TO FAMILIES IN MARICOPA COUNTY BY PROVIDING PROFESSIONALLY SUPPORTED, ONE-ON-ONE MENTORING. THE AGENCY'S SERVICE AREA EXPANDED TO GILA COUNTY IN 2001 AND TO PINAL COUNTY IN 2005. BBBS OFFERS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A CHILD TO DEVELOP A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH A SCREENED AND TRAINED MENTOR, WHILE ALSO PROVIDING WRAPAROUND REFERRAL SERVICES TO THEIR FAMILIES. AS A PRIMARY PREVENTION SERVICE, ANY CHILD AGE 6-15 IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY. A MAJORITY OF THE CHILDREN SERVED ARE FROM SINGLE PARENT, LOW-INCOME FAMILIES. EACH CHILDMENTOR PAIRING PARTICIPATES IN VARIOUS ACTIVITIES SUCH AS READING, HIKING, CRAFTS, SPORTS, AND ATTENDING SPECIAL AGENCY EVENTS. PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH ARE EITHER COMMUNITY- BASED OR SITE-BASED. IN THE COMMUNITYBASED PROGRAM, VOLUNTEERS PICK UP THE CHILD AT THEIR HOME AND PARTICIPATE IN FUN ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. IN THE SITE-BASED PROGRAM, THE ONE-TO-ONE MENTORING OCCURS IN A GROUP SETTING AT A SPECIFIC LOCATION, EITHER AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AN AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM, OR A WORKPLACE. RESEARCHERS FOUND THAT AFTER 18 MONTHS OF SPENDING TIME WITH THEIR BIGS, THE LITTLE BROTHERS AND LITTLE SISTERS, COMPARED TO THOSE CHILDREN NOT IN OUR PROGRAM, WERE: 46% - LESS LIKELY TO BEGIN USING ILLEGAL DRUGS, 52%- LESS LIKELY TO SKIP SCHOOL, AND 33%- LESS LIKELY TO HIT SOMEONE. THEY ALSO FOUND THAT THE LITTLES WERE MORE CONFIDENT OF THEIR PERFORMANCE IN SCHOOLWORK AND GETTING ALONG BETTER WITH THEIR FAMILIES. OUR ORGANIZATION IS DEDICATED TO MEETING THE POST-PANDEMIC NEEDS OF OUR YOUTH BY PROVIDING INCREASED WRAPAROUND SERVICE REFERRALS AND TRAININGS TO PARENTS, YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS EDUCATION, AND ACADEMIC SUPPORT. IN RECENT YEARS THROUGH PARTNERING WITH OTHER YOUTH SERVING ORGANIZATIONS, WE HAVE EXPANDED OUR SERVICE TO SPECIALIZED VULNERABLE POPULATIONS INCLUDING YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, YOUTH IN THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY, AND YOUTH AFTER HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION. MENTORSHIP HELPS YOUTH THRIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY, MAKING IT STRONGER FOR ALL. SINCE 1955, BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF CENTRAL ARIZONA (BBBS) HAS PROVIDED A FREE AND UNIQUE SERVICE TO FAMILIES IN MARICOPA COUNTY BY PROVIDING PROFESSIONALLY SUPPORTED, ONE-ON-ONE MENTORING. THE AGENCY'S SERVICE AREA EXPANDED TO GILA COUNTY IN 2001 AND TO PINAL COUNTY IN 2005. BBBS OFFERS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A CHILD TO DEVELOP A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH A SCREENED AND TRAINED MENTOR, WHILE ALSO PROVIDING WRAPAROUND REFERRAL SERVICES TO THEIR FAMILIES. AS A PRIMARY PREVENTION SERVICE, ANY CHILD AGE 6-15 IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY. A MAJORITY OF THE CHILDREN SERVED ARE FROM SINGLE PARENT, LOW-INCOME FAMILIES. EACH CHILDMENTOR PAIRING PARTICIPATES IN VARIOUS ACTIVITIES SUCH AS READING, HIKING, CRAFTS, SPORTS, AND ATTENDING SPECIAL AGENCY EVENTS. PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH ARE EITHER COMMUNITY- BASED OR SITE-BASED. IN THE COMMUNITYBASED PROGRAM, VOLUNTEERS PICK UP THE CHILD AT THEIR HOME AND PARTICIPATE IN FUN ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. IN THE SITE-BASED PROGRAM, THE ONE-TO-ONE MENTORING OCCURS IN A GROUP SETTING AT A SPECIFIC LOCATION, EITHER AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AN AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM, OR A WORKPLACE. RESEARCHERS FOUND THAT AFTER 18 MONTHS OF SPENDING TIME WITH THEIR BIGS, THE LITTLE BROTHERS AND LITTLE SISTERS, COMPARED TO THOSE CHILDREN NOT IN OUR PROGRAM, WERE: 46% - LESS LIKELY TO BEGIN USING ILLEGAL DRUGS, 52%- LESS LIKELY TO SKIP SCHOOL, AND 33%- LESS LIKELY TO HIT SOMEONE. THEY ALSO FOUND THAT THE LITTLES WERE MORE CONFIDENT OF THEIR PERFORMANCE IN SCHOOLWORK AND GETTING ALONG BETTER WITH THEIR FAMILIES. OUR ORGANIZATION IS DEDICATED TO MEETING THE POST-PANDEMIC NEEDS OF OUR YOUTH BY PROVIDING INCREASED WRAPAROUND SERVICE REFERRALS AND TRAININGS TO PARENTS, YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS EDUCATION, AND ACADEMIC SUPPORT. IN RECENT YEARS THROUGH PARTNERING WITH OTHER YOUTH SERVING ORGANIZATIONS, WE HAVE EXPANDED OUR SERVICE TO SPECIALIZED VULNERABLE POPULATIONS INCLUDING YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, YOUTH IN THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY, AND YOUTH AFTER HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION. MENTORSHIP HELPS YOUTH THRIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY, MAKING IT STRONGER FOR ALL.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 June 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 November 1966.
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.