Impact of Southern Arizona
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
IMPACT OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA IS A PRIVATE NON-PROFIT VOLUNTEER BASED ORGANIZATION WHICH EMPOWERS SOUTHERN ARIZONANS WITH THE RESOURCES REQUIRED TO PURSUE A STABILIZED AND ENHANCED QUALITY OF LIFE.
- Income
- $4.1 million
- Spending
- $4.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 94%
- Reserves
- 4.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 97%
- Employees
- 17
- Volunteers
- 189
- Highest pay
- $102,524, executive di
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
Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 58% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.1 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 28% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 7% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1594% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 51% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
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
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
0 of 10Did not give 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)
- $3.8 million spent. EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE - IMPACT SERVES UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN THE TUCSON BASIN: PRIMARILY NW TUCSON, MARANA, ORO VALLEY, CATALINA, AND SE PINAL COUNTY, ESPECIALLY IN THE COPPER CORRIDOR. WE ALSO SERVE ANY SOUTHERN AZ CLIENT REFERRED TO US THROUGH ANOTHER TUCSON NON-PROFIT, LOCAL AGENCY, OR AREA CASE WORKER. THROUGH OUR AGENCY RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE UNTIED AND COMMUNITY FOOD BANKS, WE SERVE ANY LOW TO MODERATE INCOME PERSON WHO QUALIFIES UNDER DES FOR USDA FOOD DISTRIBUTION FROM SEVEN COUNTIES: PIMA, PINAL, COCHISE, GILA, GRAHAM, GREENLEE AND SANTA CRUZ. PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING AN EMERGENCY FOOD SHORTAGE BUT NOT QUALIFIED THROUGH THE FEDERAL PROGRAM MAY STILL RECEIVE NON-USDA FOOD FROM IMPACT, THANKS TO DONATIONS FROM OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS. WE ALSO SERVE PEOPLE PASSING THROUGH OUR AREA WHO COME FROM OTHER REGIONS IN AZ OR ARE TRAVELING THROUGH TO OTHER STATES, AND NEED FOOD ALONG THEIR JOURNEY. THE PEOPLE WE SERVE REGULARLY, LIVE IN AREAS WHICH ARE PREDOMINANTLY RURAL, AND ARE GENERALLY ALL LOW TO MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS. DEMAND FOR SERVICES IN THESE AREAS CONTINUED TO GROW THIS PAST YEAR DUE TO INCREASED ECONOMIC PRESSURES AND OFTEN BECAUSE OF MEDICAL SETBACKS THAT EFFECT THEIR AVAILABLE INCOME. MUCH OF THE GROWTH SEEMED TO BE IN OUR PINAL CLIENTELE, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THE COPPER CORRIDOR REGION IS LOSING MANY STANDARD RESOURCES. THERE ARE NO LONGER BASIC FULL-SERVICE GROCERY STORES, BANKS OR OTHER CORPORATE RETAIL STORES. RESIDENTS RELY ON GAS STATION CONVENIENCE STORES AND DOLLAR GENERALS. HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS IS MINIMAL. PINAL COUNTY IS THE FASTEST GROWING US COUNTY WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI, AND WE ARE PROVIDING BONUS COMMODITIES FOOD SERVICE TO MORE THAN 190 LOWEST OF INCOME PINAL SENIORS, DELIVERING TO MANY WHO HAVE NO TRANSPORTATION AT ALL. WE EXPECT TO SEE CONSISTENT GROWTH IN COMMUNITY NEEDS IN THE FUTURE, AS MORE PEOPLE LEARN ABOUT IMPACT OF SOAZ, THE ECONOMY IS LESS STABLE, COST OF LIVING IS ON THE RISE, AND PEOPLE CONTINUE TO MOVE INTO AZ. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR, OUR FOOD BANK SERVED 5684 UNDUPLICATED INDIVIDUALS (UP FROM 5159 LAST FY). THESE PEOPLE CAME FROM 1864 UNDUPLICATED HOUSEHOLDS (115 MORE THAN THE PREVIOUS YEAR) OF DIVERSE AGES, RACE AND ETHNICITY. PEOPLE IN PIMA COUNTY REPORT TO US THEY DRIVE UP TO CATALINA FROM ALL OVER TUCSON EVEN THOUGH THERE IS EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE CLOSER TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS BECAUSE OUR FOOD DISTRIBUTION IS BETTER IN QUALITY AND VOLUME, AND OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS FAR SUPERIOR, ESPECIALLY IN THE WAY WE TREAT ALL OUR CLIENTS, WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT. THIS YEAR, THE VALUE OF FOOD WE PROVIDED WAS OVER 1.969MM. FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AS WELL AS MEATS AND DAIRY TO SUPPLEMENT OUR SHELF STABLE DISTRIBUTION HELP OUR CLIENTS LIVE HEALTHIER LIVES THROUGH BETTER NUTRITION AND REDUCED FINANCIAL AND HUNGER STRESS. ON AVERAGE WE DISTRIBUTE 50,000 POUNDS OF FOOD EACH MONTH. WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE OUR IMPACT FOOD BAG OF PANTRY ITEMS THAT FIT THE USDA RECOMMENDED ITEMS, THANKS TO GENEROUS SUPPORT FROM COMMUNITY BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS. ALL INBOUND DONATION ITEMS ARE WEIGHED, SORTED, LOGGED INTO A DATABASE FOR RECORD KEEPING, CHECKED FOR FOOD SAFETY AND PROPERLY STORED. THE AVERAGE DEMAND HAS US SERVING ABOUT 800 FAMILIES EACH MONTH, WITH NEW PIMA AND PINAL RESIDENTS ENROLLING REGULARLY. NOT ALL FAMILIES COME IN EVERY MONTH. OUR GENEROUS, THOUGHTFUL CLIENTELE DO NOT PARTICIPATE IF THEY FEEL THERE IS ANOTHER FAMILY STRUGGLING MORE; BUT WE ENCOURAGE ALL TO COME GET FOOD, TO BOLSTER THEIR FOOD AVAILABILITY AND AS A WAY TO STRETCH THEIR EARNED INCOME SO THEY CAN PURCHASE OTHER NECESSITIES. WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIPS OF MANY AREA GROCERY STORES SUCH AS FRY'S, SAFEWAY, TARGET, WALMART, WHOLE FOODS, TRADER JOES, BASHAS', AND OF MANY SMALL BUSINESSES BAKERIES AND CHAINS. THEY ALL PROVIDED US WITH FRESH PRODUCE, DAIRY, EGGS, MEAT, AND OTHER PERISHABLE FOODS, AS WELL AS SPECIAL PRICING WHEN WE HAVE TO BUY BULK. A LARGE CORPS OF TRAINED VOLUNTEERS PICKS UP FROM MARKETS EVERY DAY, INCLUDING SATURDAY TO ENSURE WE HAVE THE INVENTORY NEEDED TO FEED OUR GROWING ENROLLMENT. WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THEIR PARTNERSHIPS WHICH ALLOW US TO PROVIDE A ROBUST DISTRIBUTION. WE CONTINUE OUR EXCITING RELATIONSHIP WITH UA BIOSPHERE 2 WHO IS GROWING PRODUCE FOR OUR FOOD BANK; HEADS OF LETTUCE, KALE, SPINACH AND OTHER LEAFY GREENS, IN A CONVERTED OCEAN CARGO CONTAINER, WITH VERY LITTLE WATER USE AND NO PESTICIDES. OUR VOLUNTEERS PICK UP ABOUT TEN LARGE TUBS OF THIS PRODUCE WEEKLY. IT TASTES AMAZING, AND ALL THE CLIENTS LOVE BEING THE BENEFICIARIES OF THIS COLLABORATION. OUR FOOD BANK, SET UP IN A MODULAR BUILDING ON OUR SITE, INCLUDES A LARGE SHOPPING AREA TO ALLOW CLIENTS TO SELF-SELECT MANY OF THEIR FOOD ITEMS. WE ARE ALWAYS VERY EXCITED TO OFFER THIS PERSONALIZED EXPERIENCE FOR OUR CLIENTS. IT IS A FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE SPACE FOR OUR PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WHO HAVE GIVEN IT RAVE REVIEWS; AND WE HAVE HAD ARCHITECTURAL PLANS DRAWN UP TO SOMEDAY EXPAND OUR MAIN BUILDING TO FILL OUR PROPERTY FOOTPRINT AND HOUSE A LARGER FOOD BANK THAT WILL LOOK LIKE A STANDARD MARKET, AND WHERE CLIENTS WILL BE ABLE TO SELF-SELECT ALL THEIR OWN FOOD. THIS WILL BE A MAJOR PROJECT THAT TAKES SOME TIME TO IMPLEMENT, BUT WE ARE EXCITED TO CONTINUE PLANS TO BRING SUCH AN INNOVATIVE FOOD BANK EXPERIENCE TO OUR REGION IN THE FUTURE. WE UTILIZE THE AZ DES FOOD BANK DATABASE SYSTEM CALLED LINK2FEED AND HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF TRAINED VOLUNTEERS WHO ENTER DATA DAILY AS FOOD GOES OUT. BOTH PIMA AND PINAL COUNTIES ARE ON THE SYSTEM, EACH WITH THEIR OWN COUNTY PORTAL, AND WE CAN ACCESS INFORMATION FOR OTHER COUNTIES AS NEEDED; SO ALL OUR CLIENT DISTRIBUTIONS ARE TRACKED IN THE SAME MANNER, AND A VARIETY OF REPORTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR PROGRAM EVALUATION AND TRACKING. WE GREW OUR MIMS PROGRAM (MIGHTY IMPACT MEALS) TO BETTER SUPPORT FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN WHO WERE PARTICULARLY STRUGGLING TO KEEP ENOUGH FOOD ON THE TABLE WHEN SCHOOL WAS NOT IN SESSION. MANY FAMILIES REL
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 November 6, 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 June 2001.
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 November 4, 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.