Special Olympics Utah Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF SPECIAL OLYMPICS IS TO PROVIDE YEAR-ROUND SPORTS TRAINING AND ATHLETIC COMPETITION IN A VARIETY OF OLYMPIC-TYPE SPORTS FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, GIVING THEM CONTINUING OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP PHYSICAL FITNESS, DEMONSTRATE COURAGE, EXPERIENCE JOY AND PARTICIPATE IN A SHARING OF GIFTS, SKILLS AND FRIENDSHIP WITH THEIR FAMILIES, OTHER SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHLETES AND THE COMMUNITY.
- Income
- $1.9 million
- Spending
- $1.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 79%
- Reserves
- 9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 65%
- Employees
- 17
- Volunteers
- 1,500
- Highest pay
- $144,806, president/ce
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: 89 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 9.0 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 15% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 8% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 6% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1579% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 9 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 82% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2519 of 19 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 (5)
- $537,564 spent. UNIFIED SPORTS UNIFIED SPORTS IS AN INCLUSIVE PROGRAM THAT BRINGS PEOPLE WITH AND WITHOUT INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES TOGETHER AS TEAMMATES. THIS PAST YEAR, WE HAVE SEEN SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN UNIFIED SPORTS IN HIGH SCHOOLS, WHERE PARTICIPATION ROSE TO OVER 80,000 STUDENTS ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN ONE OR MORE OF THE UNIFIED CHAMPION SCHOOLS (UCS) STRATEGIES OF 1) PARTICIPATION IN UNIFIED SPORTS, 2) OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN INCLUSIVE STUDENT LEADERSHIP, AND 3) INVOLVEMENT IN WHOLE-SCHOOL ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES. WE SAW SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN UCS BASKETBALL AND SOCCER TEAMS, WITH OVER 200 HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS IN EACH OF THE SPORTS.
- $133,843 spent. SEASON SPORTS THE ORGANIZATION COORDINATES STATEWIDE TRAINING AND COMPETITIONS YEAR-ROUND FOR OVER 3,000 SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHLETES AND UNIFIED SPORTS PARTNERS IN THE SPORTS OF ALPINE AND CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING, SNOWSHOEING, BASKETBALL, DANCE, TRACK AND FIELD, SWIMMING, SOCCER, BOWLING, CYCLING, SOFTBALL, GOLF, BOCCE, CHEERLEADING, AND FLAG FOOTBALL.
- $238,227 spent. HEALTH & FITNESS HEALTH & FITNESS PROGRAMS INCLUDE HEALTHY ATHLETES, WHICH EDUCATES ATHLETES ABOUT HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CHOICES, AND HEALTH SCREENINGS ARE OFFERED IN COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT UTAH.
- $487,007 spent. COMPETITIONS & OTHER PROGRAMS THE ORGANIZATION SPONSORS ATHLETES TO COMPETE IN THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS USA GAMES AND SPECIAL OLYMPICS WORLD GAMES. THESE EVENTS CELEBRATE THE DEDICATION AND PERSEVERANCE OF SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHLETES AND PROMOTE A MORE INCLUSIVE WORLD.
- COMPETITIONS & OTHER PROGRAMS THE ORGANIZATION SPONSORS ATHLETES TO COMPETE IN THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS USA GAMES AND SPECIAL OLYMPICS WORLD GAMES. THESE EVENTS CELEBRATE THE DEDICATION AND PERSEVERANCE OF SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHLETES AND PROMOTE A MORE INCLUSIVE WORLD.
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 December 1983.
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.
Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.
A much larger organization has a similar name: Special Olympics Inc (Washington, DC), EIN 52-0889518. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 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.