Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Project Unloaded Inc

EIN 87-4212016 · Chicago, IL

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair63 out of 100GovernanceStrong93 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

PROJECT UNLOADED INC. (ORGANIZATION) IS A NON-PROFIT CORPORATION ORGANIZED TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE IN ALL ITS FORMS BY EDUCATING, ENGAGING, AND EMPOWERING TEENS THROUGH CULTURAL CAMPAIGNS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS THAT SHARE A SIMPLE MESSAGE: GUNS MAKE US LESS SAFE.PROJECT UNLOADED SITS AT THE INTERSECTION OF PUBLIC HEALTH, YOUTH ENGAGEMENT, SOCIAL MARKETING AND CULTURE. THROUGH LARGE-SCALE, DATA-BACKED SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS, ORIGINAL RESEARCH, TEEN-FACING LOCAL PROGRAMS, AND INSPIRING YOUTH LEADERS, WE COMBINE YOUNG PEOPLE'S LOVE OF SOCIAL MEDIA WITH A GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION MESSAGE THAT CAN REDUCE GUN USE AND SAVE LIVES.

Income
$1.2 million
Spending
$1.9 million
Spent on programs
77%
Reserves
10.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 99%
Employees
10
Volunteers
9
Highest pay
$246,647, president

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

Fair: 63 out of 100. Higher than 29% of charities in its peer group (public safety and disaster relief, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 10.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 57% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 68% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    77% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 19 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

Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 82% of charities in its peer group (public safety and disaster relief, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 10 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a 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

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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 (4)
  1. $812,391 spent. OUR CAMPAIGNS LEVERAGE THE POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND GEN Z TO REACH AMERICAN TEENS WITH A MESSAGE THAT STICKS. WHETHER IT'S THROUGH A POST ON THEIR FAVORITE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM OR A MESSAGE VIA TRUSTED GAMING OR LIFESTYLE INFLUENCERS, WE REACH YOUNG PEOPLE AT SCALE WITH THE INFORMATION THEY NEED TO MAKE INFORMED, INDEPENDENT CHOICES ABOUT OWNING AND USING GUNS.
  2. $233,579 spent. THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNER PROGRAM, PROJECT UNLOADED WORKS WITH TEEN-FACING ORGANIZATIONS TO EMPOWER YOUNG PEOPLE WITH THE FACTS ON WHY THEY'RE SAFER UNARMED AND TO TRAIN TEENS ON HOW TO USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO SPREAD THAT MESSAGE TO THEIR PEERS.
  3. $237,571 spent. YOUNG PEOPLE ARE AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING WE DO AT PROJECT UNLOADED. OUR TEEN AND YOUNG ADULT LEADERS ARE THE CREATIVE ENGINES BEHIND OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS, REACHING THEIR PEERS WITH THE LIFE-SAVING MESSAGE THAT GUNS MAKE US LESS SAFE. PROJECT UNLOADED IS PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY TWO TEAMS OF YOUNG PEOPLE. OUR YOUTH COUNCIL ADVISES ON UPCOMING CAMPAIGNS, SHAPES OUR DIGITAL PRESENCE, AND DEVELOPS THEIR OWN CREATIVE AND COMMUNITY PROJECTS TO ENGAGE THEIR NETWORKS AROUND THE MESSAGE THAT WE'RE SAFER UNARMED. IN 2024, WE EXPANDED OUR OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG LEADERS, WITH THE FORMATION OF OUR INAUGURAL CREATOR CORPS, WHICH FOCUSES ON SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY AND CONTENT CREATION.
  4. $209,712 spent. THE ORGANIZATION'S ORIGINAL RESEARCH GENERATES CRITICAL INSIGHTS THAT BOTH INFORM ITS PROGRAMS AND ADVANCE THE BROADER FIELD OF GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION. THIS WORK SPANS KEY AREAS INCLUDING FIREARM RISK EDUCATION AS A PUBLIC HEALTH STRATEGY, IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF GEN Z PERSPECTIVES AND EXPERIENCES RELATED TO GUN VIOLENCE, AND THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND CULTURE IN SHAPING PREVENTION EFFORTS. THROUGH THIS RESEARCH, THE ORGANIZATION DEMONSTRATESITS ROLE AS A THOUGHT LEADER AND INNOVATOR, DRIVING EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACHES TO REDUCE GUN VIOLENCE AND IMPROVE COMMUNITY SAFETY.

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 November 2022.

    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.