Wooden Fish Parents First
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONAL CARE AND RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, WHILE FOSTERING EACH CHILD'S INTELLECTUAL, SOCIAL, PHYSICAL, AND MORAL DEVELOPMENT IN A SAFE AND NURTURING ENVIRONMENT. WOODEN FISH PARENTS FIRST PROVIDES RESOURCES, GUIDANCE, AND TRAINING FOR SINGLE PARENTS AND CHILDREN IN HIGH-RISK AREAS. PARENTS FIRST OFFERS A WELCOMING SPACE WHERE FAMILIES CAN LEARN SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, PHYSICAL, AND INTELLECTUAL PARENTING SKILLS, WHILE RECEIVING ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE FROM OUR GRANT PROGRAMS. WE PROVIDE SAFE, STABLE CARE FOR FAMILIES WHO WANT TO ENCOURAGE THEIR CHILDRENS DEVELOPMENT IN A SETTING THAT HONORS DIVERSITY AND RESPECTS THE ENVIRONMENT IN COLLABORATION WITH FAMILIES AND THE GREATER COMMUNITY.
- Income
- $340,750
- Spending
- $169,562
- Spent on programs
- 95%
- Reserves
- 13.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 88%
- Employees
- 4
- Volunteers
- 34
- Highest pay
- $26,967, executive di
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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 85% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 13.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 50% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 1398% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1595% 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
Weak: 46 out of 100. Higher than 14% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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, 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)
- $160,574 spent. IN 2025, WOODEN FISH PARENTS FIRST CONTINUED TO GROW ITS COMMUNITY-BASED FAMILY SUPPORT, YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION WORK. THROUGH THE BIG FISH PROGRAM, WE FOCUSED ON SUPPORTING YOUTH AND FAMILIES IN HIGH- RISK COMMUNITIES BY CREATING SAFE SPACES, MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, POSITIVE ADULT RELATIONSHIPS, AND PRACTICAL LIFE-SKILL PROGRAMMING. WE SERVED FAMILIES THROUGH PARENT ENGAGEMENT, YOUTH MENTORING, TUTORING SUPPORT, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, AND RESOURCE CONNECTION.WE ALSO CONTINUED BUILDING PROGRAMS THAT HELP FAMILIES BEYOND THE CLASSROOM, INCLUDING PARENT COACHING, YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES, FOOD SUPPORT, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS. MEALS WERE PROVIDED DURING PROGRAMMING AND OUTREACH EFFORTS TO REDUCE BARRIERS FOR FAMILIES AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION. IN TOTAL, WE SERVED APPROXIMATELY THOUSANDFAMILIES AND PROVIDED APPROXIMATELY 3,000 MEALS DURING THE YEAR.ONE MAJOR ACHIEVEMENT WAS CONTINUING TO STRENGTHEN OUR PROGRAM MODEL AROUND PREVENTION, MENTORSHIP, AND FAMILY STABILITY. WE ALSO BEGAN DEVELOPING NEW PROJECT IDEAS, INCLUDING THE 3M PROJECT MENTORING MEN IN MOTORS WHICH IS DESIGNED TO REACH OLDER YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS THROUGH AUTOMOTIVE MENTORSHIP, WORKFORCE EXPOSURE, RESPONSIBILITY, DISCIPLINE, AND POSITIVE COMMUNITY CONNECTION.OUR OVERALL ACHIEVEMENT IN 2025 WAS THAT WOODEN FISH PARENTS FIRST CONTINUED TO BE A TRUSTED COMMUNITY RESOURCE FOR FAMILIES, YOUTH, AND SINGLE PARENTS BY COMBINING MENTORSHIP, EDUCATION, OUTREACH, FOOD SUPPORT, AND VIOLENCE- PREVENTION PROGRAMMING IN A WAY THAT MEETS FAMILIES WHERE THEY ARE. IN 2025, WOODEN FISH PARENTS FIRST CONTINUED TO GROW ITS COMMUNITY-BASED FAMILY SUPPORT, YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION WORK. THROUGH THE BIG FISH PROGRAM, WE FOCUSED ON SUPPORTING YOUTH AND FAMILIES IN HIGH- RISK COMMUNITIES BY CREATING SAFE SPACES, MENTORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, POSITIVE ADULT RELATIONSHIPS, AND PRACTICAL LIFE-SKILL PROGRAMMING. WE SERVED FAMILIES THROUGH PARENT ENGAGEMENT, YOUTH MENTORING, TUTORING SUPPORT, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, AND RESOURCE CONNECTION.WE ALSO CONTINUED BUILDING PROGRAMS THAT HELP FAMILIES BEYOND THE CLASSROOM, INCLUDING PARENT COACHING, YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES, FOOD SUPPORT, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS. MEALS WERE PROVIDED DURING PROGRAMMING AND OUTREACH EFFORTS TO REDUCE BARRIERS FOR FAMILIES AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION. IN TOTAL, WE SERVED APPROXIMATELY THOUSANDFAMILIES AND PROVIDED APPROXIMATELY 3,000 MEALS DURING THE YEAR.ONE MAJOR ACHIEVEMENT WAS CONTINUING TO STRENGTHEN OUR PROGRAM MODEL AROUND PREVENTION, MENTORSHIP, AND FAMILY STABILITY. WE ALSO BEGAN DEVELOPING NEW PROJECT IDEAS, INCLUDING THE 3M PROJECT MENTORING MEN IN MOTORS WHICH IS DESIGNED TO REACH OLDER YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS THROUGH AUTOMOTIVE MENTORSHIP, WORKFORCE EXPOSURE, RESPONSIBILITY, DISCIPLINE, AND POSITIVE COMMUNITY CONNECTION.OUR OVERALL ACHIEVEMENT IN 2025 WAS THAT WOODEN FISH PARENTS FIRST CONTINUED TO BE A TRUSTED COMMUNITY RESOURCE FOR FAMILIES, YOUTH, AND SINGLE PARENTS BY COMBINING MENTORSHIP, EDUCATION, OUTREACH, FOOD SUPPORT, AND VIOLENCE- PREVENTION PROGRAMMING IN A WAY THAT MEETS FAMILIES WHERE THEY ARE.
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
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 December 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 March 2022.
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.