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Make Projects

EIN 88-3399336 · San Diego, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood75 out of 100GovernanceGood78 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

EMPOWER REFUGEE AND IMMIGRANT WOMEN AND YOUTH WITH THE JOB READINESS SKILLS TO ACHIEVE THEIR DREAMS.

Income
$1.6 million
Spending
$1.4 million
Spent on programs
87%
Reserves
5.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 54%
Employees
118
Volunteers
48
Highest pay
$96,315, executive director

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: 75 out of 100. Higher than 48% of charities in its peer group (employment, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 42% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 16% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 28% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    86% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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

Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 28% of charities in its peer group (employment, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    4 of 4 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no 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, 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 (3)
  1. $884,222 spent. JOB READINESS PROGRAM: IN ORDER TO BUILD THE CONFIDENCE AND JOB SKILLS OF OUR IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE PARTICIPANTS, MAKE PROJECTS OFFERS AN EIGHT TO TWELVE WEEK JOB READINESS PROGRAM IN A RESTAURANT AND URBAN FARM TRAINING PLATFORM. PARTICIPANTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GAIN REAL, PAID WORK EXPERIENCE THAT GOES ON THEIR RESUME AND HELPS THEM LEARN SKILLS THAT THEY COULD APPLY TO FUTURE JOBS, BUILD THEIR CONFIDENCE AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND LEARN CULTURAL NORMS OF THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT IN THE UNITED STATES. THIS EXPERIENCE IS VITAL IN HELPING PARTICIPANTS SECURE A JOB AFTER GRADUATING FROM MAKE PROJECTS JOB READINESS PROGRAM. THIS APPLIED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IS VERY BENEFICIAL FOR LOWER LITERACY REFUGEE AND IMMIGRANT WOMEN WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH CLASSROOM BASED LEARNING AND DIFFERENT CULTURAL NORMS. PARTICIPANTS IN THE JOB READINESS PROGRAM ARE PAID MINIMUM WAGE WHILE BEING TRAINED ON THE JOB IN A REAL WORLD SETTING BY MAKE PROJECTS STAFF. ALL THE PARTICIPANTS WORK ON SITE AT THE RESTAURANT AND FARM LOCATED AT 3725 30TH STREET IN SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, SUBSEQUENTLY RELOCATED TO 2920 UNIVERSITY AVENUE IN SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. AS AN ORGANIZATION, 75 PERCENT OF OUR STAFF TIME IS ALLOCATED TO THESE ACTIVITIES. THE PROGRAM IS FUNDED BY A COMBINATION OF GRANTS, DONATIONS AND BUSINESS INCOME. GIVEN THE TRANSITIONAL NATURE OF THE PROGRAM, AS PARTICIPANTS ARE ONLY IN IT FOR EIGHT TO TWELVE WEEKS, GRANTS AND DONATIONS ARE NEEDED TO FINANCIALLY MAINTAIN THE RESTAURANT AND FARM.
  2. $176,844 spent. EDUCATION AND CAREER COUNSELING STAFF PROVIDE A VARIETY OF INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP TRAININGS AND SERVICES TO COUNSEL AND COACH PARTICIPANTS ABOUT HOW TO FIND AND SECURE A JOB,AMERICAN WORK CULTURE NORMS AND HOW TO SUCCEED ON THE JOB. THE EDUCATION AND CAREER COUNSELING PROVIDED BY MAKE PROJECTS IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF HELPING PARTICIPANTS BUILD THEIR CONFIDENCE AND GAIN MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT. THESE EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND CAREER COUNSELING PROGRAMS ARE PROVIDED BY EMPLOYEES OF MAKE PROJECTS WHO HAVE SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE IN SOCIAL WORK AND EARLY EMPLOYMENT. AS AN ORGANIZATION, 15 PERCENT OF OUR STAFF TIME IS ALLOCATED TO THESE ACTIVITIES AND THE EMPLOYMENT PLACEMENT SERVICES DESCRIBED BELOW. THE FUNDING IS PRIMARILY THROUGH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE GRANTS, AND SOME DONATION INCOME. THIS ACTIVITY IS IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THAT MAKE PROJECTS BENEFICIARIES ATTAIN THE PRIMARY GOAL OF OUR ORGANIZATION WHICH IS A PERMANENT, UNSUBSIDIZED JOB OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
  3. $117,896 spent. EMPLOYMENT SERVICES: WHEN A PARTICIPANT IS CLOSE TO FINISHING THE JOB READINESS PROGRAM, MAKE PROJECTS WILL ASSIST THE PARTICIPANT IN SEEKING PERMANENT EMPLOYMENT ELSEWHERE. THIS INCLUDES HELPING THE PARTICIPANT SEARCH FOR AND APPLY FOR JOBS, JOB INTERVIEW PREPARATION, REGULAR MEETINGS AND SUPPORT IN THE FIRST WEEKS AND MONTHS AT THEIR NEW JOB. IN ADDITION, MAKE PROJECTS WILL COACH PARTICIPANTS AND TEACH THEM OTHER SKILLS TO STAY MEANINGFULLY EMPLOYED. FOR EXAMPLE, MAKE PROJECTS WILL COACH PARTICIPANTS ON HOW TO EFFECTIVELY MANAGE THEIR TIME, FIND CHILDCARE, AND HAVE EFFICIENT AND DEPENDABLE TRANSPORTATION. EMPLOYMENT SERVICES ACCOUNT FOR 10 PERCENT OF OUR TOTAL STAFF TIME.

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

  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 2024.

    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 September 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.