Kounkuey Design Initiative Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
- It owes more than it owns.
- Only 49% of its spending went to programs.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
KOUNKUEY DESIGN INITIATIVE (KDI) IS A NON-PROFIT DESIGN AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION. WE PARTNER WITH UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES TO ADVANCE EQUITY AND ACTIVATE THE UNREALIZED POTENTIAL IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND CITIES. WE REALIZE THIS MISSION THROUGH EDUCATION, RESEARCH, PLANNING, AND BUILT WORKS.
- Income
- $3.9 million
- Spending
- $3.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 49%
- Reserves
- -3.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 43%
- Employees
- 31
- Volunteers
- 2
- Highest pay
- $162,825, director and ceo
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
Weak: 27 out of 100. Higher than 2% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 121% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 0% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 29% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1549% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 49% of charities in its peer group (international, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 7 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
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, 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 (2)
- $1.9 million spent. THROUGHOUT 2024, WE FOCUSED OUR EFFORTS ON PROJECTS THAT BUILD JUSTICE, INCLUSIVENESS, AND RESILIENCE INTO THE PUBLIC REALM AND IMPROVE HEALTH, WELL-BEING, AND QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGHOUT ALL NEIGHBORHOODS. ACROSS NEARLY 30 ACTIVE PROJECTS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, WE DEVELOPED PROJECTS THAT CELEBRATE THE UNTOLD HISTORIES OF OVERLOOKED COMMUNITIES THROUGH PARK DESIGNS, ENABLE THOSE OVERLOOKED COMMUNITIES TO COLLABORATE ON LONG-TERM NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING, ENGAGE YOUTH RESIDENTS TO CREATE LONG-LASTING GREENER COMMUNITIES THROUGH COMMUNITY GARDENING AND PLANTING EFFORTS, MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS, MAKE PLAY ACCESSIBLE TO CHILDREN OF ALL AGES AND BACKGROUNDS, AND ENHANCE THE CAPACITY OF LOCAL RESIDENTS TO CREATE LONG-TERM CHANGE IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES.WORKING WITH THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION, KDI CREATED A COMMEMORATIVE TOOLKIT COMPRISED OF PRACTICAL TOOLS THAT CAN BE DEPLOYED AT ANY EXISTING OR PLANNED PARK TO ENSURE REPRESENTATIVE AND INCLUSIVE STORIES ARE INCORPORATED IN THE PARK'S DESIGNS. PART OF THE KIT IS THE PARK AUDIT TOOL, WHICH THE COUNTY CAN USE TO ASSESS COMMEMORATIVE ELEMENTS AND HISTORIES IN ANY GIVEN PARK, AND IDENTIFY THE PRESENCE OF UNKNOWN OR UNDERREPRESENTED PARK OR COMMUNITY HISTORIES. THIS PROJECT BUILDS ON A GROWING BODY OF COMMEMORATIVE WORK AT KDI, INCLUDING OUR EFFORTS TO INSTALL A MOSAIC AT JACKIE ROBINSON PARK IN SUN VILLAGE, CALIFORNIA THAT ILLUSTRATES THE RICH HISTORY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND SURROUNDING AREA. THROUGH ALL OF THESE PROJECTS, WE ARE TAKING THE LESSONS LEARNED AND CODIFYING A COMMUNITY-DRIVEN PROCESS FOR COMMEMORATION IN PARKS SYSTEMS.IN PALM SPRINGS, CITY OFFICIALS AND COMMUNITY RESIDENTS ARE WORKING TOWARD A MORE JUST FUTURE FOR THE METRO AREA, WHICH INCLUDES EQUITABLE NEIGHBORHOOD INVESTMENT. AS PART OF THE INITIATIVE, KDI LED A DYNAMIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS CONSISTING OF WORKSHOPS AND POP-UPS WHERE RESIDENTS WERE ASKED TO REIMAGINE THEIR VISION FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN NAMED THE NORTH PALM SPRINGS SPECIFIC PLAN. RESIDENTS USED THE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS TO CONNECT WITH OTHER NEIGHBORS AND SPEAK DIRECTLY WITH THE CITY ABOUT THEIR FEELINGS OF NEGLECT AND UNDERINVESTMENT. THE SPECIFIC PLAN, INFUSED WITH THE COMMUNITY'S VISION, WILL RESET LONG TERM GOALS AND MAP A PATH TOWARD GREATER NEIGHBORHOOD COHESION, VITALITY, AND LONG-TERM ECONOMIC HEALTH.IN 2024, KDI CONTINUED OUR WORK WITH MAR VISTA GARDENS, THE ONLY PUBLIC HOUSING PROJECT ON THE WEST SIDE OF LOS ANGELES, TO CREATE A COMMUNITY GREENING PLAN AND REDESIGN KEY PUBLIC SPACES ON THE CAMPUS. TO KEEP LOCAL YOUTH ENGAGED WITH THE GREENING PROCESS DURING THE PROJECT'S DESIGN PHASE, WE PARTNERED WITH THE LOCAL BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB TO LEAD A YOUTH VIDEO AND COMMUNITY DOCUMENTATION TRAINING PROGRAM DURING SUMMER BREAK. CONDUCTED BY A UCLA FILM ARCHIVIST, THE PROGRAM TAUGHT STUDENTS VIDEO PRODUCTION SKILLS, SUPER 8 FILM PROCESSING, AND COMMUNITY STORYTELLING TECHNIQUES. OUR TRAINING SESSIONS CULMINATED IN AN INTERGENERATIONAL VIDEO AND ZINE CELEBRATING RESIDENTS' EXISTING GREENING EFFORTS. STUDENTS INTERVIEWED THE LOCAL RESIDENTS LEADING GREENING EFFORTS ON THE MVG CAMPUS, AND DOCUMENTED THEIR STEWARDSHIP OF THE GREEN SPACES AND THEIR EFFORTS TO ENHANCE COMMUNITY ACCESS
- $9,163 spent. OUR WORK ALSO EXTENDED OUTSIDE OF CALIFORNIA. IN PENNSYLVANIA, WE OVERSAW THE LANDSCAPE-RELATED CONSTRUCTION OF A RENOVATED VARE RECREATION CENTER, A COMMUNITY CENTER IN SOUTH PHILADELPHIA THAT HAS BEEN BELOVED FOR OVER 100 YEARS. OVER THE CENTER'S LONG HISTORY, DISINVESTMENT TOOK A TOLL ON THE INTEGRITY OF THE BUILDING AND SURROUNDING GREEN SPACE, PROMPTING THE CITY TO REBUILD. KDI LED THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE DESIGN AND HELPED REIMAGINE THIS COMMUNITY HUB WITH LOCAL RESIDENTS. THROUGH THE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, THE COMMUNITY SHARED THE VITAL ROLE PLAYED BY A FRONT 'STOOP', WHICH IS A SET OF STAIRS LEADING UP TO THE FRONT DOOR OF A HOUSE THAT SERVES AS AN INFORMAL MEETING SPACE BETWEEN FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS. WE WORKED ALONGSIDE THESE RESIDENTS TO INCORPORATE THIS TRADITION INTO THE SITE DESIGN WITH A 'COMMUNITY STOOP' RUNNING ALONGSIDE THE RECREATION CENTER TO ACT AS A THRESHOLD SPACE BETWEEN DIFFERENT PROGRAMS AND TO ENCOURAGE GATHERING. THE NEW DESIGN FOR VARE INCLUDES AN ADA-ACCESSIBLE PLAYGROUND, A COMMUNITY PLAZA WITH A SPLASH PAD, A FULL-SIZED FOOTBALL FIELD, BASKETBALL COURTS, AN OUTDOOR CLASSROOM, AND COMMUNITY ARTWORK WOVEN THROUGHOUT. THE RENEWED VARE RECREATION CENTER OPENED TO THE PUBLIC IN 2024 TO MUCH CELEBRATION.
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 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 2024.
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 2011.
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.