City Ministries
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO PROMOTE AND FOSTER THE PHYSICAL, SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, EMOTIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY WITH A FOCUS ON THOSE IN NEED.
- Income
- $1.5 million
- Spending
- $2.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- 5.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 88%
- Employees
- 35
- Volunteers
- 30
- Highest pay
- $157,123, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 55 out of 100. Higher than 25% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 46% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 52% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 21 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 94 out of 100. Higher than 58% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 8 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
9 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 (3)
- $774,124 spent. THE CITY KIDS SCHOOL WAS CREATED TO EQUIP THE NEXT GENERATION WITH THE BUILDING BLOCKS NECESSARY TO BUILD THEIR FUTURE. WE ARE INTENTIONAL ABOUT PREPARING CHILDREN TO BE LIFELONG LEARNERS. OUR EMPHASIS IN LEARNING FOCUSES ON FIVE MAIN AREAS: SOCIAL, MENTAL, PHYSICAL, SPIRITUAL AND EMOTIONAL. THESE IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF A CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT ARE MET IN A STRUCTURED, SAFE ENVIRONMENT, HIGHLIGHTED BY TEACHERS WHO SINCERELY LOVE THEIR STUDENTS. THE SCHOOL OFFERS CLASSES FOR AGE 2 THROUGH KINDERGARTEN AND HAS 88 STUDENTS.
- $675,296 spent. THE ROSE HILL COTTAGES & AARON HASKINS COMMUNITY CENTER WERE BUILT TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR FAMILIES THAT DO FOSTER-CARE AND ARE LICENSED THROUGH CITY MINISTRIES CHILD-PLACEMENT AGENCY. MONTHLY CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES ARE PROVIDED THROUGH THE COMMUNITY CENTER AS WELL AS FOSTER PARENT SUPPORT GROUPS, FOSTER PARENT TRAINING, AND PRIVATE USE OF COTTAGE RESIDENTS.
- $346,109 spent. CITY MINISTRIES' CHILD PLACEMENT AGENCY PROVIDES SAFE, STABLE, AND NURTURING HOMES FOR CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE, WITH A STRONG FOCUS ON PERMANENCY AND FAMILY RESTORATION. OVER THE PAST 15+ YEARS, MORE THAN 120 CHILDREN HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY REUNIFIED WITH THEIR BIRTH OR EXTENDED FAMILIES, WHILE OTHERS HAVE TRANSITIONED INTO PERMANENT ADOPTIVE HOMES. THE AGENCY MAINTAINS STRONG FOSTER PARENT RETENTION, WITH FAMILIES SERVING AN AVERAGE OF SEVEN YEARS, ALONG WITH MINIMAL PLACEMENT DISRUPTIONS AND CONSISTENT STAFF RETENTION THAT STRENGTHENS CONTINUITY OF CARE. SERVING KING, PIERCE, AND SNOHOMISH COUNTIES, THE AGENCY PARTNERS CLOSELY WITH DCYF TO RECRUIT, TRAIN, AND SUPPORT FOSTER FAMILIES, DELIVERING TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE AND INDIVIDUALIZED CASE MANAGEMENT THAT PRODUCES LASTING, LIFE-CHANGING RESULTS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 November 6, 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 June 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 August 2002.
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 November 4, 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.