Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE TRAGEDY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR SURVIVORS (TAPS) IS AMERICA'S NATIONAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT HAS CARED FOR THE LOVED ONES OF OUR NATION'S FALLEN HEROES SINCE 1994. TAPS ENSURES THESE LIVING LEGACIES OF SERVICE AND SACRIFICE DO NOT GRIEVE ALONE AND HAVE RESOURCES THAT EXTEND FAR BEYOND WHAT THE GOVERNMENT CAN PROVIDE. ALL MILITARY SURVIVORS REGARDLESS OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO THE DECEASED, THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH, OR THE SERVICE MEMBER'S DUTY STATUS AT THE TIME OF DEATH HAVE A PLACE AT TAPS. IN 2022 ALONE, 8,849 NEW SURVIVORS SOUGHT THE COMFORT OF OUR PEER-BASED SUPPORT NETWORK, SURVIVOR PROGRAMS, CONNECTIONS TO GRIEF RESOURCES AND COMMUNITY-BASED CARE, EXPERT CASEWORK ASSISTANCE, AND THE 24/7 NATIONAL SURVIVOR HELPLINE. THE NEED FOR TAPS PROGRAMS REMAINS EVERY BIT AS VITAL TODAY AS IT WAS AT THE PROGRAM'S ORIGIN 29 YEARS AGO.
- Income
- $22.8 million
- Spending
- $15.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- 3.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 115
- Volunteers
- 5,151
- Highest pay
- $159,059, vp
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
Good: 81 out of 100. Higher than 72% of charities in its peer group (mental health, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.8 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 16% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 32% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 46% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 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
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 11% of charities in its peer group (mental health, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 17 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
0 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 (4)
- $7.1 million spent. TAPS SURVIVOR PROGRAMS: TAPS SURVIVOR PROGRAMS CREATE SAFE SPACES FOR MILITARY SURVIVORS TO BUILD COMMUNITY, CONNECT WITH EXPERTS, GAIN HEALTHY COPING TOOLS, INCREASE OVERALL WELL-BEING AND SELF-CONFIDENCE, AND EXPERIENCE HOPE FOR LIFE AFTER LOSS. IN 2025, TAPS HOSTED MORE THAN 1,300 EVENTS FOR SURVIVORS OF ALL AGES AND AT ALL PLACES IN THEIR JOURNEY THROUGH GRIEF. TAPS PROGRAMS, INCLUDING SEMINARS, CAMPS, CARE GROUPS, TAPS TOGETHERS, YOUTH PROGRAMS, A YOUNG ADULT PROGRAM, WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT, A MEN'S PROGRAM, TAPS OUTDOORS, AND SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT, ARE DESIGNED AND IMPLEMENTED FROM EVIDENCE- AND RESEARCH-BASED PRACTICES FOR SUPPORTING THE SUDDEN, UNEXPECTED, AND TRAUMATICALLY BEREAVED ACROSS GENERATIONS. IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL TAPS PROGRAMS ARE HELD ACROSS THE COUNTRY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO MEET SURVIVORS WHERE THEY ARE GEOGRAPHICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY. WE ENSURE THAT TAPS' COMPASSIONATE CARE AND PEER SUPPORT IS NEVER OUT OF REACH FOR ANY SURVIVOR OF MILITARY LOSS.[CARE GROUPS, TAPS TOGETHERS, YOUTH PROGRAMS, YOUNG ADULTS PROGRAM, WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT, MEN'S PROGRAM, TAPS OUTDOORS, SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT]
- $2.2 million spent. PEER-BASED EMOTIONAL SUPPORT AND SURVIVOR CARE: TAPS WAS FOUNDED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF PEER-BASED EMOTIONAL SUPPORT SURVIVORS HELPING SURVIVORS HEAL. THROUGH OUR SURVIVOR CARE TEAM AND 24/7 LIVE-ANSWER NATIONAL MILITARY SURVIVOR HELPLINE, WE CONTINUE OUR 32-YEAR LEGACY OF SERVING SURVIVORS OF MILITARY LOSS WITH COMPASSION AND UNDERSTANDING THAT CAN ONLY COME FROM A TEAM OF PEERS. OUR SURVIVOR CARE TEAM IS THIS TEAM OF MILITARY SURVIVORS; THEY PROVIDE INCLUSIVE AND PROFESSIONAL PEER-BASED EMOTIONAL SUPPORT TO EMBRACE, ENGAGE, AND EMPOWER SURVIVORS AT EVERY PHASE OF THEIR GRIEF JOURNEY. OUR HELPLINE IS ANSWERED ANY TIME, DAY OR NIGHT, BY A KNOWLEDGEABLE, EMPATHETIC PEER WHO IS READY TO LISTEN AND CONNECT SURVIVORS TO THE SERVICES THEY SEEK. THE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES TAPS PROVIDES TO MILITARY SURVIVORS ARE CUSTOMIZED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF EACH SURVIVOR. WE ENSURE THAT THEY ARE: APPROPRIATE TO THE SURVIVOR'S AGE, PHASE OF GRIEF, MANNER OF LOSS, AND RELATIONSHIP TO THE DECEASED; EFFECTIVE GUIDES FOR HEALTHY GRIEVING; AND PROVEN TO ENHANCE THE SURVIVOR'S QUALITY OF LIFE. IN 2025, OUR HELPLINE ANSWERED 20,656 CALLS FROM SURVIVORS EACH CALL AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT AND CONNECT SURVIVORS TO VITAL TAPS RESOURCES. OUR CASEWORK TEAM RESOLVED 9,790 CASES AND IDENTIFIED MORE THAN $149 MILLION IN EDUCATION BENEFITS FOR MILITARY AND VETERAN SURVIVORS.[24/7 NATIONAL MILITARY SURVIVOR HELPLINE, SURVIVOR CARE TEAM, PEER MENTORS, RESOURCE KITS, COMMUNITY RESOURCES, COUNSELING CONNECTIONS, CASEWORK ASSISTANCE, EDUCATION SERVICES]
- $3.6 million spent. TAPS NATIONAL MILITARY SURVIVOR SEMINARS: TAPS HOSTS TWO NATIONAL EVENTS ANNUALLY: THE NATIONAL MILITARY SURVIVOR SEMINAR AND GOOD GRIEF CAMP AND THE NATIONAL MILITARY SUICIDE SURVIVOR SEMINAR AND GOOD GRIEF CAMP. THESE TWO, MULTI-DAY EVENTS BRING SURVIVORS TOGETHER WITH LEADING AUTHORITIES ON GRIEF AND TRAUMA SO THEY CAN LEARN COPING SKILLS AND HEALTHY GRIEVING TECHNIQUES. THESE EVENTS PROVIDE SAFE SPACES FOR GROWTH, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SURVIVORS TO HONOR THE LIVES AND SERVICE OF THEIR LOVED ONES, CONNECTIONS TO A VITAL, LONG-TERM SUPPORT NETWORK, AND THE FOUNDATION FOR HEALTHY GRIEVING AND RESILIENCE FOR THEIR FUTURE. THE NATIONAL MILITARY SURVIVOR SEMINAR AND GOOD GRIEF CAMP TAKE PLACE OVER MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND IN WASHINGTON, D.C., AND THE NATIONAL MILITARY SUICIDE SURVIVOR SEMINAR AND GOOD GRIEF CAMP ARE HELD IN THE FALL WITH CAREFULLY DESIGNED PROGRAMMING AND EXPERT SPEAKERS THAT ADDRESS THE SPECIFIC GRIEF A SURVIVOR OF SUICIDE LOSS MIGHT FACE. TO REACH AS MANY MILITARY SURVIVORS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AS POSSIBLE, TAPS ALSO HOSTS A SERIES OF REGIONAL SEMINARS, TAPS TOGETHERS, CARE GROUPS, AND OTHER LOCAL EVENTS AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT BRING THE HOPE, HEALING, AND CONNECTION OF THE NATIONAL MILITARY SURVIVOR SEMINAR CLOSER TO HOME.
- BEREAVEMENT EDUCATION AND TRAINING: THE TAPS INSTITUTE FOR HOPE AND HEALING EMPOWERS THE BEREAVED AND BRIDGES THE GAP BETWEEN EXPERTS AND THE BEREAVED THROUGH GRIEF, RESILIENCE, AND MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS EDUCATION. IN 2025, OVER 5,600 INDIVIDUALS REGISTERED FOR TAPS INSTITUTE COURSES. A SOUGHT-AFTER RESOURCE AROUND THE WORLD, THE INSTITUTE FEATURES INSIGHTFUL PROGRAMS AND TRAINING DELIVERED BY EXPERTS IN THE FIELD OF GRIEF, TRAUMA, AND SUICIDE APPLICABLE TO SUPPORTING SURVIVORS ACROSS GENERATIONS. TAPS INSTITUTE PROVIDES COURSES AND CONTINUING EDUCATION TO SURVIVORS, SOCIAL WORKERS, NURSES, FUNERAL DIRECTORS, CASUALTY OFFICERS, CHAPLAINS, GRIEF PROFESSIONALS, TRAUMA COUNSELORS, AND MANY OTHERS. FURTHER, OUR UNIQUE PROGRAM DESIGN AND DELIVERY HAS SOLIDIFIED TAPS AS A SUBJECT-MATTER EXPERT FOR BOTH NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES SUPPORTING THE BEREAVED AND SUICIDE PRE- AND POSTVENTION INITIATIVES. TAPS SET THE STANDARD OF DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PEER-BASED EMOTIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE SUDDEN, UNEXPECTED, AND TRAUMATICALLY BEREAVED, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO EVOLVE OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES BASED ON RESEARCH, BEST PRACTICES, AND THE NEEDS OF THE MILITARY SURVIVOR COMMUNITY.
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since June 1995.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 2026.
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