Our United Villages
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
REBUILDING CENTER IS, AT ITS CORE, A CLIMATE JUSTICE ORGANIZATION COMMITTED TO MAKING REUSE AND REPAIR AFFORDABLE FOR ALL, REDUCING WASTE AND WASTEFUL CONSUMPTION, AND ENSURING THAT OUR LIMITED MATERIAL RESOURCES ARE KEPT IN USE AND ACCESSIBLE TO THOSE WHO NEED THEM. WE WORK TO ENSURE OUR COMMUNITY HAS ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE RECLAIMED BUILDING MATERIALS AND REPAIR SKILLS EDUCATION, SAVE LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, EMPOWER PEOPLE TO DO THEIR OWN SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOME REPAIRS, AND CURB WASTEFUL CONSUMPTION OF NEW MATERIALS. WITH 40% OF GREENHOUSE GASES PRODUCED BY THE MATERIAL EXTRACTION, PRODUCTION, TRANSPORTATION, AND PACKAGING OF NEW MATERIALS, OUR WORK TO NORMALIZE REUSE AND TEACH REPAIR SKILLS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER. WE PROVIDE COUNTLESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR CUSTOMERS, STUDENTS, AND VOLUNTEERS TO RECOGNIZE THEIR POWER TO ENACT CLIMATE JUSTICE THROUGH INDIVIDUAL CHOICES TO REUSE AND REPAIR.
- Income
- $1.7 million
- Spending
- $1.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 76%
- Reserves
- -3.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 69%
- Employees
- 33
- Volunteers
- 532
- Highest pay
- $148,925, 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
Weak: 34 out of 100. Higher than 3% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 40% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 12% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 19% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1576% 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: 94 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 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 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 (4)
- $1.1 million spent. REBUILDING CENTER STORE: OUR 30,000-SQUARE-FOOT STORE IS A TREMENDOUS RESOURCE FOR THE REUSE OF SUSTAINABLE, AFFORDABLE MATERIALS; AND WITH THE HIGH COSTS OF BUILDING MATERIALS OUR SERVICES ARE NEEDED NOW MORE THAN EVER. IT'S A TREASURE TROVE OF PORTLAND ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY SALVAGED FROM DECONSTRUCTED AND RENOVATED OLD HOMES, AS WELL AS NEW MATERIALS FROM OUR PARTNERS INCONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT. WE ACCEPT MORE THAN THREE MILLION POUNDS OF DONATED OF BUILDING MATERIALS AND HOME GOODS PER YEAR AND OFFER THEM FOR SALE TO OUR COMMUNITY, KEEPING THE MATERIALS OUT OF THE LANDFILL AND BACK INTO USE. FROM $50 SOLID WOOD DOORS TO HIGH-QUALITY LIGHTING FOR UP TO 90% OFF OF RETAIL PRICES, PLUMBING TO ANTIQUE WINDOWS, UNIQUE DECORATIVE ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS TO RECLAIMED LUMBER, WE OFFER IT ALL AT AFFORDABLE PRICES TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE CAN AFFORD THE MATERIALS THEY NEED TO SAFELY REPAIR AND RENOVATE THEIR HOMES. WE ALSO DONATE MORE THAN $10,000 IN MATERIALS ANNUALLY TO LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND SCHOOLS TO HELP THEM SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY WITH THEIR SERVICES.
- $338,855 spent. REPAIR SKILLS EDUCATION: THROUGH OUR REPAIR SKILLS CLASSES AND HOME REPAIR FOR ALL OFFERINGS, WE TEACH OUR COMMUNITY HOW TO PERFORM SAFE, AFFORDABLE, SUSTAINABLE HOME REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS, AND HOW TO MAINTAIN THEIR HOMES. FOR MANY HOMEOWNERS, THEIR HOUSE IS THEIR MOST SIGNIFICANT ASSET, BUT THEY MIGHT NOT KNOW HOW TO PRESERVE AND MAINTAIN THAT ASSET AS A MEANS TO BUILD GENERATIONAL WEALTH. WE OFFER MORE THAN 150 CLASSES PER YEAR TO TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO KEEP THEIR HOMES SAFE, SUSTAINABLE, FUNCTIONAL, AND IN GOOD REPAIR. STUDENTS LEARN SKILLS IN BASIC CARPENTRY, PLUMBING REPAIR, ELECTRICAL REPAIR AND INSTALLATION, FLOOR REFINISHING, DRYWALL REPAIR, AND MORE. THROUGH THIS WORK, WE BUILD COMFORT AND CONFIDENCE IN REPAIR TO SAVE OUR COMMUNITY MONEY, BUILD ECONOMIC RESILIENCE, KEEP STUFF OUT OF LANDFILLS, AND EMPOWER PEOPLE TO STAY IN THEIR OWN HOMES. THE AVERAGE COST OF A THREE-HOUR CLASS IS $70, AND WE OFFER BOTH A RACIAL JUSTICE SCHOLARSHIP FOR BLACK, LATINX, AND INDIGENOUS PARTICIPANTS, AND A NEED-BASED SCHOLARSHIP FOR ANYONE EARNING LESS THAN $35,000 PER YEAR.
- $17,293 spent. VOLUNTEER SERVICES: OUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM ENGAGES OVER 530 PEOPLE FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS EACH YEAR. TOGETHER, THEY PROVIDE MORE THAN 3200 HOURS OF VALUED COMMUNITY SERVICE, TAILORED TO EACH VOLUNTEER'S SKILLS AND INTERESTS. VOLUNTEERS ARE ALSO AT THE HEART OF OUR ANNUAL DAY OF SERVICE, PERFORMING ESSENTIAL HOME REPAIRS FOR HOMEOWNERS LIVING WITH LOW INCOMES AND AT RISK OF DISPLACEMENT FROM OUR COMMUNITY.
- $10,000 spent. COMMUNITY SOLAR PROJECT.REBUILDING CENTER LEASES DISCOUNTED SPACE TO 350PDX, A 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION WHOSE MISSION IS TO EMPOWER A DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE CLIMATE JUSTICE MOVEMENT; WHICH IS HIGHLY ALIGNED WITH REBUILDING CENTER'S PURPOSE TO ADVANCE REUSE AND REPAIR AS CORNERSTONES OF COMMUNITY AND CLIMATE JUSTICE. BY CO-LOCATING AND LEASING SPACE TO THIS NONPROFIT WITH SHARED GOALS AND OVERLAPPING AUDIENCES, REBUILDING CENTER IS CREATING ONGOING OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION, CLIMATE JUSTICE MOVEMENT BUILDING, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
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 November 1998.
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.