Benji Project
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The Benji Project teaches proven mindfulness and self-compassion tools to young people and their families and communities. Through classes, workshops and camps, we build capacity for stress management and emotional resilience. The Benji Project programming serves youth ages 11 to 19 and their families in East Jefferson County, Washington. Jefferson County is a rural area on the Olympic Peninsula. Much of the county is economically disadvantaged and suffers from a lack of mental health resources. We serve all teens regardless of means, more than half of our participants in after-school and camp programming receive full or partial scholarships.
- Income
- $253,155
- Spending
- $265,078
- Spent on programs
- 57%
- Reserves
- 5.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 63%
- Employees
- 5
- Volunteers
- 63
- Highest pay
- $65,132, 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
Good: 71 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (mental health, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 5% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 5% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 17% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1557% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 17 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
Good: 76 out of 100. Higher than 56% of charities in its peer group (mental health, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 6 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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
6 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 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)
- $76,985 spent. School-based programming: Our instructors start with the Mindful Self-Compassion for Teens curriculum and modify the timing and number of sessions to accommodate the needs of local school districts and different age groups. Schools where we offered programs this year included: Port Townsend High School, Blue Heron Middle School, OCEAN K-12 Alternative Learning Environment, Chimacum High School, Chimacum Middle School, and the Pi Program. We served a total of 441 students in our in-school programs. On average, students in school-based programs experience 4-8 hours of instruction.
- $34,465 spent. Summer camp: Annual week-long summer camps are held for middle and high school age students to introduce mindfulness and self-compassion tools in a more in-depth context. Youth develop lifelong skills through social, physical, and outdoor camp activities. In Summer 2024, 20 students participated in our camps, each experiencing 30 hours of instruction. We also held a camp reunion during the year, allowing campers and families to reconnect and continue building community.
- $39,178 spent. Community programs: We offer a variety of workshops and engagements that feature components of the Mindful Self-Compassions for Teens curriculum, with more opportunities for customizations that fit specific needs. Some of the community programs we offered this year included an after-school program (8 sessions) in partnership with the Jefferson County Public Library, and spring break drop-in sessions at the Quilcene Community Center (2 half-day sessions). Classes incorporated art, meditation, journaling, and movement practices to help students arrive in the present moment and learn to manage stress with greater ease. We reached 49 students through these and other community-based classes. Additionally, we reached approximately 727 youth and adults through booths and hands-on activities at large scale community events such as the Connectivity Summit, Jefferson County Pride Fest, Quilcene Beach Day, and All County Preparedness Day.
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 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 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 October 2023.
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.