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Lincoln

EIN 94-1156501 · Oakland, CA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood89 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Lincoln disrupts cycles of poverty and trauma, empowering children and families to build strong futures.

Income
$29.6 million
Spending
$26.7 million
Spent on programs
88%
Reserves
7.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 80%
Employees
285
Volunteers
40
Highest pay
$251,004, ceo & president

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: 89 out of 100. Higher than 86% of charities in its peer group (mental health, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 7.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 17% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 10% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 10% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    88% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 22 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 37% of charities in its peer group (mental health, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    14 of 14 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (4)
  1. $18.3 million spent. Community and School Based Service - Lincoln's Community & School Based Services include:* HOPE (Helping Open Pathways to Education) - early intervention mental health services so that students can thrive in their community school.* Project Permanence - wraparound program focusing on supporting permanently placed foster youth into stable family homes and youth on probation back to their families with focus on avoiding continued involvement with the justice system.* EXCEL - continuum of behavioral and mental services for students in Special Ed in Alameda County & Contra Costa County.* Multidimensional Family Therapy - evidence-based family therapy model that provides youth with substance abuse issues supports within the natural structures of a client's life, working clinically with the adolescent, parent/caregiver, family, and extra-familial domains, including schools, community and the justice systems.* School Engagement School Engagement - supports students who are chronically absent and their families work through the emotional, behavioral and systemic issues interfering with school attendance. * Therapeutic Behavior Services (TBS) - short-term behavioral mental health service offered in collaboration with other services to support youth who are at risk of out of home placement.* EXCEL SDC - provides milieu support and mental health services to students enrolled in an Intensive Counseling Enriched classroom.
  2. $969,454 spent. Kinship - provides kin caregivers and their children with case management, information and referrals, support groups, children's activity group, respite care, tutoring and educational seminars.
  3. $446,652 spent. Training - Lincoln Training Institute provides training to employees and other child-serving organizations through a Title IV-E training contract. It also provides clinical, management and education-related training that are fee-based.
  4. $3.6 million spent. Other programs include:* NEST Programs provide consultation to teachers and parents, utilize screening tools to assess for healthy development, and provide parent child dyadic therapy.* FRCs in East and West Oakland build on the strengths of families and develop their capacity for supporting the healthy development and educational objectives of their children.* Freedom Schools is a 6-week summer literacy and cultural enrichment program.* West Oakland Initiative is an early intervention coaching and family literacy program designed to build literacy and improve attendance.

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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 September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since October 1946.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. 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.

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.