Search Group Incorporated
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SEARCH IS DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY THROUGH THE USE, MANAGEMENT, AND EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION, APPLICATION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES, AND RESPONSIBLE LAW AND POLICY, WHILE SAFEGUARDING SECURITY AND PRIVACY.
- Income
- $3.7 million
- Spending
- $3.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 2.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 67%
- Employees
- 16
- Volunteers
- 14
- Highest pay
- $213,223, director of cybercrime training and digital forens
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
Fair: 53 out of 100. Higher than 19% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.3 months of spending.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 55% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 1% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 79% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1575% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2514 of 14 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
15 of 15Its accounts were audited 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)
- $1.0 million spent. SEARCH'S CYBERCRIME TRAINING AND DIGITAL FORENSICS CONSISTS OF A TEAM OF EXPERTS WHO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING TO LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL JUSTICE PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES NATIONWIDE. THROUGH TRAINING CLASSES, TECHNICAL WORKSHOPS, AND HANDS-ON ASSISTANCE, SEARCH TRAINS AND ASSISTS INVESTIGATORS IN METHODS TO PREVENT, DETECT, AND INVESTIGATE THE RISING TIDE OF COMPUTER CRIME, ALSO REFERRED TO AS E-CRIME, CYBERCRIME, OR HIGH-TECH CRIME. THESE CRIMES INCLUDE FRAUD, EMAIL THREATS, ONLINE STALKING, IDENTITY THEFT, PHISHING, DRUG TRAFFICKING, CYBER TERRORISM, AND CHILD EXPLOITATION.
- $729,839 spent. SEARCH'S LAW AND POLICY (L&P) PROGRAM PROVIDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO STATES AND FEDERAL ENTITIES UNDER THE NATIONAL CRIMINAL HISTORY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (NCHIP) TO ENHANCE AND IMPROVE CRIMINAL HISTORY SYSTEMS AND RELATED RECORDS. DIRECT ONSITE AND IN-HOUSE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE INCLUDES SUPPORTING STATES, LOCAL JURISDICTIONS, AND TRIBES IN:1) IMPROVING THE ACCURACY AND COMPLETENESS OF CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORDS TO SUPPORT BOTH CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND NONCRIMINAL JUSTICE PURPOSES;2) IMPLEMENTING MULTIAGENCY AND MULTIJURISDICTIONAL INFORMATION EXCHANGES TO IMPROVE CRIMINAL RECORDS AND TO SUPPORT TACTICAL AND STRATEGIC DECISION-MAKING;3) EXPANDING AND ENHANCING ANALYTICAL CAPABILITIES USING EXISTING RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE DATA SETS; AND 4) INCREASING THE NUMBER OF QUALIFYING RECORDS SUBMITTED TO THE NATIONAL INSTANT CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK SYSTEM (NICS) INDEX.
- $354,168 spent. SEARCH'S SOFTWARE AND DATA ENGINEERING OFFERS A PORTFOLIO OF SERVICES THAT SUPPORT JUSTICE INFORMATION SHARING NATIONWIDE FOR CLIENTS IN LOCAL, STATE, TRIBAL AND FEDERAL ORGANIZATIONS. THESE SERVICES INCLUDE SOFTWARE ARCHITECTURE AND SYSTEMS DESIGN, APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT, DEPLOYMENT AND SUPPORT, DATA MANAGEMENT SERVICES AND DIRECT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT. SEARCH DEVELOPS DATA INTEGRATION AND INFORMATION SHARING TOOLS, RESOURCES AND SOLUTIONS THAT OFFER CAPABILITES SUCH AS FEDERATED QUERY, AUTHENTICATION/ACCESS CONTROL, SUBSCRIPTION/NOTIFICATION, PROCESS/WORKFLOW AUTOMATION AND DATA ANALYSIS.
- $658,893 spent. MEMBERSHIP - SEARCH IS A MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION CONSISTING OF GOVERNOR-APPOINTED MEMBERS FROM ALL STATES, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AND THE TERRITORIES, AUGMENTED WITH AT-LARGE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS AND THOUGHT LEADERS. SEARCH BRINGS TOGETHER ITS MEMBERS TO ADDRESS THE NATION'S INFORMATION SHARING CHALLENGES, ENGAGE IN A COMMON DIALOG, DRIVE NATIONAL CHANGES, AND ESTABLISH A COMMUNITY OF INTEREST AND EXPERTISE. SEARCH MEMBERS PARTICIPATE IN REGULAR ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS, SHARING COMMON CONCERNS AND THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH SUCH TOPICS AS EXPANDING RECORD SEALING AND EXPUNGEMENT INITIATIVES, INCLUDING THE IMPACT ON RESEARCH AND BACKGROUND CHECKS; IMPROVING DATA QUALITY, DISPOSITION REPORTING, AND DATA SHARING BETWEEN COURTS, PROSECUTORS, AND JUSTICE STAKEHOLDERS; FIREARMS BACKGROUND CHECKS; DEVELOPING ANALYTICAL MODELS AND TEMPLATES FOR ANALYSIS OF NIBRS DATA; UPGRADING AND REPLACING OUTDATED CCH, AFIS, AND MESSAGE SWITCH SYSTEMS; IMPLEMENTING RAP BACK FUNCTIONALITY; AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM EFFORTS, INCLUDING USE-OF-FORCE COLLECTION.OPEN JUSTICE BROKER CONSORTIUM - SEARCH PROVIDES CONTRACTED SERVICES TO THE OPEN JUSTICE BROKER CONSORTIUM, A NON-PROFIT MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION OF GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND JURISDICTIONS, DEDICATED TO IMPROVING JUSTICE INFORMATION SHARING THROUGH THE REUSE OF LOW-COST STANDARDS-BASED INTEGRATION SOFTWARE.EXECUTIVE - SEARCH'S EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT PROVIDES HYBRID SERVICES IN THE FORM OF EXPERTISE TO EACH OF THE COMPANY'S CORE BUSINESS UNITS LAW AND POLICY, CYBERCRIME TRAINING AND DIGITAL FORENSICS, MEMBERSHIP, OJBC AND SOFTWARE AND DATA ENGINEERING WHILE ALSO CONTRIBUTING TO GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE.
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 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 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 May 1974.
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.
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