Kara
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Kara provides grief support for children, teens, families and adults. Guided by its core values of empathy and compassion, and belief that loss and grief impact everyone, Kara supports people of all ages on their journey through grief so they can move toward renewed hope and meaning.
- Income
- $2.1 million
- Spending
- $2.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 71%
- Reserves
- 9.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 87%
- Employees
- 24
- Volunteers
- 266
- Highest pay
- $198,245, executive dir.
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
Strong: 93 out of 100.
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 9.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 15% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1571% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 20 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: 100 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2511 of 11 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, 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 (1)
- $1.5 million spent. Serving the SF Bay Area since 1976, Kara provides comprehensive bereavement support and grief education services to the community through individual and group peer support; in-house psychotherapy; on site crisis intervention; bereavement education and training services; Camp Kara, a bereavement camp for children 6-17 years old; and community workshops and events. Staff and over 200 trained volunteers provide the care, compassion, connection, and community necessary to facilitate healing for those who are grieving. Peer support grief services are provided at no cost and without limit to the duration. In addition, therapeutic services are provided for a reasonable fee. Service format options may include both in-person and telehealth (phone or video meetings) models.Service Summary: Designed to meet the unique needs of the bereaved, Kara offers information, emotional support, connections, and a safe space to express and normalize feelings of grief. - For individuals and families, we offer both peer support and therapy services. Peer Support Services are offered in both English and Spanish, and provided by highly trained volunteers with experience in healing from their own personal loss. Fees are not charged for our peer support services. Services include:-- One-on-One Support for Adults;-- Group Support for Adults (including Loss Specific and general Drop-In Groups);-- Activities for Young Adults (such as hikes, journaling, and expressive arts workshops)-- Group Support for Children, MiddleSchoolers, and Teens;-- Schools-based Group Support for Children; and-- Camp Kara an annual weekend grief camp for ages 6 17.Grief Therapy Services are available for individuals or families whose loss is complicated by higher degrees of trauma or emotional circumstances. Services are offered in English and on a limited basis in Spanish, and are provided by supervised mental health counselors working toward their licensing. - For Organizations, Schools and Professionals, Kara provides support through our Community Outreach Program. Services are often customized and can include: -- Crisis Response & Debriefings offered on-site to help process grief when a death has occurred or is expected. -- Consultations to provide guidance and direction on supporting an organizations community.-- Training & Education - on topics such as understanding the symptoms of grief, talking with children about death, and supporting grieving friends and colleagues.- Annual community events also provide the bereaved a collective opportunity to remember or honor loved ones who have died. Each year, Kara hosts our: WalknRun to Remember, Day of the Dead Celebration (Da de Muertos), Navigating the Holidays Workshop, and Candlelight Service of Remembrance. 2024 AccomplishmentsKara served over 6,000 Bay Area community members with highlights as follows: - Caring staff responded to over 1,640 service inquiries.- 266 volunteers provided 15,100 hours in service to the bereaved; an estimated value of $580,000 (Independent Sector)- Compassionate volunteers provided individual and group grief support to 1,039 adults and children.- Clinical staff and associates served 115 individuals with grief-specific therapy, providing 1,834 sessions.- We reached 1,836 individuals through grief training and crisis support, serving 93 organizations.- 1,655 individuals were reached through our outreach and awareness activities- 632 individuals participated in our in-person and online community events, building awareness and connection. The impact of our services as expressed through six client voices:- 19 years ago my husband passed away, and my 10-year-old daughter and I came to the group Kara sessions. I was so grateful that we were not pressured or made to feel unwelcome since we could not contribute significantly. My daughter is grown, and I am better able to contribute at this time. I have not forgotten the great benefits that we received by coming for our group sessions.- Being able to attend virtual group sessions with peers of my age who'd also experienced the death of someone so important to them, made me feel less alone.- I felt comforted, embraced, accompanied in this process in a safe place to share my feelings. The facilitators were excellent and I feel its important for the community to have these services in Spanish. - My dad died when I was 13, and I attended a grief camp in 2008. I remember the experience made me feel so much less alone and normalized my grief. I wanted to be able to give back to kids and families in the same way I was supported, and I'm so honored and grateful to be able to do that now as an adult through Kara.- My counselor helped me when I was truly lost. She walked next to me during a time of great suffering and made sure I didnt float away. - I'm so grateful to have found Kara. This death has been such a painful & lonely journey. Kara has created a safe space for me to share my feelings and listen/support others. Thank you so much.
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 September 1977.
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.