Safe & Sound
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF SAFE & SOUND IS TO PREVENT AND REDUCE THE IMPACT OF CHILDHOOD ABUSE, NEGLECT, AND TRAUMA BY STRENGTHENING FAMILIES, BUILDING COMMUNITIES, AND ADVANCING HEALING, EQUITY, AND JUSTICE.
- Income
- $10.8 million
- Spending
- $12.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 9.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 52%
- Employees
- 91
- Volunteers
- 84
- Highest pay
- $315,139, chief executive officer
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
Good: 78 out of 100.
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 9.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 7% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 20% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 4% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 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 2522 of 22 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 (3)
- $4.0 million spent. CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES - SAFE & SOUND'S CHILDREN & FAMILY SERVICES PROGRAMMING AIMS TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES EXPOSED TO CHILD ABUSE, NEGLECT, TRAUMA, AND OTHER ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES THROUGH TRAUMAINFORMED INTERVENTIONS. SAFE & SOUND USES EARLY, FOCUSED INTERVENTIONS TO DISRUPT THE CYCLE OF ABUSE THROUGH AN INTERGENERATIONAL APPROACH TO PROVIDE EMPOWERING SUPPORT TO BOTH PARENTS AND CHILDREN. PROGRAMS SUPPORT FAMILIES WITH EVIDENCEINFORMED DIRECT SUPPORT SERVICES THAT PROVIDE WRAPAROUND INTERVENTIONS TO FAMILIES LIVING IN CIRCUMSTANCES THAT PLACE THEM AT RISK FOR NEGLECT, TRAUMA AND ABUSE, EMPOWERING PARENTS AND CHILDREN THROUGH EARLY, FOCUSED INTERVENTIONS TO DISRUPT THE CYCLE OF ABUSE. SERVICES INCLUDE A THERAPEUTIC CHILDREN'S PLAYROOM, PARENT AND CHILD EDUCATION, A PARENTAL STRESS TALK LINE, CONCRETE NEEDS SUPPORT, AND INTEGRATED FAMILY SERVICES AIMED AT ASSESSING PROTECTIVE FACTORS AND DELIVERING TAILORED, EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTIONS TO FAMILIES IN AT-RISK SITUATIONS. IN 2024, THE TEAM PROVIDED IN-PERSON SUPPORT, PARENTING EDUCATION, SUPPORT GROUPS, SKILLS WORKSHOPS, AND COMMUNITY EVENTS TO 4,247 PARTICIPANTS, AND INTEGRATED, GOALORIENTED SERVICES TO 333 INDIVIDUALS. THE TEAM DISTRIBUTED AN ADDITIONAL 5,987 CONCRETE SUPPORT SERVICES INCLUDING DRY FOOD BAGS, HYGIENE PRODUCT BAGS, AND WEEKLY FAMILY DINNERS.
- $3.7 million spent. STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS & POLICY - SAFE & SOUND'S STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS & POLICY PROGRAMMING FOCUSES ON ENHANCING SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AND CAREGIVERS BY ESTABLISHING AND STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS THE CITY, AND SUPPORTING RESEARCH AND POLICY ADVOCACY AT THE LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL LEVELS. THIS INCLUDES SUPPORTING NUMEROUS POLICIES AND ADVOCACY EFFORTS THAT ADDRESS CRITICAL ISSUES INCLUDING CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND MANDATED REPORTER REFORMS. A KEY ASPECT OF OUR EFFORTS IS LEADING THE SAN FRANCISCO FAMILY SERVICES ALLIANCE, WHICH BRINGS TOGETHER 40+ FRCS AND CHILD-SERVING AGENCIES THAT COLLECTIVELY SUPPORT OVER 50,000 CHILDREN AND CAREGIVERS ACROSS THE CITY. THROUGH THE FAMILY SERVICES ALLIANCE, SAFE & SOUND CHAMPIONS INVESTMENT IN FRCS AND ACTIVELY ADVOCATES FOR BUDGET ALLOCATIONS THAT SIGNIFICANTLY SUPPORT FAMILY SERVICES. AS A BACKBONE ORGANIZATION, SAFE & SOUND PLAYS A CENTRAL ROLE IN THE PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF INITIATIVES LIKE THE FAMILY FIRST PREVENTION SERVICES ACT (FFPSA), COLLABORATING WITH FRCS AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL UPSTREAM SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES AND REDUCE INVOLVEMENT WITH THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM. SAFE & SOUND IS ALSO THE BACKBONE AGENCY OF THE CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER OF SAN FRANCISCO (CAC), WHICH FACILITATED 123 FORENSIC INTERVIEWS LAST YEAR, WHERE A MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM OF MEDICAL, MENTAL HEALTH, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND LEGAL PROFESSIONALS ARE THERE TO HELP CHILDREN AND FAMILIES BY PROVIDING A TRAUMA-INFORMED BEST-IN-CLASS SINGLE FORENSIC INTERVIEW AND REFERRALS TO THE FOLLOW-UP CARE THE CHILD AND FAMILY NEED TO HEAL AFTER CASES OF ABUSE. IN 2024, THE COLLECTIVE EFFORTS OF THE TEAM RESULTED IN THE ENGAGEMENT OF 42 PARTNERSHIPS, AND THE ENACTMENT, ADOPTION, OR REFINEMENT OF 19 AGREEMENTS, POLICIES, AND PROCEDURES ADVOCATING FOR TRAUMA-INFORMED SYSTEMS CHANGE TO TRANSFORM THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM INTO A FAMILY AND CHILD WELL-BEING SYSTEM THAT IMPROVES LIFE TRAJECTORIES AND OUTCOMES. IN 2024, SAFE & SOUND'S CENTER FOR YOUTH WELLNESS CONCLUDED ITS WORK ON THE TRAUMA-INFORMED ACES SCREENING & INTERVENTION EVALUATION (TASIE) PROJECT, UNDERWRITTEN BY HRSA, AN AGENCY OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, WHICH STUDIED OUR TRAINING MODEL WITH ENHANCED LEARNING TECHNOLOGY, ACROSS SEVERAL DIFFERENT HEALTHCARE SETTINGS. THIS PROJECT PROVIDED CRITICAL INFORMATION TO NATIONAL HEALTHCARE LEADERS TO DETERMINE HOW TO BEST INTEGRATE AN ACES, TOXIC STRESS, AND TRAUMA-INFORMED FRAMEWORK INTO PEDIATRIC PRIMARY CARE AND HOW TO EFFECTIVELY INTEGRATE SCREENING AND ITS RESULTS INTO PATIENT HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT. THE PROGRAM EXTENDED ITS IMPACT BY TRAINING AND SUPPORTING MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, NONPROFITS, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS IN ACES SCREENING AND EFFECTIVE INTERVENTIONS. ADDITIONALLY, THEY COLLABORATED WITH HEALTHCARE NETWORKS, DROVE AWARENESS OF THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF TOXIC STRESS, AND ADVOCATED FOR EQUITABLE ACCESS TO ACES AWARENESS AND TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE THROUGH EXTENSIVE PARTNERSHIPS AND RESOURCE TRANSLATION EFFORTS. IN 2024, THE TASIE PROJECT WORKED WITH 96 PROVIDERS ACROSS 16 PEDIATRIC PRACTICES TO SCREEN 4,736 CHILDREN ACROSS THE U.S.
- $2.7 million spent. COMMUNITY EDUCATION & PARTNERSHIPS - SAFE & SOUND'S COMMUNITY EDUCATION & PARTNERSHIPS, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE SAN FRANCISCO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, FOCUSES ON CHILD SAFETY AWARENESS TRAINING FOR BOTH STUDENTS AND CHILD-SERVING ADULTS. THE PROGRAM (I) EMPOWERS CHILDREN TO ADVOCATE FOR THEIR SAFETY, (II) EMPHASIZES, TO ADULTS, THE UNDERSTANDING OF RESPONSIBILITIES AS MANDATED REPORTERS AND FOSTERING ACTION WHEN CHILD ABUSE IS SUSPECTED, AND (III) ADVOCATES FOR NECESSARY CHANGES TO THE CHILD WELFARE FIELD. ADDITIONALLY, SAFE & SOUND LEADS ESSENTIAL SERVICES FOR FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN EXPOSED TO VIOLENCE THROUGH THE SAFE START FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER COLLABORATIVE. THE COMMUNITIES OF CARE (COC) PROJECT EXTENDS THIS WORK, AIMING TO PREVENT CHILD ABUSE AND MAINTAIN FAMILY STRENGTH THROUGH A COLLABORATIVE, EVIDENCE-BASED FRAMEWORK. THE COC MODEL INCORPORATES PROTECTIVE FACTOR TRAINING AND ASSESSMENTS, FOSTERING A DATA-INFORMED APPROACH TO ENHANCE SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES THROUGH COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS. IN 2024, THE TEAM PROVIDED 3,611 CHILDREN AND CHILD-SERVING ADULTS WITH CHILD SAFETY AWARENESS OR MANDATED REPORTER TRAINING AND TRAINED 1,319 PROVIDERS WITH TRAUMA-INFORMED SYSTEMS PRINCIPLES. THE TEAM ALSO PROVIDED TRAININGS AND WORKSHOPS TO 2,175 PROVIDERS ACROSS THE CITY TO SUPPORT A CITY-WIDE UNDERSTANDING OF PROTECTIVE FACTORS, TRAUMA-INFORMED SYSTEMS, AND CAPACITY BUILDING STRATEGIES.
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 June 1976.
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.