Main Street Launch
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Our mission is to create economic opportunity by empowering entrepreneurs.Through innovative partnerships we provide business owners with capital, education, and relationships that allow them to flourish. Our collaborative approach helps our clients create jobs and stimulates economic development in low-to-moderate income communities.
- Income
- $6.7 million
- Spending
- $5.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- 4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 42%
- Employees
- 16
- Highest pay
- $306,537, evp operations
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: 70 out of 100. Higher than 45% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.0 months of spending.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 56% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 14% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 27% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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 67% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2512 of 12 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 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 (1)
- $4.9 million spent. PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTIn the last 10 years, Main Street Launch has made loans totaling $95 million tomore than 1,200 businesses, creating and sustaining over 5,800 jobs. These loanssupported 47% women-owned businesses, 28% new businesses, 40% businesses in low to moderate income (LMI) areas, and 68% of borrowers were LMI entrepreneurs. Main Street Launch provides lending services across the entire state of California, with a particular focus on Oakland and San Francisco.During FY25, Main Street Launch provided technical assistance to 600 entrepreneursand loaned $9 million to 57 California small businesses, including 18 businessesin San Francisco and 12 in Oakland. These businesses created and sustained over 300jobs. Main Street Launchs technical assistance and lending activity has resulted injob creation and income for residents in LMI communities, increased wealth forunderserved entrepreneurs, and increased economic activity in LMI communities. Thisleads to improved community vitality as a result of decreasing retail leakage,blight, and the number of empty storefronts, increasing tax revenue of city servicesand residents access to goods and services.In 2025 Main Street Launch started a new program in San Francisco to support businesses filling vacant storefronts in Downtown San Francisco. The program is a public-private partnership funded by the City of San Francisco and several private bank and foundation funders. The program provides grant and low cost/flexible debt capital to small businesses filling vacant storefronts.
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 November 6, 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 May 1979.
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 November 4, 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.