The Mentoring Center
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The mission of The Mentoring Center is to uplift all youth, whatever challenges they are facing, toward healthy and successful lives. The goal of this organization is to provide support, love, and opportunities for self-mastery.The Mentoring Center is a nationally recognized resource that creates and influences policy, builds the capacity of others serving youth through training, and develops and disseminates Transformative Mentoring practices and tools.
- Income
- $1.3 million
- Spending
- $1.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- 2.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 77%
- Employees
- 14
- Highest pay
- $135,219, 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
Fair: 65 out of 100.
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.4 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 35% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 11% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 12% 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 December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 77 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 259 of 10 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no 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
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (5)
- $995,463 spent. Department of Violence PreventionTMC Adult and Youth Life Coaches have been providing services to program participants, teaching them the skills they need to succeed and educating them on how to live healthier, happier, and more productive lives.
- EMERGEThe EMERGE Program has continued to provide instruction to young woman on how to repair their relationships with school and facilitate a confinement to college and career pathway.
- Transformative Youth Violence ProgramUtilizing Transformative MentoringTM, TMC has been serving Oakland youth by offering a program that teaches them how to walk away from violence and destruction by leading productive and meaningful lives that make a difference.
- Black Youth ForwardProvided at-risk youth with mentoring and support services including educational assistance, employment training and placement, housing, transportation, and referrals for health services.
- Kaiser-Touro University In partnership with Touro University California, The Mentoring Center has provided mentor training and technical assistance in support of the development and implementation of the Partnership for Achievement of Total Health in Student (PATHS) mentoring program, implemented at Vallejo High School.
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 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 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 July 1993.
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.