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Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles Inc

EIN 95-1904857 · Los Angeles, CA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair55 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Only 49% of its spending went to programs.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

TO HELP AT-PROMISE CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN LOS ANGELES REACH THEIR FULLEST POTENTIAL THROUGH PROFESSIONALLY SUPPORTED, ONE-TO-ONE MENTORING RELATIONSHIPS THAT STRENGTHEN THEIR SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, COGNITIVE AND BEHAVIORAL COMPETENCIES. YOUTH SERVED BY BBBSLA DEMONSTRATE IMPROVEMENT IN THEIR COMMITMENT TO SCHOOL AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, INCREASED UNDERSTANDING OF HEALTHY STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOR; ENHANCEMENT OF RESILIENCE, SELF-EFFICACY AND SENSE OF THE FUTURE; AND A GREAT SENSE OF SELF-WORTH. FROM JULY 1, 2024 - JUNE 30, 2025, BBBLSA SERVED 1,228 CHILDREN AND YOUTH (AGES 6-22) ACROSS LOS ANGELES COUNTY THROUGH SIX EVIDENCE-BASED MENTORING PROGRAMS THAT PREPARE CHILDREN AND YOUTH TO BE COLLEGE, CAREER AND LIFE READY.

Income
$3.0 million
Spending
$6.5 million
Spent on programs
49%
Reserves
13.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 84%
Employees
47
Volunteers
1,205
Highest pay
$220,550, ceo

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

Fair: 55 out of 100. Higher than 21% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 13.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 5% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 119% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 31% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    49% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 23 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 64% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    27 of 27 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (4)
  1. $1.6 million spent. COMMUNITY BASED MENTORING: FROM JULY 2024 - JUNE 2025, BBBSLA SERVED AN ESTIMATED 751 CHILDREN AND YOUTH AGES 6-18 IN THE COMMUNITY-BASED MENTORING PROGRAM, THE AGENCY'S LARGEST PROGRAM. THIS YEAR-ROUND PROGRAM MATCHES CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITH PROFESSIONALLY SCREENED ADULT MENTORS TO CULTIVATE POSITIVE AND HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS AIMED AT IMPROVING SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, BEHAVIORAL, AND ACADEMIC OUTCOMES. IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING ONGOING MATCH SUPPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MENTOR-MENTEE OUTINGS, BBBSLA ORGANIZED SPECIAL EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES IN COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, CORPORATE PARTNERS, AND OTHER SUPPORTERS TO ENHANCE THE MENTORING EXPERIENCE. ADDITIONALLY, THE AGENCY EMPLOYS A FULL-TIME FAMILY ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR POSITION TO HOLISTICALLY SUPPORT FAMILIES, LITTLES, AND BIGS BY OFFERING TAILORED RESOURCES AND WORKSHOPS ON TOPICS THEY IDENTIFIED AS AREAS WHERE THEY NEED ASSISTANCE.
  2. $507,217 spent. SCHOOL BASED MENTORING: FROM JULY 2024 TO JUNE 2025, BBBSLA SERVED AN ESTIMATED 186 CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN THE SCHOOL BASED MENTORING PROGRAM. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SCHOOLS ACROSS LOS ANGELES COUNTY, BBBSLA PROVIDED WEEKLY ONE-HOUR MENTORING SESSIONS TO ELEMENTARY STUDENTS IN GRADES 2-5 BY PAIRING THEM WITH PROFESSIONALLY SCREENED ADULT MENTORS IN THE SCHOOL SETTING. AN ADDITIONAL COMPONENT OF OUR SCHOOL-BASED MENTORING PROGRAM IS THE HIGH SCHOOL BIGS PROGRAM, A UNIQUE INITIATIVE WHERE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS VOLUNTEER AS MENTORS FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS. THESE ONE-HOUR WEEKLY SESSIONS RUN THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR, WITH ALL MENTORING ACTIVITIES GUIDED BY ON-SITE BBBSLA STAFF USING A STAFF-CURATED, EVIDENCE-BASED CURRICULUM. THIS YEAR, WE OPERATED FOUR ACTIVE HIGH SCHOOL BIGS PROGRAMS AT MCKINLEY, LA VERNE HEIGHTS, GRACE MILLER, AND TRACY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. FURTHER EXPANDING OUR IMPACT, BBBSLA PARTNERED WITH THE CITY OF LONG BEACH TO INTRODUCE MENTORSHIP PROGRAMMING FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS. IN THIS INITIATIVE, MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE MATCHED WITH CITY EMPLOYEES WHO SERVE AS MENTORS. WE OPERATED THREE ACTIVE MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAMS AT LINDBERGH, FRANKLIN, AND STEPHENS MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
  3. $300,873 spent. WORKPLACE MENTORING: FROM JULY 2024 TO JUNE 2025, BBBSLA SERVED AN ESTIMATED 101 HIGH-SCHOOL AGED YOUTH IN THE WORKPLACE MENTORING PROGRAM. DURING THIS PERIOD, BBBSLA SUCCESSFULLY DELIVERED APPROXIMATELY 8 MONTHS OF THE WORKPLACE MENTORING PROGRAM ACROSS 5 PROGRAM SITES, PROVIDING AN ESTIMATED 1,012 HOURS OF IMPACTFUL MENTORING SESSIONS. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOS ANGELES COUNTY SCHOOLS AND CORPORATIONS, BBBSLA'S PROGRAM CONNECTS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM UNDER-RESOURCED SCHOOLS WITH EMPLOYEES FROM PARTNERING CORPORATIONS. TWICE A MONTH, STUDENTS VISIT WORKPLACE SITES FOR ONE-HOUR SESSIONS LED BY BBBSLA STAFF. EACH STUDENT IS MATCHED WITH AN EMPLOYEE MENTOR FOR THE DURATION OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. THESE SESSIONS COMBINE GROUP LEARNING ACTIVITIES GUIDED BY A STAFF-CURATED, EVIDENCE-BASED CURRICULUM WITH PERSONALIZED ONE-ON-ONE MENTORING, FOSTERING MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS AND IMPACTFUL LEARNING EXPERIENCES
  4. $738,962 spent. OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS: FROM JULY 2024 TO JUNE 2025, BBBSLA SUPPORTED 190 YOUTH THROUGH TWO ADDITIONAL ONE-TO-ONE MENTORING PROGRAMS: 1) THE COLLEGE PAC (PREPARATION, ACCESS, AND COMPLETION) PROGRAM, AND 2) THE WOMEN IN ENTERTAINMENT MENTORING PROGRAM. FURTHERMORE, GRADUATING BBBSLA YOUTH ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS AND ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT GRANTS TO HELP THEM PURSUE HIGHER EDUCATION AT THE COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY OF THEIR CHOICE, EMPOWERING THEM TO ACHIEVE THEIR ACADEMIC AND CAREER ASPIRATIONS.

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since June 1956.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.