Operation Hope Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Operation HOPEs mission is to expand economic opportunity in underserved communities through financial education and empowerment by offering programs that create stabilized communities and financial stakeholders.
- Income
- $32.1 million
- Spending
- $43.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- -2.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 95%
- Employees
- 465
- Volunteers
- 2,261
- Highest pay
- $801,558, chairman/ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 35 out of 100.
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 14% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 36% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 44% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2510 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, 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 (6)
- $27.4 million spent. HOPE INSIDE - HOPE Inside gives clients the resources to improve their financial situations. Through our 700-credit score initiative, we approve clients as soon as they seek assistance, commit to the resolution of primary credit denial factors, and raised FICO scores an average of 39 points. Programs offered: Financial Literacy Workshops, Entrepreneurial Training and counseling for Foreclosure Prevention, Money Management, Homeownership, Small Business, and Credit & Money Management. In 2025, HOPE provided 333,723 adult services and expanded our HOPE Inside network to 345 locations. Our clients achieved the following: Increased savings by $1,000 and reduced debt by $1,933.
- $4.0 million spent. 1MBB HOPEs 1 Million Black Businesses initiative (1MBB) provides the black community a successful path to wealth creation through sustainable and profitable business ownership. 1MBB participants can take advantage of coaching and educational services, access to expert volunteers and more. The 1MBB Initiative is an extension of the HOPE Small Business program with access to additional resources as made possible by support from key 1MBB partners. HOPEs team of dedicated Small Business Coaches can help entrepreneurs and new or existing small business owners identify their key needs and then provide the education, coaching and connections needed to improve their businesses. From program inception to date, HOPE has supported more than 469,896 unique black-owned businesses, which accounts for approximately 5% of all black-owned businesses in the U.S.
- $3.4 million spent. Youth HOPEs Banking on our Future (BOOF) program has operated in 304 U.S. cities and 3 provinces in South Africa and has educated over 1 million youth. The program is the recipient of the 11th John Sherman Award for Financial Education given by the US Treasury Department. HOPEs Business in A Box Academies (HBIABA) is a national initiative to harness the economic energy of Youth and bring positive role models into underserved communities. HOPEs Child Savings Account (CSA) program provides qualifying Atlanta Public Schools (APS) kindergartners with a free savings account and a one-time deposit of $50. The savings accounts are a starting point reserved for expenses related to post-secondary education and career preparation. In 2025, HOPE impacted and serviced 11,272 youth and young adults.
- $813,400 spent. FL4A- HOPE Financial Literacy for All is a national initiative to embed financial literacy into American culture, led by a prominent group of leaders from business, sports, entertainment and nonprofit sectors. This 10-year initiative will reach millions of youths and working adults by making financial literacy fun, while engaging them where they live, work, and celebrate.
- $784,088 spent. Disaster HOPE is a national partner of FEMA, addressing financial disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. Other disaster partners include the American Red Cross, the Economic Development Administration (EDA), corporations, and other volunteer organizations. Since 2001, HOPE has helped over 1.5 million individuals with pre-disaster financial preparedness and counseling, post disaster financial recovery, and FEMA application assistance to families affected in 148 major disasters across 30 states and Puerto Rico. In 2025, HOPE empowered 11,087 clients across the United States with the tools and resources needed to survive and thrive before and after a disaster.
- $223,502 spent. CCAP - HOPEs Closing Cost Assistance Program (CCAP) provides closing cost assistance for clients in partnership with Fulton Bank. In 2025, the CCAP program helped clients get approved for $236,500 in closing cost assistance grants and securing more than $68.5 million in mortgage lending. Since inception, this partnership has assisted in allocating more than $10.7 million in down-payment assistance grants to help clients obtain more than 7,000 funded mortgage loans totaling more than $1.24 billion dollars.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since February 1993.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.