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The Heart Touch Project

EIN 95-4529022 · Santa Monica, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak38 out of 100GovernanceStrong91 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Only 48% 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

The Heart Touch Project is a non-profit educational and training organization that brings compassionate, therapeutic touch to medically fragile and terminally ill infants, children and adults, thereby improving life for them, their families and their caregivers. We provide education on the benefits of therapeutic touch and offer specialized training to massage therapists and health care practitioners and students, connecting them to hospital and hospice settings.

Income
$70,557
Spending
$103,829
Spent on programs
48%
Reserves
10.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 56%
Employees
2
Volunteers
31

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

Weak: 38 out of 100. Higher than 13% of charities in its peer group (health care, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 10.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 34% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 47% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 55% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    48% 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

Strong: 91 out of 100. Higher than 77% of charities in its peer group (health care, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    8 of 4 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.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (2)
  1. $49,545 spent. Training of volunteer therapists who deliver service to hospitalized children, frail and elderly persons, and people with AIDS. Five volunteers were placed at UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital. Four volunteers were placed at our partnered children's Hospice, Providence TrinityCare. For adult hospice, 22 volunteers were placed in 2017. These volunteers were placed at VITAS Hospice, Skirball, Roze Room, Compassus and Trinity Hospice (for adults).
  2. The goal of The Heart Touch Project International Outreach Program is to serve orphaned infants, children and young adults infected with HIV in Cambodia, providing them with compassionate, therapeutic touch that they often lack. The Heart Touch Project has also introduced the Heart Touch approach to local hospital staff in Thailand, India and Cambodia, encouraging them to continue the therapeutic and empathetic touch that our volunteers have implemented for comfort and pain management.

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

  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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

  4. 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 September 7, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since July 1995.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.