UTOPIA Washington

Legal name: United Territories of Pacific Islanders Washington-utopia Wa

Overview

Mission

We are actively replacing systems of oppression with ecosystems of care and safety for all our communities through Black and Brown organizing, prioritizing land and bodily autonomy, and reclaiming our cultural narratives. The Pu Foafoa, is a shell that acts as an incubator space that protects, shelters, and is ever so ready to cultivate anew as it cycles through future generations. Like the thriving sea mollusks of the Oceania region, the seashell represents safe sanctuary, and the significance of space that cultivates the growth for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community members that can only be achieved by fostering a space of belonging. The spiral design resembles the mana of the ocean waves, true to its constant shifting nature, represents the transformative power of UTOPIA’s work.

What it reported doing in 2025

The UTOPIA Washington Youth Program is dedicated to empowering young people to thrive and lead by amplifying their voices, breaking barriers, and fostering opportunities for future success. Our vision is to create a world where all young people are empowered to lead, advocate, and excel while shaping a more equitable future for their communities. Our program centers leadership development, advocacy, and academic success while uplifting the identities and lived experiences of Queer and Trans Pacific Islander and QTBIPOC youth. Through culturally grounded mentorship, community engagement, and educational programming, we create spaces where young people are encouraged to embrace their authentic selves while developing the skills needed to become leaders in their schools and communities. At the heart of the UTOPIA WA Youth Program is a commitment to honoring Indigenous cultural practices, storytelling, and community values while supporting youth in navigating the challenges they may face in educational and social systems. In 2025, the program experienced significant growth and impact. One of the major highlights was our participation in the Lau Samoa Academic and Cultural Arts Competition in May 2025. Through our Ala Mai program, we were able to take 31 students to participate in this prestigious event celebrating Samoan language, culture, and academic excellence. Our students demonstrated both cultural pride and academic dedication, earning 2nd place in overall performance, 3rd place in overall academic performance, and 3rd place overall in the competition. This milestone represented not only achievement but also the power of cultural identity as a foundation for student confidence and success. Another major initiative in 2025 was the expansion of our school partnerships. The UTOPIA WA Youth Program successfully expanded to two new high school sites, Rainier Beach High School and Kent Meridian High School, while continuing our programming at Chief Sealth International High School. These partnerships allow us to provide culturally responsive mentorship, leadership development opportunities, and safe community spaces directly within school environments. Across both school-based and after-school programming, we intentionally serve 2SLGBTQIA+ youth while also supporting Pacific Islander students and families. Our partner schools recognize the importance of this intersectional approach, valuing UTOPIA WAs ability to support young people who navigate both cultural and gender or sexuality identities. By centering youth voice, leadership, and cultural pride, the UTOPIA WA Youth Program continues to build a generation of confident leaders prepared to advocate for themselves and their communities. Major Events / Campaign Statistics *Leadership Retreat: 31 Pacific Islander students participated in a youth leadership retreat focused on social and emotional development, education empowerment workshops, and building healthy community relationships and connections. *Academic Impact: 75% of students who attended the leadership retreat showed improvement in academic performance by June 2025. *Friendsgiving Community Feeding: Served 100+ students during Friendsgiving events at Chief Sealth International High School and Rainier Beach High School. *ManaFest Back2School Giveaway: Distributed 529 backpacks filled with school supplies to students and families in the community.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 76% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
611668192
IRS 990 coverage
2018–2025
Official website data refreshed
Sep 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2025, Form 990-EZ 2017, Form 990-N 2017
Location
Kent, WA, United States
Phone
253-478-3941
Rating
81
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Ethnic, Immigrant Centers

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$3,801,088
Expenses
$3,737,723
Assets
$2,223,555
Liabilities
$149,582

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Expenses are high relative to revenue and total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 88
  • Transparency & Controls: 70
  • Accountability: 91
  • Sustainability: 29
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 98.3%; rating input score 98
  • Program expense ratio: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 91.7%; rating input score 92; 10th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 1 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 17
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 78
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 1.7%; rating input score 30; 30th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.59; rating input score 20; 20th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.07; rating input score 53; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 16.3%; rating input score 21; 21st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 31.2% per year; rating input score 100; 91st percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 24.5% per year; rating input score 100; 90th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 21.5% per year; rating input score 100; 85th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: 3 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 1 operating location identified
  • Where the money goes: 98.3% of revenue deployed · 100% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 13 of 13 board members independent · 7 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $1.4M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $188K · 5 people listed · 1 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 22 of 24 current checks pass · 2 findings to review
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 7 annual filings from 2018 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 6 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 30/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 20/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
  • Moderate — Transparency & Controls: Fund balance restriction sum did not reconcile in the filed values.
  • Moderate — Transparency & Controls: Schedule A contributions reconciliation did not reconcile in the filed values.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 21/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 53/100.

Leadership & pay

5 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • Taffy Johnson (Executive Director): $187,722 total reported compensation
  • Paris Yandall (People & Culture Director): $107,222 total reported compensation
  • Tepatasi Vaina (Health Clinic Director): $106,397 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025.