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Gold Shovel Association

TO INCREASE THE SAFETY OF EXCAVATION ACTIVITIES FOR CREWS AND THE PUBLIC AND TO PROTECT UNDERGROUND INFRASTRUCTURE. THE ASSOCIATION HAS DEVELOPED A TRADEMARK "GOLD SHOVEL STANDARD" WHICH HELPS …

Human Services Tempe, AZ EIN: 814421248 (IRS) Sign up to see website
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67
Integrity Assessment
Partial transparency
67/100 · methodology

About Gold Shovel Association

Gold Shovel Association is a human services organization based in TEMPE, United States. Annual revenue: $3.0 million. EIN: 814421248.

Founded
Headquarters
Tempe, AZ
Foundation type
Supporting organization (509(a)(3))
NTEE code
M40
IRS subsection
501(c)(03)
Ruling date
Size
medium

Verified certifications

Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.

IRS Tax-Deductible since 2016

Mission

To increase the safety of excavation activities for crews and the public and to protect underground infrastructure. The association has developed a trademark "gold shovel standard" which helps to achieve the association's mission.

Focus areas & reach

· What they work on and where

How it stacks up against peers

· vs. 8 similar human services in United States
Program spending This charity: 97%
Peer average: 86%
CEO comp as % of revenue This charity: 6.27%
Peer average: 0.48%
Integrity Assessment This charity: 67
Peer average: 90

Concerns

· None found
No red flags found
Screened for IRS revocation history, Open investigations, Governance scandals, Related-party deals, Excessive exec comp.

Where every $1 goes

· FY2022 · IRS 990 (FY2022)
$0.97
Program$0.97
97% to programs beats the peer average (86%) and beats the Charity Navigator "highly efficient" threshold (75%).

GiveRadar Analysis

Original analysis from GiveRadar's dataset of comparable organizations

GiveRadar's verified records show Gold Shovel Association with a complete profile, cross-referenced across 3 independent sources including the IRS.

  • By reported annual revenue, it is larger than 79% of the 136,181 human services charities in the United States with financial records on GiveRadar. See the filings
  • It has more complete governance disclosure than nearly all comparable organizations, because GiveRadar has verified leadership, executive compensation, a mission statement and a founding date. See national comparisons
  • GiveRadar's profile for Gold Shovel Association draws on its financial disclosures and its governance, in line with the typical human services charities in the United States it tracks. View this cohort
GiveRadar has verified
  • government registration
  • financial records (3 filed years)
  • disclosed leadership
  • a website
  • third-party accreditation
Not yet verified by GiveRadar
  • a contact email
  • a donation page
  • an owner-submitted profile claim

Analysis based on GiveRadar's benchmark dataset of 2026-07-03. It describes what GiveRadar has verified, not a judgment of the organization itself.

Common questions

· Auto-generated from filings + methodology

Gold Shovel Association is a registered human services nonprofit based in Tempe, AZ, United States. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It was founded in 2016 and has been operating for 10 years. Its EIN is 814421248. According to GiveRadar's records, it holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. GiveRadar's Integrity Assessment for the organization is 67/100, which reflects how much public information is available, not whether the charity is legitimate. The organization reports $3M in annual revenue. 39 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. No red flags have been detected.

Gold Shovel Association's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 814421248. This is the organization's IRS tax identification number; you can use it to verify tax-exempt status and to look up its Form 990 filings with the IRS.

Gold Shovel Association has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 67/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 67 ('Partial transparency') means some public data is on file but key signals are missing - worth a closer look before donating. The charity allocates 97% of expenses to programs, which contributes positively to its score. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for human services charities in United States is 90/100.

Gold Shovel Association is located in Tempe, AZ, United States. The organization was established in 2016 and has been active for 10 years. Its registered address is 2307 S Rural Rd, United States.

Based on official tax filings, Gold Shovel Association has $3M in annual revenue. It allocates 97% of expenses to programs and services. This is above the average of 86% for human services charities in United States. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.

Gold Shovel Association is classified as a Human Services organization, registered in United States. It operates as a Supporting organization (509(a)(3)). By size, it is categorized as a medium organization. It has $3M in annual revenue. The organization has 39 disclosed officers and directors.

No red flags have been detected for Gold Shovel Association. GiveRadar automatically screens charities for concerning patterns including high executive compensation, low program spending, and missing financial filings. Based on available official data, no issues have been identified.

According to GiveRadar's records, Gold Shovel Association holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It reports that 97% of expenses go to programs (the peer average is 86%). GiveRadar provides data for research and does not endorse any organization. A GiveRadar Integrity Assessment reflects how much public data is available, not whether an organization is safe to donate to, so it is always smart to do your own research before giving.

Gold Shovel Association is a human services organization based in TEMPE, United States. Annual revenue: $3.0 million. EIN: 814421248. Gold Shovel Association is classified as a human services organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 2016.

Among human services charities registered in United States: It allocates 97% of expenses to programs, above the peer average of 86%. Its annual revenue of $3M is comparable to the peer average of $3M.

Yes, donations to Gold Shovel Association are generally tax-deductible in the United States. Gold Shovel Association is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Its EIN is 814421248, which you can use for tax filing purposes. Donors can typically deduct contributions on their federal income tax return if they itemize deductions. Consult a tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Annual revenue
$1M-$10M
97% to programs
Source: IRS 990 (FY2022) why this matters
Unlock exact figures

Filing history

3 years on file from IRS 990 (FY2022): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.

Years on record: FY2022, FY2021, FY2020.
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Taxes

Tax-deductibility for donors

Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United States under local rules. Confirm with the charity directly.

Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.

Staff & volunteers

From filings and published profiles

Employees
1

Leadership

From FY2022 filing

ME
Mel C••••••••••
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Officers & trustees (14)

Source: Public filings

See full names, roles, and stories

14 officers and trustees on file - free with a GiveRadar account.

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Latest news

From global news sources

No recent news coverage found

News coverage will appear here when articles mention this organization.

Activity timeline

Filings and press mentions, merged

Form filed
$2.9M revenue
FY2022
IRS 990
Form filed
$3.0M revenue
FY2021
IRS 990
Form filed
$3.0M revenue
FY2020
IRS 990

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Cause areas in United States

How many charities work in each area, with this charity's area highlighted.

Human Services this charity 322,679
Education 195,586
Arts & Culture 133,128
Advocacy & Civil Rights 128,026
Religion 114,636
Health 98,862
Community Development 56,086
Youth Development 53,450
See all cause areas in United States

Most common causes in United States

Causes charities work on most, with this charity's causes ticked.

Community Development 235,146
Education 159,016
Religion 103,741
Arts & Culture 101,203
Human Rights 76,926
Health 65,250
Youth Development 47,775
Animal Welfare 32,425

Sources and verification

Registration and legal identity
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search
Financial filings
IRS Form 990 filings - Fiscal year 2022 most recent on file.
Officers and trustees
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search - 39 disclosed in the public registry.
Supplementary verification
Charity Navigator

Data freshness

Last updated
Jun 12, 2026
Registry checked
Jun 6, 2026
Profile completeness
90%

What we know and don't know

Exactly which public data we hold on this charity. Our score reflects transparency, not impact.

On record · 10
  • Financial data · FY2022 on record
  • Named leadership · 39 officers on file
  • Executive pay · Disclosed
  • Government registration · Registered with an official registry
  • Mission statement · Published
  • Official website · On record
  • Headquarters address · On file
  • Direct contact · Email or phone published
  • Tax-deductibility · Verified
  • Founding date · 2016
Not available · 1
  • Programs & activities
    No named programs listed by the charity

Methodology

GiveRadar builds each profile primarily from official government charity registries, supplemented where available by third-party nonprofit databases and news archives, and combines it into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. The exact sources for this charity are listed above. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.

Read full methodology

Are you the owner or a board member?

If you represent this organization and want to correct or update its data, you can claim this listing to edit details yourself, or email [email protected] with the correct information. We review every request and respond within 30 days.

Quick facts about Gold Shovel Association

What is Gold Shovel Association?
Gold Shovel Association is a human services supporting organization (509(a)(3)) based in Tempe, United States. Gold Shovel Association is a human services organization based in TEMPE, United States. Annual revenue: $3.0 million. EIN: 814421248.
When was Gold Shovel Association founded?
Gold Shovel Association was founded in 2016.
Who leads Gold Shovel Association?
Mel Christopher serves as EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
Where is Gold Shovel Association located?
Headquartered in Tempe, AZ, United States.
What is Gold Shovel Association's annual budget?
Annual revenue for fiscal year 2022 is approximately $1M-$10M. 97% of expenses go to program services.
Is Gold Shovel Association trustworthy?
Gold Shovel Association has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 67 out of 100 (Partial transparency). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
What is Gold Shovel Association's registration number?
IRS EIN: 814421248.
What is Gold Shovel Association's website?
http://goldshovelstandard.org/