Organization:Service Corps of Retired Executives

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Formation1964
PurposeBusiness education
Business mentoring
HeadquartersHerndon, Virginia
Region served
United States
Acting Executive Director
Julie Christiansen
Parent organization
SCORE Association
Budget
$21,000,000 in FY24
Staff
50
Volunteers
10,000
WebsiteOfficial website

The Service Corps of Retired Executives, now known as SCORE, is a non-profit organization of volunteers who provide free mentoring, education programs, workshops, and webinars to small businesses.[1] SCORE was a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), which administered a Congressional grant that provided SCORE with funding. SCORE is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia, with over 200 chapters located in offices located throughout the United States. It is the nation's largest network of volunteer, expert business mentors.[2]

History

SCORE was chartered by an Act of the U.S. Congress in 1964 to provide technical and managerial guidance to the business community, profit and not-for-profit organizations, and prospective entrepreneurs through the use of volunteer counselors.[3] On October 5, 1964, SBA administrator, Eugene P. Foley officially launched SCORE.[4] Walter H. Channing of Detroit, Michigan, served as its first president. By 1968 over 1,000 small businesses per month were receiving free business advice from SCORE.[5]

A 2019 audit by the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (OIG) criticized SCORE, finding that SCORE officials did not effectively oversee SCORE's use of federal funds, inappropriately solicited donations for mentoring services, charged for publication material that did not include the required SBA acknowledgement statement, and improperly managed funds used for cosponsored activities. The OIG recommended that the SBA improve its oversight and monitoring of SCORE's use of government funds, and its reporting of performance results. The OIG also recommended that the SBA recover $713,986 of unallowable and unsupported costs.[6]

By 2021 SCORE began to emphasize the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in business.[7]

In 2023, Iowa Senator Joni Ernst introduced a bill in the U.S. Senate, S-1896, entitled the SCORE Act of 2023 which would "overhaul SCORE to meet the needs of today’s dynamic economy and improve support for female and rural business owners".[8]

Operations

SCORE is governed by a 17 member board of directors.[9] It has a team of approximately 50 salaried employees at its headquarters in Herndon, Virginia who support the organization of over 10,000 volunteers in 250 office locations throughout the U.S.[10]

SCORE is exempt from federal and state income taxes on income under the provisions of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

SCORE's website offers a small business library with "how-to" guides, downloadable templates, checklists, articles, videos, infographics, and blogs. The website also hosts online workshops, recorded webinars and interactive courses on demand. SCORE volunteer mentors give free and confidential business advice to business owners using different communication methods, including phone, video, email and in-person meetings.[11] There are four types of SCORE volunteering roles: business mentors, workshop presenters, subject matter experts, and chapter support roles.[12] From time to time SCORE gives the Walter H Channing Award. Named in honor of its founding president, it is the highest honor for volunteer service within SCORE.

Performance claims

SCORE claimed SCORE clients returned $45.42 to the US Treasury for each dollar of the $17 million allocated to SCORE in FY24. This amounts to $772 million. SCORE also claimed 143,623 jobs were created by SCORE clients in FY24. This is approximately 10% of the 1.45 million jobs created by small businesses in FY24.[13][14] None of the claims have been audited by SCORE or the SBA.

Funding

SCORE was primarily supported by a federal government grant along with workshop fees and contributions. SCORE is also supported by the SCORE Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization formed in 1996 to serve as the philanthropic arm of SCORE.[15]

SCORE received a federal grant of $17.3 million in FY24, which was 80% of the organization's $21.7 million of revenue.[16] SCORE funding was not included in the FY26 budget request sent to Congress in May 2025 by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget Russell T. Vought on behalf of President Donald Trump.[17]

References

  1. ↑ "Service Corps of Retired Executivies (SCORE)". Mansueto Ventures. 2006. https://www.inc.com/encyclopedia/service-corps-of-retired-executives-score.html. 
  2. ↑ "SCORE Business Mentoring". U.S. Small Business Administration. https://www.sba.gov/local-assistance/resource-partners/score-business-mentoring. 
  3. ↑ "Tops in Business". The Washington Daily News. 1 October 1964. 
  4. ↑ Brudney, Jeffrey L.; Gazley, Beth (2002). "Testing the conventional wisdom regarding volunteer programs: A longitudinal analysis of the Service Corps of Retired Executives and the U.S. Small Business Administration". Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly 31 (4): 525–548, at p. 530. doi:10.1177/0899764002238099. ISSN 0899-7640. 
  5. ↑ Ludcke, G.L. (20 May 1968). "Retired Experts Are Ready To Assist New Business". The Buffalo News (Sec I-9). 
  6. ↑ U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General Audit of SBA's of the SCORE Association dated 25 April 2019 [1]
  7. ↑ Adams, Montrie Rucker (2021). "SCORE: No Longer Your Old, Retired White Man's Organization". C L Magazine (Summer Fall Issue). https://issuu.com/gapcomm/docs/summer_fall_2021_f1/s/13751381. Retrieved 14 April 2024. 
  8. ↑ Ernst, Joni (8 June 2023). "Ranking Member Ernst Works to Overhaul, Refocus Failing SBA Entrepreneurship Program". US Senator Joni Ernst. https://www.ernst.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ranking-member-ernst-works-to-overhaul-refocus-failing-sba-entrepreneurship-program. 
  9. ↑ "Meet the Leadership Team | SCORE". https://www.score.org/about/meet-leadership-team. 
  10. ↑ "SCORE to Merge and Unify for Stronger Mission Impact". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 2025-12-03.
  11. ↑ Salemi, Vicki. "Volunteering — even from home — helps others and can boost your career". New York Post (19 Nov 2023). https://nypost.com/2023/11/19/lifestyle/volunteering-even-from-home-helps-others-and-can-boost-your-career/. 
  12. ↑ Collamer, Nancy (2 March 2020). "How To Become A SCORE Small Business Mentor". Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2020/03/02/how-to-become-a-score-small-business-mentor/?sh=42e4434f4ce5. 
  13. ↑ "We Need Your Help: Protect SCORE's Funding | SCORE Foundation". https://mstr.app/c7dd7a21-5bae-4f83-aa1f-b077009db78a. 
  14. ↑ Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 1, 2024). "Small businesses contributed 55 percent of the total net job creation from 2013 to 2023". The Economics Daily (Washington, DC: Author). https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2024/small-businesses-contributed-55-percent-of-the-total-net-job-creation-from-2013-to-2023.htm. Retrieved October 6, 2025. 
  15. ↑ "National Bankers Association Foundation, with Wells Fargo Support, Will Underwrite SCORE Training and Education to Improve Founders' Financial Acumen". MarketWatch. https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/national-bankers-association-foundation-with-wells-fargo-support-will-underwrite-score-training-and-education-to-improve-founders-financial-acumen-6de313ab. 
  16. ↑ Template:Cite form 990
  17. ↑ Russell T. Vought (2025-05-02). "Letter to Susan Collins". https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BUDGET-2026-BUD/pdf/BUDGET-2026-BUD.pdf. 

Further reading

  • Nellis, Elwyn A. (1989). A SCORE that Counts: The Story of the Service Corps of Retired Executives. Philadelphia, PA: Service Corps of Retired Executives. ISBN 978-0-9623466-0-6. 



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