Dress for Success Hartford County Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION FOR DRESS FOR SUCCESS IS TO EMPOWER WOMEN TO ACHIEVE ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE BY PROVIDING A NETWORK OF SUPPORT, PROFESSIONAL ATTIRE AND THE DEVELOPMENT TOOLS TO HELP WOMEN THRIVE IN WORK AND IN LIFE.
- Income
- $223,365
- Spending
- $219,716
- Spent on programs
- 88%
- Reserves
- 16.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- other income, 57%
- Employees
- 5
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $90,600, executive dir.
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
Strong: 97 out of 100. Higher than 86% of charities in its peer group (human services, under $250k).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 16.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 8% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1588% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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
Good: 71 out of 100. Higher than 60% of charities in its peer group (human services, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give 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.
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 (2)
- $193,304 spent. FOUNDED IN 1998, DRESS FOR SUCCESS HARTFORD, IN 2025 SERVED 121 DISADVANTAGED WOMEN AND ANSWERED A VITAL NEED FOR CAREER-BUILDING INITIATIVES AFTER WELFARE REFORM WAS INSTITUTED. THE WELFARE OVERHAUL IN 1996 SET TIME RESTRICTIONS FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE RECIPIENTS, WHICH IN TURN FORCED HEADS OF HOUSEHOLDS INTO LOW-WAGE JOBS. BECAUSE OF THE RAPID INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF POOR, WORKING WOMEN, THEY HAD BECOME A VERY UNDERSERVED SEGMENT OF SOCIETY. THROUGH OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, DRESS FOR SUCCESS HARTFORD WAS ABLE TO ANSWER THE NEEDS OF A GROWING, POVERTY-STRICKEN WORKFORCE.OUR ORGANIZATION STEMS THE UNDERLYING CAUSE OF CYCLICAL POVERTY THROUGH GRASSROOTS PROGRAMS THAT PRODUCE LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS. BY OFFERING PROFESSIONAL APPAREL, CAREER DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, AND ONGOING EMPLOYMENT RETENTION PROGRAMS WE ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF OUR CLIENTS AND PROMOTE ECONOMIC SECURITY AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY.IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE SERVING THOSE MOST IN NEED OF OUR SUPPORT, EVERY CLIENT IS REFERRED TO US THROUGH A NETWORK OF PARTNER AGENCIES. THESE AGENCIES INCLUDE A VARIETY OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, REENTRY PROGRAMS FOR THE FORMERLY INCARCERATED, HOMELESS AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS, REHABILITATION PROGRAMS, JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS, AND MORE. 120 PARTNER AGENCIES FROM THE FOLLOWING CT COUNTIES REFER WOMEN TO DRESS FOR SUCCESS HARTFORD: HARTFORD, LITCHFIELD, MIDDLESEX, NEW HAVEN, NEW LONDON, TOLLAND, AND WINDHAM.88% OF THE COST OF OUR RENTED FACILITY IS ALLOCATED TO PROGRAM EXPENSES. MOST OF THE FACILITY RENTAL COST WAS COVERED BY CONTRIBUTIONS.
- CLOTHING, JEWELRY AND HAIR CARE DISTRIBUTED AT ESTIMATED VALUE (121 CLIENTS X $250/CLIENT).
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 January 2004.
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.
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