Effective Leadership Academy
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
ELA'S MISSION IS TO HELP PEOPLE DEVELOP THEIR MOST VALUABLE ASSET - THEMSELVES. OUR GOAL IS TO EQUIP PEOPLE WITH THE SKILLS AND TOOLS THEY NEED TO LEARN, EARN, AND CONFIDENTLY NAVIGATE THE WORLD.
- Income
- $1.3 million
- Spending
- $1.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 8.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 64%
- Employees
- 26
- Volunteers
- 125
- Highest pay
- $135,789, executive director
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
Fair: 61 out of 100. Higher than 30% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.7 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 22% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 9% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 21% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1575% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 38 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
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2518 of 18 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
10 of 10Gave 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.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
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, 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 (7)
- $43,113 spent. LEADS (LEADERSHIP, EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT SERIES) PROGRAM: LEADS IS A MULTI-DAY LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. WE COVER CORE TOPICS THAT HELP STUDENTS LEARN HOW TO COLLABORATE, THINK CRITICALLY, COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY, AND CREATIVELY SOLVE PROBLEMS WHILE COLLABORATIVELY WORKING TOGETHER. SESSIONS ARE TYPICALLY HELD OVER A THREE-DAY PERIOD, FOR 2-3 HOURS EACH DAY. THE FLEXIBLE, INTENSIVE PROGRAM DELIVERY HELPS SCHOOLS TO MORE EASILY WORK LEADS INTO THEIR SCHOOL DAY, WHILE IMMERSING STUDENTS IN 21ST CENTURY LEARNING.
- $41,304 spent. CHAMBER LEADERSHIP ACADEMY: CHAMBER LEADERSHIP ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS ARE FIVE-DAY, SCHOOL-YEAR PROGRAMS HELD IN COLLABORATION WITH LOCAL CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE. EACH DAY HAS A DIFFERENT THEME (E.G., GOVERNMENT DAY, ENTREPRENEURSHIP DAY) AND ELA PROVIDES LEADERSHIP AND SELF-DEVELOPMENT TRAINING TO STUDENTS OVER CORE RELATED TOPICS, INCLUDING TEAMWORK, NETWORKING, AND MAKING PRESENTATIONS. FOLLOWING THE TRAINING SESSION EACH DAY, A PANEL OF EXPERTS FROM THE COMMUNITY HOLD QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSIONS WITH THE STUDENTS IN ATTENDANCE, GIVING THEM A REAL-WORLD TASTE OF WHAT WE TEACH THEM EARLIER, AS WELL AS AN AWARENESS OF MANY CAREER OPPORTUNITIES.
- $536,253 spent. PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS PROGRAM (PREVIOUSLY CALLED TRANSITIONS PROGRAM):THE PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS PROGRAM SERVES AS A BRIDGE TO ADDRESS THE SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, AND ACADEMIC CHALLENGES STUDENTS FACE DURING IMPORTANT PIVOT POINTS DURING THEIR EDUCATION (USUALLY FROM 5-6TH GRADE, 7-8TH GRADE, AND 8-9TH GRADE, BUT ALSO FOR OTHER GRADES UPON SCHOOL REQUEST). THE PROGRAM WILL DELIVER SKILLS SPECIFICALLY NEEDED FOR THIS TRANSITIONAL PERIOD SUCH AS TIME MANAGEMENT, LIFE BALANCE AND GOAL SETTING TO NAME A FEW. (AVAILABLE IN A VIRTUAL CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE, AND A REENTRY FACILITY)
- $272,351 spent. CONFERENCE: ENGAGING, INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP SERIES FOR STUDENTS AND/OR EDUCATORS THAT PROVIDE SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL WELLNESS TOOLS TO COMBAT STRESS, ANXIETY, UNCERTAINTY AND FEAR IN A TIME OF INCREASED STRESS AND ANXIETY THAT IS DRAMATICALLY IMPACTING EDUCATORS.
- LEAD WITH AN IDEA / LEAD WITH EMPATHY: DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION PROGRAM TAUGHT FROM THE LENS OF AN EMPATHETIC LEADER DESIGNED FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS TO IMPROVE DEI EFFORTS DISTRICT-WIDE
- REENTRY: ELA'S REENTRY PROGRAM SERVES YOUTH INVOLVED IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AS THEY TRANSITION BACK INTO SOCIETY. THROUGH INTENSIVE GROUP AND/OR INDIVIDUALIZED PROGRAMMING, ELA FACILITATORS TEACH JUVENILE OFFENDERS THE LEADERSHIP AND SOFT SKILLS THEY NEED TO BE BECOME THEIR VERY BEST SELVES AND PREPARE FOR POSITIVE FUTURES DESPITE THE CHALLENGES THEY CURRENTLY FACE. THE GROUP SESSIONS COVER ESSENTIAL SKILLS THAT THESE YOUTH WILL NEED TO SET GOALS, CHANGE THEIR MINDSETS, ADJUST THEIR ATTITUDES AND HABITS AND REDUCE RECIDIVISM AS THEY MOVE OUT OF JAIL, PRISON OR DETENTION FACILITIES BACK TO THEIR HOME ENVIRONMENTS. ONE-ON-ONE SESSIONS HELP STUDENTS DEVELOP THEIR OWN ACTION PLAN AND LIFE MAP TO PREPARE FOR SUCCESSFUL REENTRY AND REDUCE RECIDIVISM.
- $135,248 spent. CAMP LEAD:COLLABORATIVE WORK WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO ENRICH SUMMER CAMP EXPERIENCES FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT COMBATS SUMMER LEARNING LOSS BY HELPING STUDENTS FRESHEN THEIR ACADEMICS WHILE LEARNING IMPORTANT LIFE/WORK SKILLS. WE ALSO ENGAGE WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL PREPARATION FOR SUMMER INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
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
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 2024.
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 December 2009.
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.
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.