Denise Amber Lee Foundation Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
To promote and support public safety through uniform training, standardized protocols, defined measurable outcomes, and technological advances to the 9-1-1 system. To be the emotional driving force for changes in the 9-1-1 system in order to minimize human error.
- Income
- $1.1 million
- Spending
- $1.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 83%
- Reserves
- -0.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 68%
- Employees
- 5
- Highest pay
- $124,893, president
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
Weak: 45 out of 100. Higher than 7% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 122% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 11% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1583% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 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: 84 out of 100. Higher than 37% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2510 of 11 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a 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
9 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
No reported misuse
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, 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 (1)
- $923,537 spent. The Denise Amber Lee Foundation was borne out of a tragic breakdown of the 9-1-1 system in which a young wife and mother of two needlessly lost her life. the daylong abduction, rape and murder of Denise Lee exposed numerous inefficiencies in a system that all citizens rely on in their time of need. In an age of consumer technology that allows us to track and pinpoint locations with GPS on our phones, five calls to 9-1-1 that day, including a six (6) minute call from Denise herself, resulted in no location information to send a response. It is as if this reality of 9-1-1 not being able to pinpoint a location is a secret that the 9-1-1 industry doesnt want to publicize. The Denise Amber Lee Foundation is chartered with raising public awareness of this issue as well as the fact that in most locations and states around the country training is not required to be a 9-1-1 call taker or dispatcher; that the majority of 9-1-1 centers have no quality assurance practices in place for ongoing monitoring of call handeling and customer service. Most states require dog groomers to be trained and pass state exams for certification but the person taking a screaming mothers call for help needs no certification nor training. The Denise Amber Lee Foundation has recruited like-minded, passionate trainers from the 9-1-1 community to reach out to our nations 9-1-1 centers and perform full day presentations on the details of our tragedy and inspire them to not make these same mistakes. These sessions are having a powerful impact on those that attend. We are constantly receiving critiques and testimonials from attendees like this; Thank you for putting on the most profound class I have ever attended. It really motivated us to improve our training program. Thank you again for all the work you are doing to help our industry improve, Thank you for reminding me how important my job can be and how complacency can cost lives, your talk was truly inspirational. I will carry it with me for the rest of my life, and in turn hopefully ensure that I am never guilty of this. Your journey with and without Denise is an incredible one. God Bless and, This class should be required training for every dispatcher What an eye opener and very informative the Denise Amber Lee Foundation is also initiating a Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement Consulting Service to help public safety agencies install quality assurance practices in their day to day operations to reduce the indicence of human error. Oddly, the 9-1-1 industry is one of the last in this country to embrace quality assurance principals and it is arguable the most important life-saving industry. An Internal Affairs Investigation is NOT a quality assurance program. With the support of the donor community, we will continue to tell our painful story that is having a major impact on how 9-1-1 calls are handeled nationwide. 9-1-1 is a universal number for help that demands a universal level of response no matter where you are having an emergency.
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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since January 2011.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 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.