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Girls Leadership Institute Inc

EIN 33-1207431 · Oakland, CA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair65 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Girls Leadership Institute, Inc. (Girls Leadership) is a national, educational non-profit with a mission to teach girls to exercise the power of their voice. {continued on Schedule O).

Income
$1.7 million
Spending
$2.7 million
Spent on programs
80%
Reserves
5.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 98%
Employees
31
Highest pay
$165,546, co-ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 65 out of 100. Higher than 33% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 12% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 62% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 7% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    80% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 14 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 82% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    26 of 26 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 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 (4)
  1. $2.2 million spent. To deepen our impact and expand access, Girls Leadership builds the capacity of adultseducators, caregivers such as parents, and youth workers, including sports coaches, social workers, mentors, and otherswho are already embedded in girls lives. We do this by providing in-depth training and vetted resources. This professional development programming includes up to 36 hours of total training for adults in girls lives using a youth-informed curriculum. This curriculum is organized across five core SEL domainsMindfulness and Self-Compassion, Identity and Self-Awareness, Social Awareness and Diversity, Relationship Skills and Community, and Justice and Actionand is sequenced from kindergarten through 12th grade to ensure developmentally aligned impact and lasting change across learning environments.
  2. The vetted resources shared in our trainings come from listening and co-designing with girls. We partner with girls to co-create educational resources and environments through youth leadership structures such as youth leadership clubs, research councils, and advisory boards. The learnings from this co-design process become curriculum and training that is tested and vetted with students impacted by systemic inequities and their youth-serving adults, and then scaled through professional development training and resource sharing to impact all youth.
  3. IN 2025 GIRLS LEADERSHIP AMPLIFIED THEIR TWO RESEARCH STUDIES, WHY WE LEAD, THE FIRST NATIONAL STUDY OF ASIAN AMERICAN, NATIVE HAWAIIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER GIRLS, AND READY TO LEAD, LEADERSHIP SUPPORTS AND BARRIERS FOR BLACK AND LATINX GIRLS. THESE STUDIES UNCOVERED HOW CULTURE INFLUENCES THE DEFINITION OF LEADERSHIP, AND HOW COMMUNITY AND SYSTEMS SUPPORT GIRLS LEADERSHIP, AND WHAT BIASES UNDERMINE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
  4. Founded in 2009, Girls Leadership impacted the lives of over 1,500,000 girls in FY 24, 73% of them are girls of color, and 72% qualify for free or reduced school lunch. Girls Leadership is generating impact through transformational programs, online content, and original research. Girls Leadership is committed to ensuring that girls across differences of income, race, and culture come to know and realize their power.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending August 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since April 2009.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.