Jumpstart Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
JUMPSTART INC. DRIVES ECONOMIC VITALITY BY CONNECTING ENTREPRENEURS TO THE OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES THEY NEED TO SUCCEED. JUMPSTART INC. IS FOCUSED ON ENABLING COMPANIES AND FOUNDERS IN TARGETED AREAS SUCCEED SO THAT THEIR SUCCESS CAN IMPROVE THE ECONOMIC REALITY FOR ALL IN THAT REGION.
- Income
- $35.8 million
- Spending
- $35.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- 19.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 55%
- Employees
- 85
- Volunteers
- 129
- Highest pay
- $548,631, jse managing partner
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 87 out of 100. Higher than 81% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 19.2 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 31% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 70% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 42% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2523 of 24 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
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 June 30, 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 (3)
- $8.3 million spent. ENTREPRENEURIAL SERVICES (ESP) AND INVESTING:AS OHIO PRIORITIZES TECHNOLOGY-DRIVEN GROWTH WITHIN ITS BROADER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY, JUMPSTART INC. PLAYS A DUAL AND ESSENTIAL ROLE - PREPARING VENTURE INVESTABLE COMPANIES FOR CAPITAL AND SERVING AS A REGIONAL VENTURE INVESTOR. BY COMBINING THESE FUNCTIONS, JUMPSTART HELPS TECH COMPANIES SECURE AND DEPLOY EARLY-STAGE CAPITAL MORE EFFECTIVELY, ENABLING THEM TO SCALE, CREATE JOBS, AND STRENGTHEN THE REGION'S LONG-TERM ECONOMIC VITALITY. JUMPSTART CONDUCTS INVESTMENT ACTIVITIES TO SUPPLEMENT STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT ECONOMIC AND JOB DEVELOPMENT INVESTMENT AND OTHER PROGRAMS DIRECTED AT ENCOURAGING THE INITIATION OF GROWTH, MATURATION, AND EXPANSION OF SMALL BUSINESSES WITH A POTENTIAL FOR PROVIDING ENHANCED EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND THEREBY CONTRIBUTING TO AN ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION OF NORTHERN OHIO. JUMPSTART OFTEN BUNDLES GUIDANCE FROM EXPERIENCED VENTURE PARTNERS WITH ITS SEED INVESTMENT CAPITAL. EARLY-STAGE INVESTMENT FROM JUMPSTART ALLOWS THESE INNOVATIVE COMPANIES TO COMPLETE PRODUCT PROTOTYPES, CONDUCT EARLY MARKETING CAMPAIGNS, AND ADD KEY MEMBERS. SIMILARLY, THE STRATEGIC AND OPERATIONAL GUIDANCE FROM VENTURE PARTNERS ENABLES INNOVATION-ORIENTED ENTREPRENEURS TO HIT KEY GROWTH MILESTONES, ADVANCE THROUGH STAGES OF THE BUSINESS, AND ATTRACT FOLLOW-ON FUNDING. THROUGH FISCAL YEAR 2025, JUMPSTART HAS INVESTED $111.5M IN 185 PORTFOLIO COMPANIES WHOSE BUSINESS ACTIVITIES WERE DETERMINED TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE GOALS OF THE ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION PROGRAM. WITH REGARD TO ACCELERATING GROWTH, CLIENT AND PORTFOLIO COMPANIES RECEIVE INTENSIVE TECHNICAL SUPPORT FROM THE JUMPSTART TEAM. VENTURE PARTNERS AND MENTORS ASSIGNED TO A CLIENT COMPANY TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO HELP ENSURE THAT KEY MILESTONES ARE MET. JUMPSTART ADVISORS HAVE:1) CONNECTED JUMPSTART'S CLIENT AND PORTFOLIO COMPANIES WITH HUNDREDS OF RESOURCES, INCLUDING SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, BOARD MEMBERS, MANAGEMENT TEAM MEMBERS, AND POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS.2) ENABLED JUMPSTART CLIENT AND PORTFOLIO COMPANIES TO MEET INDIVIDUAL MILESTONES, INCLUDING FINALIZING INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, SECURING FOLLOW-ON CAPITAL, BUILDING INTERNAL SYSTEMS, AND DEVELOPING STRATEGIC PARTNER AND CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS.
- $1.5 million spent. OUTREACH AND EDUCATION:OUTREACH AND EDUCATION ARE SIGNIFICANT AND CRITICAL SEGMENTS OF JUMPSTART'S OVERALL ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION PROGRAMS. THE JUMPSTART OUTREACH AND EDUCATION PROGRAM'S CONTINUOUS PRESENTATION OF NETWORKING EVENTS, SEMINARS, AND PUBLISHED ARTICLES BOTH IN TRADITIONAL AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA COMBINE TO BUILD A GREATER APPRECIATION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP TO THE NORTHERN OHIO REGIONAL ECONOMY.THE ACTIVITIES OF OUTREACH AND EDUCATION ARE DIRECTED TO SUPPORTING NETWORKS OF INVESTORS, ADVISORS, AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICE FIRMS TO ENCOURAGE AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF SUCCESSFUL HIGH-POTENTIAL ENTREPRENEURIAL VENTURES IN NORTHERN OHIO AND THEREBY ENHANCE THE ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION OF THE REGION. THROUGH THESE EFFORTS, JUMPSTART SEEKS TO BUILD AWARENESS OF SERVICES TO COMPANIES THAT NEED AND QUALIFY FOR SUPPORT.JUMPSTART'S MEDIA OUTREACH AND EVENTS CONTINUALLY INFORM AND EDUCATE OHIO'S ENTREPRENEURS, GIVING VISIBILITY TO THE SUCCESS OF ENTREPRENEURIAL VENTURES AND PROVIDING SUPPORT TO ENABLE A THRIVING ENTREPRENEURIAL COMMUNITY. FROM 7/1/24 THROUGH 06/30/25, JUMPSTART: 1) COMMUNICATED WITH MORE THAN 41,759 EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS AND MORE THAN 31,400 SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWERS, HIGHLIGHTING ENTREPRENEURIAL SUCCESSES AS WELL AS EVENTS FOR NETWORKING AND LEARNING.2) ACHIEVED 553 TOTAL MEDIA MENTIONS HIGHLIGHTING CLIENT SUCCESS STORIES AND SHARING VALUABLE INFORMATION SO REGIONAL ENTERPRENEURS CAN ACCESS THE CAPITAL, SERVICES, AND CONNECTIONS THEY NEED TO GROW. THESE STORIES REACHED AUDIENCES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND HIGHLIGHTED CLIENT SUCCESS STORIES.3) HOSTED 22 IN-PERSON AND 18 VIRTUAL EVENTS EMPOWERING ENTREPRENEURS TO BUILD CRITICAL RESOURCE CONNECTIONS AND INCREASE THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE IN SUBJECT MATTERS NECESSARY TO STARTING AND GROWING AN EARLY-STAGE VENTURE OR SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS.TO ENHANCE THE COVERAGE OF THIS SERIES, MANY OF THESE EVENTS AND CONVERSATIONS ARE RECORDED AND MADE AVAILABLE AS PODCASTS, VIDEO SPOTLIGHTS, AND OTHER CONTENT. THROUGH 06/30/25, THERE HAVE BEEN MORE THAN 59,600 PODCAST DOWNLOADS FROM JUMPSTART CHANNELS AND MORE THAN 184,000 VIDEO VIEWS ON JUMPSTART'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL. OVERALL, THERE WERE MORE THAN 139,700 UNIQUE VISITORS TO JUMPSTART WEBSITES IN FISCAL YEAR 2025.
- $19.9 million spent. NETWORK ADVISORS & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:COMPONENTS OF THE ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION PROGRAMS PROVIDE THE INITIAL CONTACT AND IMPETUS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEED IDEAS. THESE INDIVIDUALS PROVIDE EDUCATION AND INFORMATION TO INDIVIDUALS CONCERNING THE DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATION OF SMALL BUSINESSES IN NORTHERN OHIO TO ENCOURAGE THE INITIATION, EXPANSION, GROWTH, AND MATURATION OF BOTH NEW AND EXISTING SMALL BUSINESSES, WHICH CAN PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND THEREBY AID IN ALLEVIATING UNEMPLOYMENT, COMMUNITY DETERIORATION AND ECONOMIC DISTRESS IN NORTHERN OHIO AND ENHANCING THE ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION OF THE AREA. NETWORK ADVISORS COMPRISE THE PROGRAM THAT CONCENTRATES ON ASSISTING TECHNOLOGY-BASED NASCENT COMPANIES AND SMALL BUSINESSES WITH GROWTH INTEREST AND POTENTIAL. AS A NON-PROFIT ADVISING STARTUPS COMPANIES IN MANY SECTORS ON CRITICAL ISSUES, THE USE OF THIS NETWORK OF SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS ENABLES JUMPSTART TO PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY GUIDANCE TO EARLY-STAGE COMPANIES THAT WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ACCESS THIS LEVEL OF SERVICE. THIS ADVICE ENABLES THE COMPANIES TO INCREASE THEIR LIKELIHOOD OF SUCCESS IN THE REGION.JUMPSTART'S STAFF, MENTORS, AND NETWORK OF ADVISORS GUIDE NORTHERN OHIO'S HIGH-POTENTIAL ENTREPRENEURS, ASSISTING FOUNDERS IN CREATING AND ARTICULATING HIGH-GROWTH STRATEGIC AND OPERATIONAL PLANS, ACCESSING INVESTMENT FUNDS, AND MOVING THEIR BUSINESSES TOWARD KEY MILESTONES. NETWORK ADVISORS, MENTORS, AND ENTREPRENEURS-IN-RESIDENCE ARE SUCCESSFUL SERIAL ENTREPRENEURS, SEASONED INVESTORS, INDUSTRY EXPERTS, AND/OR FORMER CEOS WITH SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCE. JUMPSTART'S ADVISORS HAVE A SPECIAL FOCUS ON SUPPORTING WOMEN AND MINORITY ENTREPRENEURS WORKING IN THE HIGHEST-GROWTH INDUSTRIES. THE OVERALL ADVISORY PROGRAM IS A VITAL ASPECT IN THE GOAL OF HELPING TO REVITALIZE THE ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT OF NORTHERN OHIO. JUMPSTART BELIEVES THAT THE AVAILABILITY OF EXPERIENCED ENTREPRENEURS, INVESTORS, INDUSTRY LEADERS, AND EXECUTIVES TO STARTUP COMPANIES IS CRITICAL TO SUCCESS. THE GUIDANCE OF EARLY-STAGE ENTREPRENEURIAL ENDEAVORS PROVIDES INSIGHT AND KNOWLEDGE AND GENERALLY BROADENS THE VISION OF THE ENTREPRENEUR. ECONOMIC INCLUSION IS AT THE FOUNDATION AND CORE OF HOW JUMPSTART CONDUCTS BUSINESS, AS THIS GENUINE COMMITMENT ALLOWS JUMPSTART TO REALIZE THE RICH DIVERSITY OF TALENT AND PROMISE THAT EXTENDS THROUGHOUT NORTHERN OHIO. 32 PERCENT OF JUMPSTART'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS ARE WOMEN, AND 12 PERCENT ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR. MEANWHILE, 66 PERCENT OF JUMPSTART'S STAFF ARE WOMEN, WHILE NEARLY 29.82 PERCENT ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR.ADDITIONALLY, FROM 7/1/24 TO 6/30/25, 61.6 PERCENT OF THE COMPANIES SERVED BY JUMPSTART WERE OWNED/LED BY PEOPLE OF COLOR (BLACK 41 PERCENT OR LATINO/HISPANIC 13.6 PERCENT) AND 55.3 PERCENT WERE WOMAN OWNED/LED. WE BELIEVE IN ACCELERATING THE GROWTH OF BLACK, LATINO, AND WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES BECAUSE IT IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF BUILDING AND SUSTAINING A HEALTHY ECONOMY. THESE FIRMS HOLD GREAT PROMISE FOR THE REGION, AS STATISTICALLY, MINORITY BUSINESSES TEND TO HIRE MINORITY WORKERS AT MORE THAN TWICE THE RATE OF NON-MINORITY FIRMS. THE CHALLENGE, HOWEVER, IS TO GROW THE TYPES OF BUSINESSES THAT CAN EMPLOY MUCH LARGER NUMBERS. THERE IS A CRITICAL GAP IN FUNDING AND SUPPORT FOR EARLY-STAGE, MINORITY-OWNED, HIGH-POTENTIAL BUSINESSES THAT COULD BECOME LARGE COMPANIES THAT CREATE JOBS, WEALTH, AND PROSPERITY. THROUGH ECONOMIC INCLUSION INITIATIVES, JUMPSTART PROVIDES ASSISTANCE TAILORED TO THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF THESE HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES TO GUIDE HIGH-IMPACT MINORITY AND WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES SEEKING TO RAISE CAPITAL FROM PRIVATE INVESTORS TO BECOME LARGER-SCALE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL FIRMS. ADVISORS ALSO ASSIST TARGETED BUSINESSES SITUATED IN THE URBAN CENTERS OF NORTHERN OHIO, WHOSE BUSINESSES DIRECTLY AFFECT MINORITY POPULATIONS. BY PROVIDING INTENSIVE HANDS-ON GUIDANCE AND STRATEGIC PLANNING, THESE ADVISORS ENABLE ENTREPRENEURS TO ACCESS INVESTMENT FUNDS AND MOVE THEIR BUSINESSES TOWARD CRITICAL MILESTONES. JUMPSTART EMBEDS ITS ECONOMIC INCLUSION PROGRAMMING ACROSS ALL OF ITS ACTIVITIES. SPECIFIC EXAMPLES INCLUDE:1) THE JUMPSTART FOCUS FUND, A $10 MILLION VENTURE CAPITAL FUND SPECIFICALLY DEDICATED TO SUPPORTING FEMALE AND/OR MINORITY LED STARTUPS ACROSS OHIO.2) THE SMALL BUSINESS IMPACT PROGRAM PROVIDES A DIVERSE GROUP OF TRADITIONALLY UNDERREPRESENTED SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WITH ONE-ON-ONE BUSINESS ASSISTANCE, GRANT CAPITAL, AND CONNECTIONS TO VALUABLE COMMUNITY RESOURCES.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 June 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 September 1983.
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.