Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Vela Youth Fund Inc

EIN 38-4007720 · Palm Desert, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair69 out of 100GovernanceNot ratedThe short tax form does not cover thisImpact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

VELA Youth Fund's primary exempt purpose is to assist in the Spiritual, Cultural, Social and Academic Development of Black Youth. We do not have a "hands on" program. We partner with organizations who work with children by providing financial, research, curriculum, and other development resources. We advocate for black and brown children in Africa, the Caribbean, and the United States of America. We assist in youth development via the preparation and maintenance of our patented "Black Youth Development Program or BYD" curriculum. We intially placed it on the Canvas LMS and now on a system of PDF files, to be accessed Free of Charge by user organizations working to help Black and Brown Youth.

Income
$20,000
Spending
$63,000
Reserves
6.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 90%

Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending March 31, 2026, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 69 out of 100. Higher than 44% of charities in its peer group (international, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 6.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 215% of income.

Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending March 31, 2026, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

This organization files the short tax form, which does not ask about boards, policies or audits. That is normal for a small charity and is not a mark against it.

Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending March 31, 2026, 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)
  1. $2,000 spent. Via our African Field Representatives, VELA provided $36,000 for food, clothing, and education, toward supporting over 1,000 poor children in Africa: $18,000 in South Africa serving approximately 500 poor children, $18,000 in Cameroon serving approximately 500 poor children. We also provide Honorariums to those who teach and tutor African Youth, and advocate for community development in Africa. Also, VELA donated $8,000 to international non-profits serving Black Children: $2,000 to the Save the Children Foundation, $2,000 to the United Negro College Fund, and $4,000 to UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund. These humanitarian organization improve and sustain many children's lives in Africa.
  2. $500 spent. VELA provided a total of $6,000 to Churches and 501c3 Non-profit Partners who are providing critically needed Youth Development Services to over 500 children in the USA. The primary organizations supported were Family Health Support Network (BRAAF division) in Palm Springs and Palm Desert CA, PREP Learning Centers in Moreno Valley, Palm Springs, Palm Desert, and Indio CA, First Baptist Church of Indio, and the Social Lites Inc. in San Bernardino CA.
  3. $3,000 spent. VELA spent $3,000 (part of a 6 year investment of $50,000) toward our patented Black Youth Development Program. Primary cost are for Curriculum Preparation, Previous Application on the Canvas Learning System, with License fees for 500 computer access spaces, and now currently for development and application of our own patented PDF System for delivery of the BYD Curriculum. These features facilitate free distribution of the BYD program to schools, churches and non-profits who serve Black and Brown Youth.

Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending March 31, 2026, 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 March 2026.

    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 October 2016.

    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.