Lad Lake Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF LAD LAKE, INC. IS TO GUIDE THE GROWTH OF AT-RISK YOUTH SO THAT THEY REACH THEIR POTENTIAL AND LIVE RESPONSIBLY.
- Income
- $15.8 million
- Spending
- $15.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 86%
- Reserves
- 6.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 80%
- Employees
- 323
- Volunteers
- 159
- Highest pay
- $218,394, president & ceo
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
Good: 89 out of 100.
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 6.8 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 20% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 1% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1586% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 14 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 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 (5)
- $11.1 million spent. OUR RESEARCH INDICATES THAT NEARLY ALL (92%) OF LAD LAKE YOUTH IN RESIDENTIAL CARE HAVE LIVED THROUGH MULTIPLE TRAUMATIC EVENTS. MANY HAVE LIVED THROUGH SEVERE NEGLECT. SOME HAVE BEEN ABUSED. OTHERS WITNESSED VIOLENCE. NEARLY ALL EXPERIENCE PSYCHOLOGICAL CHALLENGES. IN FACT, THE VAST MAJORITY (70%) OF LAD LAKE YOUTH STRUGGLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS LIKE ANXIETY, DEPRESSION AND PTSD. LAD LAKE'S TRAUMA-INFORMED EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMS AND CARING STAFF ARE A CRITICAL COMPONENT TO HELPING YOUTH SUCCEED. LAD LAKE RESIDENTS AND STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO HEAL IN A SAFE AND THERAPEUTIC ENVIRONMENT AND BENEFIT FROM: STRENGTH-BASED APPROACH, PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES, SPECIALIZED THERAPIES INCLUDING TRAUMA-FOCUSED COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY, DIALECTICAL BEHAVIOR THERAPY (DBT), ART AND EQUINE THERAPIES, MOTIVATIONAL ENHANCEMENT THERAPY AND COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY (MET/CBT5), ONSITE STAFF TRAINED IN TRAUMA-SENSITIVE CARE UTILIZING THE RISKING CONNECTIONS MODEL AND THERAPEUTIC GROUPS HELPING YOUTH DEVELOP SKILLS TO HANDLE LIFE'S CHALLENGES INCLUDING MINDFULNESS PRACTICES, EMOTIONAL REGULATION AND DIALECTICAL BEHAVIORAL THERAPY.
- $474,095 spent. THROUGH A COMMUNITY-BASED MODEL, LAD LAKE OFFERS A VARIETY OF SERVICES INCLUDING:IN-HOME THERAPY, MENTORING, SUPERVISED VISITATIONS AND OUTPATIENT SERVICES TO YOUTH AND FAMILIES WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED CRISIS IN THEIR HOME LIFE. LAD LAKE HELPS YOUTH WITH A RANGE OF NEEDS INCLUDING: EMOTIONAL OR DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. YOUTH WITH ALCOHOL OR DRUG ABUSE DEPENDENCIES, YOUTH WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, YOUTH WITH A HISTORY OF TRUANCY, YOUTH WITH A HISTORY OF FAMILIAL PROBLEMS, YOUTH WITH A FAMILY MEMBER IN PRISON AND YOUTH WHO HAVE COMMITTED THEIR FIRST MINOR DELINQUENT OFFENSE. RELYING ON A TRAUMA-INFORMED APPROACH, LAD LAKE STAFF PROVIDE SERVICES TO FAMILIES TO PROMOTE HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS AND RESPONSIBILITY WHILE ENCOURAGING FAMILIES TO WORK TOWARD REUNIFICATION. THE PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO WORK WITH YOUTH AND FAMILIES TOWARD HEALTHIER CHOICES AND SUPPORTIVE CONNECTIONS.
- $425,078 spent. COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY SERVICES (CCS) IS A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES CLIENT-CENTERED AND DIRECTED PSYCHOSOCIAL SERVICES THAT PROMOTE RECOVERY FOR ELIGIBLE CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS OF MILWAUKEE COUNTY. CCS FOCUSES ON HELPING PEOPLE WHO HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH AND/OR A SUBSTANCE USE DIAGNOSIS ON THEIR JOURNEY TO RECOVERY. THE PROGRAM IS FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEEDS THAT, IF IGNORED, COULD LEAD TO BEING HOSPITALIZED IN TIMES OF CRISIS. THE PURPOSE OF COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES IS TO SURROUND INDIVIDUALS/FAMILIES WITH THE SERVICES AND RESOURCES, IN THE COMMUNITY, THAT ARE NECESSARY TO PROMOTE RECOVERY, REHABILITATION, AND RESILIENCY. THOSE WHO QUALIFY FOR CCS WORK WITH A CARE COORDINATOR TO DEVELOP AN INDIVIDUALIZED PLAN OF CARE. INDIVIDUALS CAN CHOOSE FROM A WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES WHICH IS INTENDED TO HELP THEM; IMPROVE HEALTH, PROMOTE WELLNESS, ACHIEVE PERSONAL GOALS AND ENHANCE OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE.
- $352,219 spent. LAD LAKE OFFERS A VARIETY OF SPECIALIZED ACADEMIC PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH AT-RISK OF SCHOOL FAILURE. LAD LAKE OPERATES THREE SCHOOLS IN MILWAUKEE AND DOUSMAN WITH PROGRAMS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY SUITED TO MEET THE NEEDS AND CHALLENGES OF EACH STUDENT. WITH A HIGHLY-INDIVIDUALIZED CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT, HIGH TEACHER-TO-CHILD RATIOS, AND ONSITE SPECIALISTS AND THERAPISTS, LAD LAKE SCHOOLS GIVE STUDENTS THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITY FOR SUCCESS. THROUGH ITS DAY SCHOOLS AND ONSITE SCHOOLS AT ITS TWO RESIDENTIAL CAMPUSES, LAD LAKE TEACHERS HELP HUNDREDS OF KIDS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL CHALLENGES SUCCEED IN SCHOOL INCLUDING: YOUTH WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS OR BEHAVIORAL DISABILITIES, YOUTH WITH ALCOHOL OR OTHER DRUG DEPENDENCIES, STUDENTS WITH SEVERE CREDIT DEFICIENCIES, STUDENTS AT-RISK OF EXPULSION. FOR MANY OF THESE YOUTH, LAD LAKE IS THEIR LAST HOPE AT GETTING BACK ON TRACK ACADEMICALLY. LAD LAKE TEACHERS OFFER INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PLANS FOR STUDENTS, AND ARE ABLE TO CATER TO THEIR SPECIALIZED NEEDS. THROUGH OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, 76% OF OUR YOUTH INCREASED THEIR READING AND MATH SCORES BY 2 GRADE LEVELS IN ONE SEMESTER.
- $677,476 spent. OTHER PROGRAMS.
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 November 6, 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 July 1942.
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 November 4, 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.