Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Cfleads

EIN 43-1645180 · Accord, MA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood89 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

CFLEADS ENVISONS A WORLD IN WHICH COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS ARE VITAL PARTNERS IN BUILDING COMMUNITIES WHERE ALL RESIDENTS ARE PROSPEROUS, HEALTHY AND SECURE. OUR MISSION IS TO HELP COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS BUILD STRONG COMMUNITIES BY ADVANCING EFFECTIVE PRACTICES, SHARING KNOWLEDGE AND GALVANIZING ACTION ON CRITICAL ISSUES OF OUR TIME.

Income
$4.4 million
Spending
$4.7 million
Spent on programs
82%
Reserves
22.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 89%
Employees
14
Volunteers
14
Highest pay
$334,180, 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. Higher than 62% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 22.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 7% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 98% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    82% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 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. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    14 of 14 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 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 (4)
  1. $2.3 million spent. GALVANIZE ACTION ON ISSUES:CONTINUED TO BUILD UNDERSTANDING AMONG COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS OF CRITICAL ISSUES FACING COMMUNITIES (I.E. ECONOMIC MOBILITY, COMMUNITY SAFETY, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS, ETC.); FACILITATED THE ADOPTION OF INTERNAL PRACTICES AT COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS THAT INCREASE EXTERNAL EFFECTIVENESS ON THESE ISSUES; SPURRED COLLECTIVE ACTION ON ISSUES OF COMMON CONCERN; AND BUILT ON MOMENTUM FROM LAUNCH/DISSEMINATION OF THE CFLEADS ECONOMIC MOBILTY REPORT: PATHWAYS TO PROGRESS, HIGHLIGHTING THE WORK OF COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS ENGAGED IN CFLEADS PROGRAMMING, PARTICULARLY THE ECONOMIC MOBILITY PORTFOLIO OF ACTIVITIES.
  2. $948,563 spent. BUILDING ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY:CONTINUED TO BUILD UNDERSTANDING OF COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AMONG COMMUNITY FOUNDATION BOARDS, SENIOR STAFF, AND PARTNERS THROUGH PEER CONNECTIONS, IN-PERSON CONVENINGS, AND STRUCTURED NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES. THE EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE (ELI) FOR CEOS FACILITATED IN-PERSON CONVENINGS WITH 12 NEW CEOS. THE ELI FOR VPS FACILITATED COHORT SESSIONS WITH 16 NEW COMMUNITY FOUNDATION VPS. 2025 ALSO SAW THE LAUNCH OF THE COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP LAB (VIRTUAL) CONVENING WITH OVER 35 REGISTRANTS. LASTLY, THE 2025 FORUM INCLUDED THE PARTICIPATION OF OVER 140 CF LEADERS, REPRESENTING OVER 60 COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS.
  3. $450,536 spent. SHARING KNOWLEDGE:CONTINUED TO INCREASE FIELD UNDERSTANDING OF THE VALUE OF COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AS A CORE ORGANIZING STRATEGY FOR COMMUNITY IMPACT. CFLEADS IN-PERSON AND COHORT-BASED PROGRAMS REACHED 722 INDIVIDUALS, ACROSS 47 STATES, AND SERVING 337 COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS. ADDITIONALLY, CFLEADS HOSTED WEBINARS AND PRESENTED AT REGIONAL AND NATIONAL CONFERENCES, WITH TOPICS INCLUDING CFLEADS' FELLOWSHIP INFORMATION SESSION, INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNITY SAFETY FOR CFS, LEADING WITH OUR VALUES (A 3-PART SERIES), COMMUNITY FOUNDATION LEADERSHIP ROUNDTABLE: SUPPORTING OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES, AND A VARIETY OF OTHERS. (CONTINUED ON SCH O)THE ORGANIZATION PUBLISHED BLOG POSTS, PUBLISHED/SHARED RESOURCES AND NEWSLETTERS RELATED TO COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS' WORK. HOSTED "THE GATHERING," AN EVENT DESIGNED EXCLUSIVELY FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION CEOS.
  4. $211,821 spent. ORGANZING FOR IMPACT:PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, INITIATIVES, AND PROGRAMS AIMED AT STRENGTHENING FIELD-WIDE IMPACT; SUPPORTING COLLECTIVE ACTION AMONG COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS ON KEY ISSUES OF COMMON CONCERN/INTEREST; BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE TO EXPAND COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP CAPACITY AT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF ALL SIZES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND THE AMERICAS. CFLEADS PROGRAMS SERVED OVER 300 CFS, REPRESENTING 47 STATES, WITH 19 IN-PERSON MEETINGS, 26 VIRTUAL CONVENINGS, 11 WEBINARS, AND 1,538 PARTICIPANTS - INCLUDING THE VERY SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OF THE CIVIC HEALTH BODY OF WORK.

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

  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 December 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 February 1994.

    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.