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Yleana Leadership Foundation Inc

EIN 46-3205620 · New York, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak38 out of 100GovernanceGood83 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE YLEANA LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION, FOUNDED IN 2013, IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO CLOSING THE RACIAL WEALTH GAP BY INCREASING ACCESS TO EDUCATION. YLEANA HELPS FIRST-GEN, LOW-SES STUDENTS GET TO AND THROUGH COLLEGE THROUGH ACADEMIC SUPPORT AND TARGETED MENTORING, AND MAKE CRUCIAL WELL-INFORMED EARLY FINANCIAL DECISIONS TOWARD A LIFETIME OF WEALTH ACCUMULATION.

Income
$596,589
Spending
$766,943
Spent on programs
53%
Reserves
2.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 52%
Employees
10
Volunteers
20
Highest pay
$165,374, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 38 out of 100. Higher than 8% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 6% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 29% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 63% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    53% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 34 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 83 out of 100. Higher than 72% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 11 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no 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

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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, 2024, 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 (1)
  1. $404,977 spent. THE YLEANA LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION, FOUNDED IN 2013, SEES THE US'S RACIAL WEALTH GAP (ECONOMIC/WEALTH ACCUMULATION) AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE OPPORTUNITY GAP (EDUCATION). OUR MISSION IS TO DECREASE THE OPPORTUNITY GAP IN ORDER TO DECREASE THE RACIAL WEALTH GAP. BY GETTING STUDENTS READY FOR COLLEGE WITH THE ACADEMIC AND SOFT SKILLS THEY NEED TO SUCCEED, AND PROVIDING THE SUPPORT THAT ALLOWS THEM TO MAKE IT THROUGH COLLEGE AND GRADUATE, WE INCREASE STUDENTS' ABILITY TO ACCESS THE BEST OPPORTUNITIES POSSIBLE TO CHANGE THEIR ECONOMIC POSITION AND ABILITY TO ACCUMULATE WEALTH AS ADULTS.OUR POPULATION IS 95% BIPOC, PRIMARILY BLACK AND LATINX, WITH AN AVERAGE FAMILY INCOME OF $32,829. WE PARTNER WITH HIGH SCHOOLS AND CBOS IN BALTIMORE, BOSTON/NORTH SHORE MA, NYC, AND PHILADELPHIA. WE ARE EMPHATICALLY A NON-CREAMING ORGANIZATION, MEANING OUR ACTIONS ARE DIRECTED AT SLOW, INCREMENTAL CHANGE IN THE THICK MIDDLE OF THE CURVE.BY INCREASING THE SELECTIVITY OF THE COLLEGES OUR STUDENTS ATTEND, WE: [1] INCREASE COLLEGE GRADUATION RATES AND ACCESS TO MORE SUPPORTIVE PROGRAMMING; [2] SECURE BETTER FINANCIAL AID PACKAGES AND DECREASE LOANS, ALLOWING STUDENTS TO START LIFE WITH LESS DEBT; [3] INCREASE SALARIES AFTER GRADUATION - DOUBLE AND TRIPLE WHAT STUDENTS WOULD HAVE MADE AFTER A LESS SELECTIVE COLLEGE.WE ALSO PROVIDE ONGOING SUPPORT TO OUR STUDENTS TO AND THROUGH COLLEGE: WE ENSURE THEY HAVE THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO GET INTO COLLEGE, PERSIST THROUGH COLLEGE AND TRANSITION SUCCESSFULLY INTO A CAREER - WITH THE AID OF THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: [1] COLLEGE ACCESS MENTORING; [2] COLLEGE SUCCESS (PERSISTENCE) MENTORING; [3] COLLEGE-TO-CAREER TRANSITIONAL MENTORING; [4] JOB/INTERNSHIP DATABASE; [5] SAFETY NET: ONCE YOU'RE PART OF THE YLEANA FAMILY, YOU'RE FAMILY FOREVER - WE'RE HERE FOR YOU, WHATEVER YOU NEED!OUR WORK MOVES THE NORMAL COLLEGE GRADUATION RATE FROM 11% (COLLEGE GRAD RATE FOR LOW-SES, FIRST-GEN STUDENTS) TO 80% (COLLEGE GRAD RATE FOR YLEANA STUDENTS). DOUBLING OR TRIPLING GRADUATION RATES AND CUTTING STUDENT LOANS IN HALF/GETTING RID OF THEM COMPLETELY MEANS YLEANA HAS A DISCRETE ECONOMIC IMPACT ON STUDENTS' FINANCIAL OUTCOMES AND ABILITY TO ACCUMULATE WEALTH. WE MULTIPLY THE COLLEGE GRADUATION RATE BY ALMOST 8, MEANING THAT WE ARE TAKING THE NUMBER OF LOW-SES, FIRST-GEN STUDENTS WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM THE $1M INCREASE IN LIFETIME EARNINGS THAT COMES WITH A COLLEGE DEGREE - AND MULTIPLYING THAT NUMBER BY 8.THROUGH THIS SERIES OF INTENTIONAL COLLEGE-RELATED FINANCIAL DECISIONS AND SUPPORT THROUGH COLLEGE, WE ARE INCREMENTALLY MOVING THE MIDDLE OF THE ECONOMIC CURVE - WHICH HAS THE POWER TO ULTIMATELY MOVE THE CENTER OF THE US ECONOMIC PYRAMID, FOR THE LONGEST-RANGING AND BROADEST IMPACT ON THE INCOME DISTRIBUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Worth knowing.

    Status was revoked on May 15, 2016 for not filing returns for three years, and reinstated on May 15, 2016.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.

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

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since February 2019.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 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.