Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Ascend - Leadership Through Athletics Inc

EIN 46-3380394 · Fairfax, VA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair56 out of 100GovernanceStrong91 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

ASCEND IS GALVANIZING A GENERATION OF YOUNG WOMEN TO BECOME LEADERS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, ADDRESSING THE CRISIS OF GENDER INEQUALITY. THROUGH TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCES IN MOUNTAINEERING, HEALTH EDUCATION, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, ASCEND HELPS GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN BUILD SELF-CONFIDENCE AND COURAGE.

Income
$338,513
Spending
$489,873
Spent on programs
69%
Reserves
4.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
2
Volunteers
50
Highest pay
$57,228, acting board chair from 08/2025 to 12/25

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

Fair: 56 out of 100. Higher than 25% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 18% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 45% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 21% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    69% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 19 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: 91 out of 100. Higher than 77% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    4 of 5 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

    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, 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)
  1. $233,707 spent. ASCEND AFGHANISTAN - ASCEND LEADERSHIP THROUGH ATHLETICS IS AN INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT THAT INVESTS IN YOUNG WOMEN THROUGH MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING AND COMMUNITY SERVICE IN AFGHANISTAN. SINCE 2015, THOUSANDS OF AFGHAN GIRLS AND WOMEN HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM THAT PREPARES GIRLS TO BE PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY HEALTHY, AND ENCOURAGES THEM TO BE ACTIVE COMMUNITY LEADERS AND ROLE MODELS. ASCEND'S PROGRAMMING WAS HALTED TEMPORARILY IN AUGUST 2021 AND RESTARTED IN JANUARY 2023. THE PROGRAM IN AFGHANISTAN WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE TOOLS AND KNOWLEDGE TO GIRLS TO MANAGE THEIR MENTAL HEALTH AND ENCOURAGES THEM TO BE ACTIVE ROLE MODELS THROUGH COMMUNITY SERVICE. ANNUALLY, THE PROGRAM DIRECTLY ENROLLS OVER 300 GIRLS ANNUALLY AND IMPACTS MORE THAN 1500 COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGH OUTREACH AND SERVICE PROJECTS.
  2. $58,417 spent. ASCEND PAKISTAN - ASCEND - LEADERSHIP THROUGH ATHLETICS IS AN INTERNATIONAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT INVESTS IN YOUNG WOMEN IN PAKISTAN THROUGH MOUNTAINEERING-BASED LEADERSHIP TRAINING. ASCEND PAKISTAN BEGAN PROGRAM OPERATIONS IN 2023 AND SERVED OVER 1,500 COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGH DIRECT OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY EVENTS. ADDITONALLY, 100 GIRLS ARE DIRECTLY IMPACTED ANNUALLY THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN THE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM. ASCEND'S PAKISTAN PROGRAM PREPARES GIRLS TO BE PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY STRONG AND ENCOURAGES THEM TO BE ACTIVE COMMUNITY LEADERS AND ROLE MODELS. WE HIGHLIGHT THE CAPABILITIES OF WOMEN THROUGH AMBITIOUS MOUNTAINEERING EXPEDITIONS, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY SERVICE, AND FITNESS AND MENTAL HEALTH SKILLS AND AWARENESS.
  3. $47,991 spent. HQ PROGRAM - ASCEND HEADQUARTERS PRODIVES PROGRAM, ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO IN-COUNTRY PROGRAM IN AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN.

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 September 7, 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 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 2025.

    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 December 2014.

    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.