Bay Area Women Leader Network
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
How Women Lead elevates diverse women in the corporate, public, philanthropic, and and nonprofit sectors by cultivating a robust network that trains and connects women executives who are catalysts in their fields. We collectively donate to organizations serving women and girls. Our transformative leadership training propels leaders forward and we create supportive networks that help break the glass ceiling.
- Income
- $1.7 million
- Spending
- $2.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 90%
- Reserves
- -3.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 100%
- Employees
- 11
- Volunteers
- 350
- Highest pay
- $241,742, founder, 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
Weak: 38 out of 100. Higher than 7% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 18% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 19% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1590% of spending went to programs.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 30% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
18 of 252 of 3 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
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 (3)
- $12,170 spent. In 2025 we awarded one $10,000 grants through our How Women Give program and a few smaller grants. Grants were awarded to organizations serving vulnerable women and girls. Through How Women Give, we also connect these critical community organizations to a network of leaders who want to be board members and volunteers for their organizations. We believe that women and girls deserve equal opportunities and together we are committed to their justice and equality.
- $1.6 million spent. In 2025 we offered a robust calendar of leadership, training and networking events including monthly events, our virtual GetOnBoard Week conference, and trainings to teach investing basics. Our monthly events garnered over 3500 attendees in 2025 and including topics such as Corporate Board Readiness Training, Interpreting Financial Statements, and Introduction to Angel and Venture Investing. In 2025, we hosted our sixth hybrid 5-day conference focused on gender diversity on corporate boards. We held over 40 events on skill building, board readiness, networking and timely topic panel discussions for over 2000 guests across the US.
- $137,487 spent. In 2025, we offered 3 cohorts of our Women Leaders for the World Fellowship, an intensive leadership fellowship for global women leaders designed to catapult their leadership to the next level, scale their impact, and connect them to coaches and advisors who can help them implement a plan of action. Our cohorts had 54 fellows. In 2025, we launched our first ever cohort focused on movement building leaders.
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 August 2015.
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.