Data-Driven Economic Strategies Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
To enhance economic opportunities with data-driven strategies that inform community and workforce development initiatives.
- Income
- $539,327
- Spending
- $530,520
- Spent on programs
- 85%
- Reserves
- 5.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 71%
- Employees
- 4
- Volunteers
- 3
- Highest pay
- $272,615, executive dir.
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: 77 out of 100. Higher than 48% of charities in its peer group (science, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 6% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1585% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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
Good: 84 out of 100. Higher than 71% of charities in its peer group (science, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 253 of 5 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
0 of 7Reports no 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
6 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 (1)
- $448,988 spent. DDES provides in-depth economic reports to communities in Colorado to help educate citizens, businesses, and government on the national, state, and local economies. The unbiased, government-sourced information helps inform decision making and thus helps guide economic and workforce development initiatives. Within Colorado Springs, the reports are provided to the broader community as a (charitable) public service although sponsor organizations support the work of DDES to make the economic reporting free to the public at large. In two other communities, DDES has contracts to provide the monthly economic reporting. In all cases, DDES staff routinely provide gratis technical assistance and mass media education on how to interpret the data and use it proactively. In addition to the written economic reports (and associated technical assistance) DDES does economic presentations, weekly newspaper and other written mass media articles, and a weekly TV economic update. These are all done to educate the community about the latest economic data and how it impacts them. DDES also provides detailed labor market data for various K-12 school districts and higher educational institutions to help inform their career-technical education (CTE) programs. Additionally, DDES works with educational leaders to increase access to post-secondary education especially targeting at-risk communities. Rigorous, social science methodologies are used by DDES to compile the economic and workforce data.
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 October 13, 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 November 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 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.