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The Afl-Cio Working for America Institute

EIN 52-0884503 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair68 out of 100GovernanceGood80 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO PROMOTE ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES TO CREATE GOOD JOBS AND TO ENGAGE IN PROGRAMS AND ADVOCACY THAT ADVANCE WORKER EDUCATION AND TRAINING; TO DEVELOP INNOVATIVE DEMONSTRATION APPRENTICESHIP AND CAREER PATHWAY PROGRAMS IN ADVANCED MANUFACTURING

Income
$2.7 million
Spending
$2.3 million
Spent on programs
74%
Reserves
9.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 69%
Employees
0
Volunteers
5
Highest pay
$428,404, president

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 68 out of 100. Higher than 40% of charities in its peer group (employment, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 9.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 34% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 17% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 30% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    74% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 80 out of 100. Higher than 30% of charities in its peer group (employment, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    5 of 25

    1 of 3 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 June 30, 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 (6)
  1. $976,177 spent. PARTNERSHIPS FOR ADVANCED MANUFACTURING APPRENTICESHIP: THE AFL-CIO WORKING FOR AMERICA INSTITUTE IS ENGAGED WITH LABOR, EMPLOYERS AS WELL AS NATIONAL STATE AND LOCAL INTERMEDIARIES IN EXPANDING HIGH-QUALITY APPRENTICESHIP, NOTABLY IN ADVANCED MANUFACTURING INCLUDING THE INDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING TECHNICIAN (IMT) REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP. WAI PROVIDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO BUILD CUSTOMIZED PROGRAMS, IS BUILDING A CURRICULUM TO PREPARE WORKERS FOR ENTRY-LEVEL JOBS IN MANUFACTURING, AND OPERATES DIRECT PROGRAMMING IN SELECT LOCALES.
  2. $327,514 spent. MANUFACTURING CORE CURRICULUM:THE MANUFACTURING CORE CURRICULUM (MC2) IS A HIGH-QUALITY UNIVERSAL PATHWAY CURRICULUM CREATED BY WAI. MC2 PROVIDES COMMUNITIES, EMPLOYERS, UNIONS, AND TRAINING PROVIDERS WITH A HIGH-QUALITY, WORKER-CENTERED FOUNDATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM TO PROVIDE EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES TO PREPARE AND CONNECT WORKERS TO ENTRY-LEVEL JOBS AND REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIPS THAT LEAD TO GOOD MANUFACTURING CAREERS.
  3. $253,939 spent. WOMEN IN TRADES (WANTO): THE WOMEN IN ADVANCED MANUFACTURING (WAM) IS A TWO-YEAR PILOT PROGRAM FUNDED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO EMPLOYERS AND LABOR UNIONS AND TO OFFER A PART-TIME PRE-APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING PROGRAM IN MANUFACTURING FOR UP TO 60 WOMEN IN GREATER BIRMINGHAM. COURSES ARE TAUGHT AT LAWSON STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE. SUPPORT SERVICES, AS WELL AS CAREER COUNSELING AND MENTORSHIP, ARE OFFERED TO HELP THE PARTICIPANTS SUCCEED.
  4. $75,896 spent. BATTERY WORKFORCE INITIATIVE: THE BATTERY WORKFORCE INITIATIVE (BWI), LED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (DOE) AND DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (DOL), IS A NATIONAL EFFORT TO DEVELOP STANDARDIZED TRAINING AND CERTIFICATIONS FOR THE RAPIDLY EXPANDING U.S. ADVANCED BATTERY MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY. ON THIS PROJECT, WAI PROVIDES TEAM DEVELOPMENT, PLANNING, OUTREACH, INDUSTRY BASED INFORMATION GATHERING, JOB TASK ANALYSIS, AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT.
  5. $27,102 spent. JOBS FOR THE FUTURE:WAI PROVIDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO JFF AND ITS GRANTEES ON WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, LABOR MANAGEMENT RELATIONS, AND LIAISING WITH LABOR UNIONS AND THE AFL-CIO NATIONAL NETWORK.
  6. $25,400 spent. LABOR ENERGY PARTNERSHIPS:FORMED IN 2020, THE LABOR ENERGY PARTNERSHIP IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE EFI FOUNDATION AND THE AFL-CIO TO SUPPORT THE 7.5 MILLION WORKERS IN THE U.S. ENERGY SECTOR AND SPUR ECONOMIC GROWTH THROUGH RESEARCH TO IDENTIFY ACTIONABLE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CLEAN ENERGY POLICY. TO ACHIEVE THIS, LEP DEVELOPS INNOVATIVE, TECHNICALLY SOUND, PLACE-BASED SOLUTIONS TO THE CLIMATE CRISIS THAT ARE ROOTED IN SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE, AND CREATES AND SUSTAINS HIGH-QUALITY, UNION JOBS. LEP REGULARLY CONDUCTS NEW AND POLICY-RELEVANT RESEARCH TO ADDRESS THE CLIMATE CRISIS AND SUPPORT WORKING PEOPLE ACROSS AMERICA.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 June 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 March 1992.

    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.