Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Leadership Howard County Inc

EIN 52-1530676 · Columbia, MD

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood80 out of 100GovernanceGood82 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

EMPOWER INDIVIDUALS TO STRENGTHEN AND TRANSFORM OUR COMMUNITY.

Income
$509,974
Spending
$712,037
Spent on programs
75%
Reserves
26.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 70%
Employees
8
Volunteers
120
Highest pay
$123,194, president & ceo

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

Good: 80 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (public benefit, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 26.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 4% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 40% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 4% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    75% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 22 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: 82 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (public benefit, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    17 of 17 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

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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

    12 of 15

    Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.

  • 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 (3)
  1. $189,351 spent. LEADERSHIP PREMIER - LHC'S SIGNATURE PROGRAM FOR SENIOR-LEVEL BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS. THE PREMIER PROGRAM IS A 10-MONTH, TUITION-BASED PROGRAM THAT BEGINS IN SEPTEMBER WITH AN ENERGETIC KICKOFF SESSION, FOLLOWED BY AN INSPIRING TWO-DAY OPENING RETREAT, DURING WHICH CLASS MEMBERS GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER AND LEARN ABOUT THEIR DISTINCTIVE LEADERSHIP STYLES. IN THE MONTHS THAT FOLLOW, PARTICIPANTS WILL BE IMMERSED IN EXPERIENCES THAT ADDRESS SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF OUR COMMUNITY. EACH SESSION DAY GIVES PARTICIPANTS A HANDS-ON LOOK AT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THAT FIELD; THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM LEADERS OF ORGANIZATIONS AND THE KEY ISSUES THEY ARE ADDRESSING; OFTEN, SITE VISITS AND FIRST-HAND ACCOUNTS OF THOSE WHO DELIVER SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY ARE PART OF MANY SESSIONS.
  2. $149,456 spent. LEADERSHIP ALUMNI - LEADERSHIP PROGRAM DESIGNED TO UPDATE PASTPARTICIPANTS ON COMMUNITY ISSUES. YEARLY DUES FEES COLLECTED FROM THE ALUMNI TO SUPPORT LHC'S ACTIVITIES, HOWARD COUNTY HAS BEEN WIDELY RECOGNIZED AS A HIGHLY DESIRABLE PLACE TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY. HOWEVER, AS A VITAL LINK IN THE BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON REGION, WE HAVE UNIQUE CHALLENGES TO MAINTAINING A QUALITY OF LIFE THAT CONTINUES TO WORK FOR ALL. AS WE LEARN FROM COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT OUR REGION AND NATION, THE FUTURE WILL DEPEND ON EFFECTIVE AND INFORMED LEADERS WHO SEIZE OPPORTUNITIES AND DEVELOP EFFECTIVE PARTNERSHIPS TO ADDRESS THE COMPLEX ISSUES THAT CONFRONT US. LEADERSHIP HOWARD COUNTY HAS RISEN TO THE CHALLENGE BY CREATING AN ARRAY OF PROGRAMS, EACH WITH A COMMON PURPOSE: TO PREPARE AND INSPIRE LEADERS THROUGH EXCELLENT PROGRAMS AND OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGE THEM TO TRANSLATE THEIR VISIONS INTO ACTION.
  3. $197,881 spent. LEADERSHIP U - LEADERSHIP PROGRAM DESIGNED TO GET YOUNG PEOPLEINVOLVED IN SOLVING COMMUNITY PROBLEMS AS WELL AS TO TRAIN THE FUTURE LEADERS OF OUR COUNTY. DESIGNED FOR STUDENTS ENTERING THEIR JUNIOR YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL, THE LEADERSHIP U PROGRAM EMPOWERS STUDENTS TO LEARN BY DOING. STUDENTS CAN EXPECT TO: WORK IN TEAMS TO DISCUSS, REFLECT UPON AND DEVELOP SOLUTIONS FOR PROBLEMS THAT AFFECT THEM AND THEIR PEERS IN THE COMMUNITY, DEVELOP MENTORING RELATIONSHIPS WITH ADULT COMMUNITY LEADERS, LEARN ABOUT HOWARD COUNTY'S GOVERNMENT, BUSINESSES, SERVICES, AND SHARPEN THEIR PRESENTATION SKILLS.

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 November 6, 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 January 1988.

    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 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.