Dress for Success Charlotte
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- Only 48% of its spending went to programs.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
A womens advancement center, the mission of Dress for Success is to empower women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and development tools to thrive in work and in life. Programs and services include job preparedness, including interview and workplace attire, job acquisition, employment retention and advancement, IT access, support and training, financial literacy, and mental and physical health and wellness.
- Income
- $1.1 million
- Spending
- $962,112
- Spent on programs
- 48%
- Reserves
- 18.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 54%
- Employees
- 9
- Volunteers
- 612
- Highest pay
- $129,400, executive dir.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 18.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 9% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 34% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1548% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 35 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 92 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2512 of 12 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no 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
15 of 15Its accounts were audited 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, 2024, 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 (2)
- $428,357 spent. Professional Womens Group (PWG): A membership-based association that meets monthly to network, retain employment and advance careers, the PWG strives to teach members about workplace communication, corporate culture, financial literacy/wealth building, balancing family and work, and more. Membership grew by nearly 38% in 2024. Mental Health and Wellness programming continued to be offered in these meetings and to all members throughout the year. Going Places Network (GPN): A specially-designed program for chronically unemployed and underemployed, GPN provides a curriculum that blends a proven methodology to improve the career prospects of unemployed and underemployed women and helps these women gain professional skills, accelerate their job searches and build confidence through weekly training sessions, one-on-one career coaching and networking in a supportive environment. Virtual and in-person programming currently meets twice a week over a 4-week period. Once employment is secured, clients are invited to enroll in the Professional Womens Group program where clients report earning $20,000 -$50,000+ annually.Career Center: A fully equipped business office for clients to use on their own and/or to meet with HR and Recruiting professionals for job search support and instruction including: rsum and cover-letter writing; Internet, email, and social media as job search tools; job placement software; mock interviews; and professional workshops on a wide variety of leadership and development topics designed specifically for women entering the workforce and advancing their careers. 60 clients (unduplicated) utilized the Career Center in 2023. We continued our partnerships with Google and AARP to help clients increase their economic security by giving them the digital essentials they need to find and secure jobs, change careers, and explore entrepreneurship. 52 units of service were offered through these programs.Financial Education: A curriculum developed with banking partners across Charlotte, providing education on: Financial Wellness, Emotions and Spending, Basic banking and budgeting, Credit and Debt Management, Investments and Retirement Planning; Workplace Benefits; Taxes, among other topics, including managing during times of crisis. 93 units of service were provided to clients through this program in 2024.Entrepreneurship : In partnership with the National Association of Women Business Owners, Dress for Success Charlotte launched a 12-week, cohort-based entrepreneurship program in 2024. This program provided one-on-one mentorship from women business owners; curriculum on building business plans, marketing strategy, and financial investment; and resulted in $2000 of seed funding for one pitch competition winner. Community Outreach Events: Collaborating with other nonprofit organizations, Dress for Success Charlotte developed responsive programs and services to meet the needs of the community. These programs provided families, veterans and military spouses, high school students, and other clients access to services, resulting in 140 units of service.
- $37,031 spent. Interview and Employment Suiting: Overall, more than 677 women utilized workforce development programs and services in 2024. Of those, 581 women (unduplicated) participated in this program in 2024. Offered free of charge, this program provides two complete interview outfits, including shoes and accessories, and when she secures employment, she will receive up to five outfits for an instant working wardrobe. This service is often the first point of contact for those seeking job preparedness and job acquisitions services.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 2024.
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 March 2002.
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.