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Inroads Inc

EIN 62-0967197 · Atlanta, GA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak10 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

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

TO DELIVER INNOVATIVE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND CREATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT IDENTIFY, ACCELERATE, AND ELEVATE UNDERREPRESENTED TALENT THROUGHOUT THEIR CAREERS.

Income
$7.3 million
Spending
$9.0 million
Spent on programs
48%
Reserves
-7 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 50%
Employees
154
Volunteers
178
Highest pay
$313,700, chief executive officer (thru 6/25)

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 10 out of 100. Higher than 0% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 61% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 23% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 14% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    48% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 23 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    19 of 20 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 August 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)
  1. $2.8 million spent. THE INROADS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM PREPARES COLLEGE STUDENTS FOR CAREER ENTRY AND LONG-TERM PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS THROUGH CAREER READINESS TRAINING, PAID INTERNSHIPS, AND ONGOING ACADEMIC AND CAREER SUPPORT. THE PROGRAM SERVES STUDENTS PURSUING HIGH-DEMAND, HIGH-WAGE FIELDS, INCLUDING SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS (STEM), BUSINESS, AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP. USING A BLENDED LEARNING MODEL, PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE STRUCTURED PRE-EMPLOYMENT TRAINING FOCUSED ON PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION, WORKPLACE EFFECTIVENESS, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, AND JOB SEARCH STRATEGIES. CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE OSTUDENTS ARE MATCHED WITH PAID INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES THAT PROVIDE PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE ALIGNED WITH THEIR ACADEMIC AND CAREER GOALS, INCREASING THEIR COMPETITIVENESS FOR FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT UPON GRADUATION. DURING THE REPORTING YEAR, 7,798 STUDENTS COMPLETED PRE-EMPLOYMENT TRAINING, 332 STUDENTS SECURED PAID INTERNSHIPS, AND 61 STUDENTS RECEIVED COMPETITIVE ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIPS RECOGNIZING LEADERSHIP AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. THE PROGRAM STRENGTHENS WORKFORCE READINESS AND SUPPORTS STUDENTS IN SECURING MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT IN GROWTH-ORIENTED INDUSTRIES.
  2. $240,980 spent. THE HBCU SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE (HBCU SCI) FOSTERS THRIVING COMMUNITIES BY PREPARING HBCU TALENT FOR CAREERS IN SUSTAINABILITY. EACH YEAR, THE PROGRAM SERVES APPROXIMATELY 150 HBCU STUDENTS THROUGH ACADEMIC SUCCESS WEBINARS, A MENTORSHIP PROGRAM, SCHOLARSHIPS, AND PAID INTERNSHIPS. STUDENTS LEARN FIRST-HAND ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES THROUGH A SERIES OF WORKSHOPS AND SUSTAINABILITY-RELATED INTERNSHIPS.
  3. $1.3 million spent. COLLEGE LINKS PREPARES HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM UNDER-RESOURCED SCHOOLS AND LOW-TO-MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS FOR COLLEGE AND CAREER SUCCESS, WITH EMPHASIS ON STEM AND BUSINESS PATHWAYS. THE PROGRAM PROVIDES STRUCTURED CAREER EXPLORATION, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, COLLEGE READINESS TRAINING, MENTORING, AND PROFESSIONAL SKILL-BUILDING TO STUDENTS WHO MAY FACE ECONOMIC OR FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE-GOING BARRIERS. THROUGH YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMMING AND INDIVIDUALIZED SUPPORT, COLLEGE LINKS STRENGTHENS ACADEMIC PERSISTENCE, PROMOTES HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION, AND INCREASES POSTSECONDARY ENROLLMENT AND READINESS. CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE OPARTICIPANTS GAIN EXPOSURE TO WORKPLACE EXPECTATIONS AND HIGHER EDUCATION ENVIRONMENTS, WHILE DEVELOPING CRITICAL THINKING, COMMUNICATION, AND PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES ALIGNED WITH HIGH-DEMAND CAREER FIELDS. DURING THE REPORTING YEAR, THE PROGRAM SERVED 2,300 STUDENTS IN 18 CITIES NATIONWIDE, CONTRIBUTING TO A STRONGER PIPELINE OF WELL-PREPARED STUDENTS ENTERING COLLEGE AND PURSUING HIGH-GROWTH, HIGH-WAGE CAREERS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 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? Worth knowing.

    Status was revoked on January 15, 2019 for not filing returns for three years, and reinstated on January 15, 2019.

    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 August 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 2019.

    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.