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Catapult Lakeland Inc

EIN 80-0945525 · Lakeland, FL

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood89 out of 100GovernanceGood89 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

CATAPULT LAKELAND, INC. A COMMUNITY-CENTERED ENTREPRENEUR CENTER LOCATED IN LAKELAND, FL. WE AIM TO FOSTER THE GROWTH OF STARTUPS IN THE LAKELAND, FL AND CENTRAL FLORIDA AREA AND MAINTAIN THEIR SUCCESS THROUGH AFFORDABLE MEMBERSHIP, THOUGHTFUL EDUCATION, AND FUNDING TO DRIVE LOCAL BUSINESS FORWARD. CATAPULT LAKELAND, INC. IS A PLACE WHERE ENTREPRENEURS CAN FLOURISH AND DEVELOP IDEAS THAT RESULT IN ESTABLISHING AND GROWING BUSINESSES IN THE LAKELAND, FLORIDA AREA THROUGH EDUCATION AND MENTORING OPPORTUNITIES. OVER THE YEARS, OUR STAFF HAS BEEN LASER-FOCUS ON BUILDING A STATE-OF-THE- ART FACILITY. LED BY CHRISTIN STRAWBRIDGE AND A WONDERFUL TEAM OF COLLABORATORS, THIS BUILDING ALLOWS US TO BETTER SERVE LAKELAND'S ENTREPRENEURS AND ACCOMPLISH OUR MISSION OF FOSTERING THE GROWTH OF STARTUPS IN LAKELAND BY PROVIDING AFFORDABLE SPACE, THOUGHTFUL EDUCATION, AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES. OUR MISSION IS TO INCREASE THE VIABILITY OF STARTUPS AND CATAPULT WAS CREATED TO HELP FACILITATE GROWTH FOR LA

Income
$1.7 million
Spending
$1.8 million
Spent on programs
83%
Reserves
17.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 59%
Employees
18
Highest pay
$103,500, president

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: 89 out of 100. Higher than 76% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 17.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 7% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 7% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    83% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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

Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 10 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    9 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 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 (4)
  1. $540,011 spent. CATAPULT LAKELAND, INC. ENGAGES AND EQUIPS LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS, ARTISANS, AND EMERGING LEADERS WITH A VARIETY OF TOOLS AND RESOURCES TO CREATE A COMMUNITY THAT IS STRONGER, MORE DISTINCTIVE, AND SUSTAINABLE. CATAPULT'S PROGRAM AND OPERATING COSTS ARE FUNDED BY PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS, FOUNDATIONS AND EARNED REVENUE. ALL PROGRAMS TAKE PLACE IN LAKELAND, FLORIDA. AS THE CITY GROWS IN NUMBER, IT IS OUR VISION TO SEE THE CREATION OF A THRIVING ENTREPRENEURIAL-MINDED COMMUNITY. WE WANT TO ASSIST IN THE CREATION AND GROWTH OF COMPANIES THAT ARE GOING TO ADD TO LAKELAND'S DIVERSE INDUSTRY BASE, PROVIDE ADDITIONAL JOBS TO OUR GROWING POPULATION, CONTRIBUTE TO THE OVERALL ENHANCEMENT OF THE CITY'S QUALITY OF LIFE, AND FILL VACANT STOREFRONTS IN OUR CITY. REFLECTING ON 2024, WE ARE FILLED WITH DEEP GRATITUDE FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND THE INSPIRING WORK HAPPENING AT CATAPULT. EVERY DAY, WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SUPPORTING ENTREPRENEURS AS THEY CREATE, INNOVATE, AND ADAPT. CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF CATAPULT PROMPTED US TO TAKE A DEEPER LOOK AT OUR IMPACT BY ANALYZING WHAT IS WORKING AND WHAT IS NOT, WHERE WE SEE THE MOST MOMENTUM, AND HOW WE CAN BEST SERVE FOUNDERS MOVING FORWARD. OVER THE PAST DECADE, CATAPULT HAS HELPED LAUNCH 55 STARTUPS INTO THEIR OWN BRICK-AND- MORTAR SPACES, FACILITATED MORE THAN 400,000 IN MICRO-GRANTS, AND PROVIDED HUNDREDS OF BUSINESSES WITH THE RESOURCES TO TEST AND REFINE THEIR IDEAS. OUR MEMBERS SPAN DIVERSE INDUSTRIES, BUT WE'VE SEEN SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN CULINARY AND MANUFACTURING, TWO SECTORS WHERE WE CONTINUE TO SEE STRONG MOMENTUM. WITH THIS IN MIND, WE ARE DOUBLING DOWN ON HIGH-IMPACT PROGRAMMING BY FOCUSING ON INDUSTRIES AND ENTREPRENEURS WHO ARE READY TO SCALE. WHETHER IT'S THROUGH OUR KITCHEN INCUBATOR, MAKERSPACE, OR WORKSPACE, WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO CONTINUOUS LEARNING AND ITERATION, ENSURING THAT FOUNDERS HAVE THE TOOLS, MENTORSHIP, AND CONNECTIONS TO TURN THEIR VISION INTO REALITY. AT OUR CORE, WE EXIST TO EMPOWER ENTREPRENEURS TO BUILD THRIVING BUSINESSES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO LAKELAND'S ECONOMY. THIS INCLUDES SUPPORTING STARTUPS AS THEY GROW INTO STOREFRONTS, CREATE JOBS, AND EXPAND THEIR MARKET REACH. NONE OF THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE GENEROSITY OF OUR DONORS, MENTORS, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS. THEIR SUPPORT MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR FOUNDERS TO REDUCE OVERHEAD COSTS, ACCESS VALUABLE RESOURCES, AND INCREASE CHANCES OF LONG-TERM SUCCESS. CATAPULT LAKELAND, INC. ENGAGES AND EQUIPS LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS, ARTISANS, AND EMERGING LEADERS WITH A VARIETY OF TOOLS AND RESOURCES TO CREATE A COMMUNITY THAT IS STRONGER, MORE DISTINCTIVE, AND SUSTAINABLE. CATAPULT'S PROGRAM AND OPERATING COSTS ARE FUNDED BY PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS, FOUNDATIONS AND EARNED REVENUE. ALL PROGRAMS TAKE PLACE IN LAKELAND, FLORIDA. AS THE CITY GROWS IN NUMBER, IT IS OUR VISION TO SEE THE CREATION OF A THRIVING ENTREPRENEURIAL-MINDED COMMUNITY. WE WANT TO ASSIST IN THE CREATION AND GROWTH OF COMPANIES THAT ARE GOING TO ADD TO LAKELAND'S DIVERSE INDUSTRY BASE, PROVIDE ADDITIONAL JOBS TO OUR GROWING POPULATION, CONTRIBUTE TO THE OVERALL ENHANCEMENT OF THE CITY'S QUALITY OF LIFE, AND FILL VACANT STOREFRONTS IN OUR CITY. REFLECTING ON 2024, WE ARE FILLED WITH DEEP GRATITUDE FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND THE INSPIRING WORK HAPPENING AT CATAPULT. EVERY DAY, WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SUPPORTING ENTREPRENEURS AS THEY CREATE, INNOVATE, AND ADAPT. CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF CATAPULT PROMPTED US TO TAKE A DEEPER LOOK AT OUR IMPACT BY ANALYZING WHAT IS WORKING AND WHAT IS NOT, WHERE WE SEE THE MOST MOMENTUM, AND HOW WE CAN BEST SERVE FOUNDERS MOVING FORWARD. OVER THE PAST DECADE, CATAPULT HAS HELPED LAUNCH 55 STARTUPS INTO THEIR OWN BRICK-AND- MORTAR SPACES, FACILITATED MORE THAN 400,000 IN MICRO-GRANTS, AND PROVIDED HUNDREDS OF BUSINESSES WITH THE RESOURCES TO TEST AND REFINE THEIR IDEAS. OUR MEMBERS SPAN DIVERSE INDUSTRIES, BUT WE'VE SEEN SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN CULINARY AND MANUFACTURING, TWO SECTORS WHERE WE CONTINUE TO SEE STRONG MOMENTUM. WITH THIS IN MIND, WE ARE DOUBLING DOWN ON HIGH-IMPACT PROGRAMMING BY FOCUSING ON INDUSTRIES AND ENTREPRENEURS WHO ARE READY TO SCALE. WHETHER IT'S THROUGH OUR KITCHEN INCUBATOR, MAKERSPACE, OR WORKSPACE, WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO CONTINUOUS LEARNING AND ITERATION, ENSURING THAT FOUNDERS HAVE THE TOOLS, MENTORSHIP, AND CONNECTIONS TO TURN THEIR VISION INTO REALITY. AT OUR CORE, WE EXIST TO EMPOWER ENTREPRENEURS TO BUILD THRIVING BUSINESSES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO LAKELAND'S ECONOMY. THIS INCLUDES SUPPORTING STARTUPS AS THEY GROW INTO STOREFRONTS, CREATE JOBS, AND EXPAND THEIR MARKET REACH. NONE OF THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE GENEROSITY OF OUR DONORS, MENTORS, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS. THEIR SUPPORT MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR FOUNDERS TO REDUCE OVERHEAD COSTS, ACCESS VALUABLE RESOURCES, AND INCREASE CHANCES OF LONG-TERM SUCCESS.
  2. $393,917 spent. DEVELOPMENT OF OUR MEMBERS: INCUBATOR MEMBERSHIP - INCUBATOR MEMBERS ARE RUNNING BUSINESSES WITH THE DESIRE TO SCALE AND WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAMS WHILE (BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR GROWTH). SHARED SPACE MEMBERSHIP - SHARED SPACE MEMBERS ARE NOT TRYING TO SCALE A BUSINESS; THEY ARE A PART OF CATAPULT FOR THE SPACE AND THE COMMUNITY. PRIVATE DONORS - THESE DONORS BELIEVE HAVING A THRIVING ENTREPRENEURIAL COMMUNITY IMPACTS OUR WHOLE CITY, AND THEIR SUPPORT IS INTEGRAL. COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS - COMMUNITY PARTNERS ENGAGE WITH CATAPULT THROUGH CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP. THIS ALLOWS THEM TO ACCESS PERKS, SUCH AS DISCOUNTED ROOM RENTALS AND COWORKING. DEVELOPMENT OF OUR MEMBERS: INCUBATOR MEMBERSHIP - INCUBATOR MEMBERS ARE RUNNING BUSINESSES WITH THE DESIRE TO SCALE AND WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAMS WHILE (BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR GROWTH). SHARED SPACE MEMBERSHIP - SHARED SPACE MEMBERS ARE NOT TRYING TO SCALE A BUSINESS; THEY ARE A PART OF CATAPULT FOR THE SPACE AND THE COMMUNITY. PRIVATE DONORS - THESE DONORS BELIEVE HAVING A THRIVING ENTREPRENEURIAL COMMUNITY IMPACTS OUR WHOLE CITY, AND THEIR SUPPORT IS INTEGRAL. COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS - COMMUNITY PARTNERS ENGAGE WITH CATAPULT THROUGH CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP. THIS ALLOWS THEM TO ACCESS PERKS, SUCH AS DISCOUNTED ROOM RENTALS AND COWORKING.
  3. $534,853 spent. MISSION-FIT MEMBERS THE FOLLOWING QUALITIES DETERMINE WHETHER A STARTUP'S GOALS ALIGN WITH THE MISSION OF CATAPULT: BUSINESS IS UNIQUE BUSINESS IS SCALABLE FOUNDER IS FOCUSED ON HIRING LOCALLY FOUNDER IS COACHABLE AND HAS A DESIRE TO GROW FOUNDER HAS A DESIRE TO LAUNCH FROM CATAPULT INTO A SPACE OF THEIR OWN THE CATAPULT STAFF WILL BE MAXIMIZING NEW AND EXISTING PROGRAMMING TO PROVIDE THE SUPPORT NEEDED IN ORDER TO CONTINUE MAKING LAKELAND A MORE ENTREPRENEURIAL-MINDED COMMUNITY. THIS SUPPORT WILL BE PROVIDED THROUGH THE EXISTING CONSUMER PACKAGED GOODS ACCELERATOR FOR FOOD-BASED BUSINESSES AND THE EXPERTS IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM. THE MAKERSPACE THE CATAPULT MAKERSPACE IS A 24/7 INNOVATION HUB PROVIDING ENTREPRENEURS WITH PROFESSIONAL-GRADE EQUIPMENT, HANDS-ON TRAINING, EXPERT MENTORSHIP, AND SUPPLIER CONNECTIONS TO SUPPORT MANUFACTURING, ENGINEERING, AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT. 43 MEMBERS 8,371 MACHINE HOURS TOP INDUSTRIES: MANUFACTURING HEALTH & WELLNESS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ENGINEERING MISSION-FIT MEMBERS THE FOLLOWING QUALITIES DETERMINE WHETHER A STARTUP'S GOALS ALIGN WITH THE MISSION OF CATAPULT: BUSINESS IS UNIQUE BUSINESS IS SCALABLE FOUNDER IS FOCUSED ON HIRING LOCALLY FOUNDER IS COACHABLE AND HAS A DESIRE TO GROW FOUNDER HAS A DESIRE TO LAUNCH FROM CATAPULT INTO A SPACE OF THEIR OWN THE CATAPULT STAFF WILL BE MAXIMIZING NEW AND EXISTING PROGRAMMING TO PROVIDE THE SUPPORT NEEDED IN ORDER TO CONTINUE MAKING LAKELAND A MORE ENTREPRENEURIAL-MINDED COMMUNITY. THIS SUPPORT WILL BE PROVIDED THROUGH THE EXISTING CONSUMER PACKAGED GOODS ACCELERATOR FOR FOOD-BASED BUSINESSES AND THE EXPERTS IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM. THE MAKERSPACE THE CATAPULT MAKERSPACE IS A 24/7 INNOVATION HUB PROVIDING ENTREPRENEURS WITH PROFESSIONAL-GRADE EQUIPMENT, HANDS-ON TRAINING, EXPERT MENTORSHIP, AND SUPPLIER CONNECTIONS TO SUPPORT MANUFACTURING, ENGINEERING, AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT. 43 MEMBERS 8,371 MACHINE HOURS TOP INDUSTRIES: MANUFACTURING HEALTH & WELLNESS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ENGINEERING
  4. FORM 990, PART III, LINE 1 CATAPULT PUTS CREATIVE CAPITAL TO WORK THROUGH EDUCATIONAL AND MENTORING PROGRAMS THAT: SUPPORT THE PROFESSIONAL GROWTH OF ENTREPRENEURS, ARTISANS AND EMERGING LEADERS; HELP ENTREPRENEURS BUILD AND DEVELOP SUSTAINABLE AND VIABLE VENTURES; ENABLES THE DEVELOPMENT OF VISIONARY IDEAS FOR THE LAKELAND, FL COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS CENTRAL FLORIDA; SHOWCASE ENTREPRENEURIAL SUCCESSES AND IDEAS, AS WELL AS ESTABLISH A PLATFORM FOR SOCIAL INTERACTION.

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

  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 December 2024.

    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 December 2013.

    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.