Well Community Development Corporation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE WELL CDC INVESTS IN PEOPLE THROUGH THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT.
- Income
- $6.2 million
- Spending
- $2.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 85%
- Reserves
- -13.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 56%
- Employees
- 42
- Volunteers
- 345
- Highest pay
- $153,085, executive director
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
Fair: 61 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 20% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 55% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 21% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2512 of 13 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a 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 (4)
- $1.1 million spent. RESTORING HOUSING: NEARLY A FOURTH OF ALL HOMES IN MIDDLEBURY ARE VACANT; ONLY 30% OF HOMES ARE OWNER OCCUPIED, COMPARED TO A HEALTHY HOME OWNERSHIP RATE OF 60-70%; AND MORE THAN HALF OF RESIDENTS PAY 30% OR MORE OF THEIR INCOME ON HOUSING COSTS, OFTEN FOR SUBSTANDARD CONDITIONS.THE WELL CDC'S RESTORING HOUSING INITIATIVE IS FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING A HEALTHY HOUSING PIPELINE THAT PROVIDES RESIDENTS WITH THE POWER TO CHOOSE THE TYPE OF HOUSING THAT FITS THEIR CURRENT CONTEXT AND FUTURE ASPIRATIONS. THE WELL'S GOAL IS TO SUPPORT THE ENTIRE SPECTRUM OF HOUSING NEEDS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY INCLUDING BOTH THE RENOVATION OF EXISTING HOUSING AND "MISSING MIDDLE" NEWLY CONSTRUCTED HOUSING (DUPLEXES, TRIPLEXES, QUADS).THE ORGANIZATION INTENDS TO INFLUENCE THE HOUSING MARKET AND MAINTAIN HOUSING AFFORDABILITY BY OWNING 15% OF ALL NEIGHBORHOOD RENTALS BY 2032, BY ACQUIRING 270 EXISTING HOUSES AND BUILDING 125 NEW UNITS. CURRENTLY, THE WELL OWNS 117 PROPERTIES AND HAS COMPLETED OR IS IN THE PROCESS OF CONSTRUCTING 3 DUPLEXES.TO ENABLE A PATHWAY TO HOMEOWNERSHIP, THE WELL CDC DELIVERS HOLISTIC PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT PROMOTE RESIDENT STABILITY THROUGH RESPONSIBLE TENANCY, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, LOCAL SCHOOL SUPPORT AND SUPPORT FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS.
- $929,876 spent. CREATING ECONOMY:FEWER THAN 1% OF RESIDENTS BOTH LIVE AND WORK IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHILE EMPLOYERS IN MIDDLEBURY HAVE THOUSANDS OF UNFILLED JOBS AND THE AREA'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS CONSISTENTLY DOUBLE THAT OF GREATER AKRON. IN ADDITION, THERE ARE FEW SPACES OR INCENTIVES FOR ENTREPRENEURS TO ESTABLISH NEW BUSINESSES THAT COULD INCREASE COMMERCE AND JOB CREATION IN MIDDLEBURY.TO COMBAT THIS REALITY, THE WELL'S CREATING ECONOMY INITIATIVE AIMS TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN THE JOB SKILLS OF RESIDENTS AND THE NEEDS OF LOCAL EMPLOYERS, ENCOURAGE THE ADAPTIVE REUSE OF OUR CURRENT ASSETS TO SUPPORT ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND ENGAGE WITH ANCHOR INSTITUTIONS. THE WELL CDC OFFERS SEVERAL PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE:- AKRON FOOD WORKS (AFW) SUPPORTS FOOD ENTREPRENEURSHIP BY HELPING ENTREPRENEURS CREATE, INCUBATE, AND ELEVATE THEIR FOOD BUSINESSES. AFW REMOVES BARRIERS TO THOSE WISHING TO ENTER THE FOOD SECTOR BY OFFERING A LICENSED PHYSICAL SPACE FOR FOOD PREPARATION WITH COMMERCIAL GRADE EQUIPMENT, ON-SITE TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND BY CONNECTING ENTREPRENEURS TO SALES OPPORTUNITIES TO GROW THEIR BUSINESS. THE WELL CAN ALSO OFFER AFW BUSINESSES OPPORTUNITIES TO LEASE AFFORDABLE QUALITY SPACES WITHIN OUR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.- 647 COFFEE OPERATES AS A SUCCESSFUL SOCIAL ENTERPRISE, WITH THE COFFEE SHOP CREATING A SENSE OF PLACE FOR NEIGHBORS AND SERVING AS THE FRONT PORCH TO THE WELL CDC AND THE MIDDLEBURY NEIGHBORHOOD. PROFITS ARE RETURNED TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD BY SUPPORTING THE WELL'S COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING.- CAREER DEVELOPMENT IS A PARTNERSHIP OF 20+ COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND EMPLOYERS THAT DELIVER A COLLABORATIVE, TRAUMA INFORMED APPROACH TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT THAT REMOVES BARRIERS TO QUALITY, LIVING WAGE JOBS. THE PROGRAM SUPPORTS UPWARD ECONOMIC MOBILITY AND FINANCIAL RESILIENCY FOR WOMEN WHO HAVE NOT HAD THE RESOURCES TO PURSUE AN EDUCATION OR CAREER INCLUDING THOSE WITHOUT HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMAS OR WHO HAVE CRIMINAL BACKGROUNDS.- COMMERCIAL REDEVELOPMENT OF EXISTING, OFTEN BLIGHTED, SPACES IN MIDDLEBURY BY THE WELL PRESERVE THE BONES OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHILE CREATING ENTREPRENEURIAL AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THOSE SPACES. DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS CURRENTLY INCLUDE 647 E MARKET ST, 221 BEAVER ST, 911-917 E. MARKET ST, AND 816 E MARKET ST AS OF 2024, THE WELL CDC HAD SUPPORTED OVER 150 AKRON FOOD WORKS KITCHEN USERS, ENGAGED 238 WOMEN FROM THE CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM WITH GRADUATION RATES RECENTLY EXCEEDING 80%, AND CONTINUED SERVING AS A SOURCE FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL OPPORTUNITIES, ECONOMIC MOBILITY, AND SOCIAL COHESION THROUGH 647 COFFEE, UPGRADED COMMERCIAL SPACES, AND SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMMING.
- $318,667 spent. SUPPORTING PLACE:MASON CLC, THE PREK-5TH GRADE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SERVING MIDDLEBURY, HAS A 50+% STUDENT MOBILITY RATE. TO COMBAT THIS REALITY, THE WELL CDC SEEKS TO DEVELOP DEEPER SOCIAL COHESION WITHIN MIDDLEBURY, NOT ONLY TO DECREASE THE TRANSIENCY RATE, BUT TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO THE PLACE THEY LIVE AND TO EACH OTHER THROUGH THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT. THE WELL'S AKRON HOPE PROGRAM BUILDS RELATIONSHIPS AND INVESTS RESOURCES IN STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND TEACHERS TO INCREASE ENGAGEMENT AND FAMILY STABILITY IN A PLACE WHERE THE COMMUNITY NATURALLY GATHERS. AKRON HOPE PARTNERS WITH MASON CLC TO PROVIDE CLASSROOM TUTORING, COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS, AND HOLIDAY OUTREACH EVENTS.IN 2024, THE WELL CDC HELD 10 COMMUNITY CONNECTION EVENTS AND SUPPORTED OVER 700 STUDENTS THROUGH PROGRAMS AT MASON CLC AS WELL AS HELEN ARNOLD CLC, A SIMILARLY SITUATED SCHOOL IN AKRON'S INNER CORE, AND ALSO HOSTED 2 LARGE SCALE NEIGHBORHOOD WIDE FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENTS.
- OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES - OPERATIONS
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 November 6, 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 January 2017.
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 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.