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Women Founders Education Foundation

EIN 82-2082132 · La Canada, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood88 out of 100GovernanceStrong90 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

WOMEN FOUNDERS NETWORK IS A 501(C)(3) NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES EDUCATION ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INVESTING TO WOMEN AND GIRLS.

Income
$169,632
Spending
$137,840
Spent on programs
63%
Reserves
12.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 58%
Employees
0
Volunteers
34

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

Financial health

Good: 88 out of 100. Higher than 66% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 12.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 19% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 4% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    63% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

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

Governance

Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 85% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    13 of 13 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

    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.

  • 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, 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 (1)
  1. $86,759 spent. IN 2025, WE CONTINUED AND EXPANDED OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS, COLLEGE WOMEN AND FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS.NEXT GENERATION INVESTORSTHE JUNIOR VENTURE CAPITALIST (JR. VC) PROGRAM (FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE JUNIOR JUDGE PROGRAM) FOR HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS HAD 7 VIRTUAL MEETINGS WITH WOMEN BUSINESS LEADERS TO LEARN ABOUT ENTREPRENEURSHIP, LEADERSHIP, VENTURE CAPITAL AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES. GIRLS ALSO PARTICIPATED IN A FACILITATED REVIEW OF THE WOMEN FOUNDERS NETWORK FAST PITCH FINALIST COMPANIES WITH A SEASONED INVESTOR AND ATTENDED AN IN-PERSON PRACTICE PITCH EVENT. THE JR. VC PROGRAM CULMINATED IN THE GIRLS ATTENDING THE ANNUAL WOMEN FOUNDERS NETWORK FAST PITCH EVENT AT UCLA IN LOS ANGELES. THE GIRLS WATCHED THE PITCHES, ASKED FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS OF THE FOUNDERS, THEN DELIBERATED TO SELECT THEIR WINNER AND PRESENTED A SPONSORED CASH PRIZE. WE INCREASED THE PARTICIPANT NUMBER FROM 65 IN-PERSON STUDENTS LAST YEAR TO 83 STUDENTS IN 2025, AND INCREASED THE VIRTUAL JR. VC PROGRAM FOR NON-LOCAL STUDENTS FROM 27 PARTICIPANTS LAST YEAR TO 38 STUDENTS THIS YEAR. FOR THE FIFTH YEAR, WE HAD OUR DUE DILIGENCE ANALYST PROGRAM FOR UNIVERSITY WOMEN (FORMERLY KNOWN AS WFF FELLOWS PROGRAM). THE PROGRAM OFFERS REAL-WORLD, RESUME-BUILDING EXPERIENCE. STUDENTS WERE SELECTED THROUGH AN APPLICATION PROCESS, HAD 2 ZOOM SESSIONS TO LEARN ABOUT PERFORMING DUE DILIGENCE ON EARLY STAGE STARTUPS AND GIVEN ACCESS TO RESOURCE MATERIALS. PARTICIPANTS WORKED IN TEAMS OF TWO WITH A MENTOR. EACH TEAM WAS ASSIGNED TO EVALUATE ONE OF THE FAST PITCH FINALIST COMPANIES AND PRESENT A DUE DILIGENCE REPORT. WE HAD 39 APPLICANTS, WITH 20 PARTICIPANTS ACCEPTED INTO THE PROGRAM.FEMALE ENTREPRENEURSOUR STARTUP FUNDAMENTALS WEBINAR SERIES INCLUDED TOPICS ON PITCH DECK ESSENTIALS, SCALABLE STARTUP FUNDING, VALUATION AND NEGOTIATION, FINANCIAL FORECASTS, CAP TABLE BASICS, RETAINING OWNERSHIP RIGHTS, AND PR/MARKETING STRATEGIES. OUR IN-PERSON LAUNCH EVENT WITH OVER 60 ATTENDEES FEATURED A PANEL OF WOMEN INVESTORS AND A PREVIOUS FAST PITCH WINNER SHARING FUNDRAISING STRATEGIES FOR STARTUPS. THE 13TH ANNUAL FAST PITCH COMPETITION RECEIVED 185 APPLICATIONS AND 10 FINALISTS WERE SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM. EACH FOUNDER IS PROVIDED A PITCH COACH, PRO BONO FINANCIAL CONSULTING, A PACKAGE OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, AND PERKS FOR DISCOUNTS ON A WIDE ARRAY OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES. THE FAST PITCH FINALISTS ALSO PARTICIPATE IN TWO PRACTICE PITCH EVENTS FOR FRIENDLY FEEDBACK IN PREPARATION TO COMPETE FOR CASH GRANTS AT OUR ANNUAL FAST PITCH EVENT AT UCLA, WHICH WAS ATTENDED BY OVER 300 PEOPLE. WE AWARDED $55,000 IN NON-DILUTIVE CASH GRANTS TO THE WINNING FOUNDERS IN 2025.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 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? 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 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 September 2017.

    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.