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Spitfire Club

EIN 82-2084235 · Alexandria, VA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair64 out of 100GovernanceGood71 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

The Spitfire Club (TSC) is a charitable education organization that enhances literacy and social-emotional skills, nurturing each Spitfire's love of reading, love of self, and love for girls across all communities. The Spitfire Club operates through extracurricular book clubs that seek to create demand for and build inclusive community around diverse, girl-positive books.

Income
$167,073
Spending
$184,753
Spent on programs
83%
Reserves
1.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 99%
Employees
3
Volunteers
44
Highest pay
$23,458, executive director (ex officio)

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: 64 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 11% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 64% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    83% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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: 71 out of 100. Higher than 66% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    5 of 25

    0 of 4 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.

  • 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 (3)
  1. $142,828 spent. After School Spitfire Club Programming: In 2024, TSC's flagship after school book club program served 149 children aged 6-11 years old, distributed over 900 books, and delivered over 300 hours of live, in-person programming to Club participants. Participants reported reading 22,683 books throughout 34 weeks of programming -- averaging 152 books per participant (a 12% increase from the previous year). TSC continues to integrate a small group mentorship model into all after school programming. In 2024, TSC doubled its mentor program offerings, mobilizing 17 volunteer mentors who collectively provided 274 hours of mentorship to after school Spitfire Club participants. All programming was executed in service of TSC's mission to nurture each Spitfire's love of reading, love of self, and love for girls across all communities.
  2. In partnership with a local public library, TSC licensed Spitfire Club curriculum and loaned class sets of books and necessary materials for librarians to build their own Spitfire Clubs that are free and open to the public. TSC offers this program at no cost to the library. This program was facilitated by the library staff and volunteers, who delivered 18 weeks of Spitfire Club programming to over 40 participants. Iterating upon lessons learned from each term of programming, the Spitfire Club developed and tested three units of programming that can be licensed to other interested agencies in the future.
  3. $10,351 spent. In 2024, TSC launched its first-ever summer camp, mobilizing 20 volunteers to provide 40 hours of girls' empowerment day camp programming to 33 children. TSC provided transportation, meals, and books for home libraries for all campers. Curriculum was designed around Spitfire's values of curiosity, resilience, empathy, authenticity, and tenacity. Camp was offered for an elective registration fee of $20 per child or $30 per family (ultimately, only one-third of campers paid this fee).

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 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 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 August 2018.

    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.