Whats Next Ministry
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Whats Next Ministry the Organization or Whats Next is a nonprofit corporation organized and operated exclusively for charitable and religious purposes within the meaning of Section 501c3 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as amended or any corresponding provision of a successor statute the Code. Whats Nexts mission is to open doors for urban youth by building life-long relationships while providing educational support and life skills to develop character confidence and hope.
- Income
- $686,630
- Spending
- $496,121
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- 9.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 25
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
Strong: 93 out of 100.
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 9.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 28% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 27% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 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
Good: 75 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2514 of 14 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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, 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 (4)
- $259,221 spent. Life skills training combined with fun exercise opportunities are also provided at the end of tutoring sessions. Managing your money e.g. opening checking accounts proper communication skills etiquette training Bible study interviewing skills are just some of the areas the Organization focuses on. The support to guide our young men to uncover their occupation and career passion begins as they enter the Whats Next Ministry. The experience of part-time work summer internships and tours of different businesses are all very important in the development of a career path. Social capital is such an important facet of peoples success and it is usually nonexistent for our young men. The staff Board of Directors and other volunteers have been incredibly valuable in helping build their social networks. It is important in many areas of life but very impactful in a persons career path. From finding quality part-time jobs with great mentors as bosses to a first full-time opportunity at a well-respected company is key to future success. The expected outcomes in our Life Skills training model are as follows: 1. 75% attendance each week so each participant is able to be a part of 2 of the 3 sessions of Man Up Improvement Stations Empower Hour social networking and relationship building with adult volunteers and healthy lifestyle training course. These three sessions are provided each week for our high school participants. 2. Obtain a NC ID for part time working opportunities by age 16. 3. Complete an entry level financial training course provided by Regions Bank. 4. Open a personal savings or checking account at age 16. 5. Pass the NC Drivers Education course by age 17. 6. Participate as a tour leader once a quarter at Fundraising Drop In tours.
- $109,328 spent. Whats Next believes that mental health is a crucial component of overall well-being and thats why we offer a variety of mental health support for our young men. Our mental health life coach provides individual counseling which allows for a more personal and tailored approach to therapy where the therapist can work with the individual to address specific mental health concerns. In addition we offer group counseling sessions where the young men can connect with their peers who may be experiencing similar challenges creating a safe and supportive space for them. Our mental health life coaches are licensed professionals dedicated to teaching young men the tools needed to manage their mental health and increase their capacity to cope with lifes challenges. We aim to increase mental health awareness and reduce the stigma around mental health by normalizing healthy conversations about it its challenges and empowering anyone who may be struggling with their mental health. Whats Next is committed to providing holistic mental health support for our young men. Our goal is to create a safe and supportive community that fosters healing growth and resilience. Our health coach is Jel Williams. During 2025 two non-paid mental health interns assisted Jel. Jel has a custom meeting model for each young man but all are required to meet with her a minimum of once a month unless Jel deems it necessary to meet more often.
- $15,760 spent. Post High School education support. For Whats Next young men that graduate from high school and desire to pursue higher education degrees Whats Next provides financial support for tuition and books at universities or community colleges. Eleven young men have received post high school support. Four young men have graduated a university through 2025. There are currently two young men working toward a university graduation. There is one young man currently enrolled in utilities work program. High School Graduation is expected and monitored for all of our participants. We have a 98% high school graduation rate. However we understand that a high school degree usually does not guarantee success for our participants. Therefore our graduated young men remain in our program until age 26 with support and expected outcomes to further increase their chance of success in adulthood. By age 19 each participant is expected to be enrolled in one of the following: A. 4 year college university B. 2 year college to obtain an associate degree C. Military D. A certification class from a particular trade at a local community college or other non profit associations providing these types of certifications. We provide financial and personal consulting support in all four of these areas. Each young man and his path choice are monitored in our Casebook software by our staff to ensure proper progress and completion. Other expected outcomes that are measured for our high school graduates are as follows: 1. Full time job making a minimum of $35,000 by age 22 2. Ownership of a car and ability to pay for car insurance and maintenance. 3. Visit Whats Next and meet with staff rep once a month to monitor progress. 4. Financially self sufficient concerning car housing and other bills. 5. Complete a certified credit training course given by the Whats Next Success coordinator by age 22. 6. Complete father husband workshop provided by Whats Next and our mental health director. Full time job making a minimum of $55,000 by age 26.
- $10,544 spent. Academics are important. GPA is important. College is a great goal. However our experience has taught us several lessons about academics as it relates to our young men. Not all are interested in or capable of attending college. College is not the best choice for each young man. Academics can be difficult and a huge negative for some of our young men. School is not only a challenge but can be the most painful part of the day for some. This is why we have developed a unique academic plan for each student. The goal may be accomplishing a task. It may be making up an assignment. It could be to prepare a young man for a college entrance exam. Each student is on a different level due to their academic experiences prior to high school. Our main goal is to develop confidence and instill a work ethic in each student so they take pride in each successful step of their plan. Two days of academic tutoring led by staff and volunteers occur each week. Additional tutoring is available during exam weeks and upon student request. The staff knows each students grades attendance and frequently has discussions with their teachers guidance counselors and parents. This academic support combined with our mental health approach helps grow their confidence level and desire to be better. Our academic support has been influential in helping students attend college become eligible for high school sports develop a skill and most importantly gain self-confidence. A robust support model is available for those students seeking further education after high school. Application support FAFSA student loan guidance school tours and experienced advice from staff and partners help the student choose the appropriate 4-year school community college 2 year junior college or trade school. The Whats Next Wilton Parr Education Endowment offers financial assistance to help cover the cost of student needs and assist in lowering their overall school loans. Expected outcomes for our academic model are as follows : 1. Have at least 1 academic session grade check with a WN Life Coach. 2. No zeros in any class reported on the Power School student report. 3. Less than 9 absences in any class for the semester. 4. Based on the individual the expected GPA can vary from 1.5 to 3.5. 5. Complete 2 IXL self-learning sessions on the IXL software in the WN Academic Success Center these sessions are in math and reading comprehension and all young men have a base line grade level once they enter into the WN organization. 6. High School graduation by age 19. 7. A minimum level of 10th grade math and reading comprehension upon high school graduation.
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
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 2025.
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 June 2019.
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.