Mississippi Early Learning Alliance Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO BUILD, STRENGTHEN, AND SUPPORT COALITIONS TO ADVOCATE FOR SYSTEMS CHANGE TO IMPROVE EARLY LEARNING AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT OUTCOMES IN OUR STATE.
- Income
- $559,111
- Spending
- $547,097
- Spent on programs
- 79%
- Reserves
- 18.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 82%
- Employees
- 5
- Volunteers
- 19
- Highest pay
- $96,417, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 71% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 18.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 13% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 11% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1579% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 90% of charities in its peer group (education, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2519 of 19 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
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.
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 June 30, 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)
- $430,868 spent. THIS PAST YEAR, THE MISSISSIPPI EARLY LEARNING ALLIANCE (MELA) WORKED ALONGSIDE FAMILIES, EDUCATORS, BUSINESSES, AND POLICYMAKERS TO STRENGTHEN THE SYSTEMS THAT SUPPORT CHILDREN FROM BIRTH TO AGE THREE.THROUGH THE MISSISSIPPI FORUM FOR THE FUTURE, THE COALITION MELA LEADS AS THE BACKBONE CONTINUED TO GROW BY BRINGING TOGETHER DIVERSE VOICES, CLARIFYING ROLES, AND SETTING A COMMON AGENDA FOR CHANGE AND HAD 180 MEMBERS AT THE END OF JUNE 2025. MELA ALSO WORKED TO BUILD PUBLIC WILL FOR INFANT AND TODDLER ISSUES. THANKS TO TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND FUNDING FROM THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION, ZERO TO THREE, MELA HAS BEEN COORDINATING A COLLECTIVE MESSAGE CAMPAIGN, BUILT FOR BABIES, THAT WAS LAUNCHED IN THE FALL OF 2025. MELA SUPPORTED PARTNERS, ELEVATED CHILD CARE, AND PAID FAMILY LEAVE VIA OP-EDS IN MISSISSIPPI MEDIA TO INCREASE AWARENESS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SUPPORTING BABIES DURING THEIR EARLIEST DAYS AND YEARS. THE RESULT HAS BEEN A STRONGER, MORE CONSISTENT VOICE FOR BABIES AND FAMILIES ACROSS THE STATE.AS IMPORTANTLY, MELA WORKED TO EDUCATE OTHERS ABOUT POTENTIAL PRENATAL-TO-FIVE POLICY CHANGES FOR OUR STATE. MELA KEPT THE EARLY CHILDHOOD COMMUNITY CONNECTED THROUGH CAPITOL DAY, THE ADVOCACY COUNCIL, AND LEGISLATIVE UPDATES. MELA PRESENTED THE LABOR FORCE REPORT TO THE MISSISSIPPI SENATE AND SUPPORTED THE MISSISSIPPI ECONOMIC COUNCIL CHILD CARE TASK FORCE. MELA ALSO DEVELOPED A GUIDE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE FOR HOW BUSINESSES CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE MISSISSIPPI BUSINESS CHILD CARE TAX CREDIT THAT WAS PASSED IN 2023.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 2021.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 October 7, 2026.
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