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Womens Economic Self-Sufficiency Team Corp

EIN 85-0367809 · Albuquerque, NM

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair69 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

WESST IS A HOME TO ENTREPRENEURS PROVIDING A SUPPORT SYSTEM OF CONSULTING, TRAINING, INCUBATION, AND LENDING TO HELP NEW MEXICANS STRENGTHEN AND GROW THEIR SMALL BUSINESSES THROUGH SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MODELS, FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT, AND JOB CREATION.

Income
$9.2 million
Spending
$8.5 million
Spent on programs
96%
Reserves
0.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 53%
Employees
47
Volunteers
75
Highest pay
$115,907, president

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: 69 out of 100. Higher than 44% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 15% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 7% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 280% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    96% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 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 65% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    17 of 17 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

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • 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 (2)
  1. $8.0 million spent. FOUNDED IN 1988, WESST IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING A SUPPORT SYSTEM OF CONSULTING, TRAINING, INCUBATION, AND LENDING TO HELP NEW MEXICANS STRENGTHEN AND GROW THEIR SMALL BUSINESSES THROUGH SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MODELS, FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT, AND JOB CREATION. WESST OFFERS COMPREHENSIVE BILINGUAL BUSINESS SERVICES FROM THE PRE-STARTUP STAGE THROUGH GROWTH AND REPOSITIONING. OVER THE PAST 3 DECADES, WESST HAS FACILITATED THE START-UP OF 2,760 NEW BUSINESSES, THE CREATION OF 5,688 NEW JOBS AND OVER 11.0 MILLION LOANED TO CLIENTS. HEADQUARTERED IN ALBUQUERQUE, WESST SERVICES THE ENTIRE STATE OF NEW MEXICO THROUGH ITS REGIONAL OFFICE NETWORK IN FARMINGTON, HOBBS, LAS CRUCES, RIO RANCHO, ROSWELL AND SANTA FE. IN 2009, WESST OPENED WESST ENTERPRISE CENTER (WEC), A LEED CERTIFIED MIXED-USE SMALL BUSINESS INCUBATOR IN DOWNTOWN ALBUQUERQUE THAT ACCELERATES THE DEVELOPMENT OF GROWTH-ORIENTED COMPANIES, REFLECTIVE OF WESST'S ABILITY TO PRODUCE ECONOMIC IMPACT, WEC MEMBER COMPANIES HAVE CREATED 428 NEW JOBS, 63.3 MILLION IN PAYROLL AND GENERATED OVER 150.3 MILLION IN REVENUES OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS. THE WEC WAS HONORED AS ONE OF THE "SEVEN HOTTEST STARTUP INCUBATORS" BY CNN MONEY.COM IN 2010 AND 2017, THE WEC WAS AWARDED THE SOUTHWEST STAR AWARD BY EDA. WESST HAS BEEN THE RECIPIENT OF NUMEROUS HONORS INCLUDING THE ETHICS IN BUSINESS AWARD IN 2011 AND AED'S 505 COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AWARD IN 2019. WESST HAS BEEN A LONG-TIME RESOURCE PARTNER OF THE U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND HOSTS SIX SBA WOMEN'S BUSINESS CENTERS IN NEW MEXICO. WESST IS ALSO AN SBA MICROLENDER AND A CDFI COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL INSTITUTION. FOUNDED IN 1988, WESST IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING A SUPPORT SYSTEM OF CONSULTING, TRAINING, INCUBATION, AND LENDING TO HELP NEW MEXICANS STRENGTHEN AND GROW THEIR SMALL BUSINESSES THROUGH SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MODELS, FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT, AND JOB CREATION. WESST OFFERS COMPREHENSIVE BILINGUAL BUSINESS SERVICES FROM THE PRE-STARTUP STAGE THROUGH GROWTH AND REPOSITIONING. OVER THE PAST 3 DECADES, WESST HAS FACILITATED THE START-UP OF 2,760 NEW BUSINESSES, THE CREATION OF 5,688 NEW JOBS AND OVER 11.0 MILLION LOANED TO CLIENTS. HEADQUARTERED IN ALBUQUERQUE, WESST SERVICES THE ENTIRE STATE OF NEW MEXICO THROUGH ITS REGIONAL OFFICE NETWORK IN FARMINGTON, HOBBS, LAS CRUCES, RIO RANCHO, ROSWELL AND SANTA FE. IN 2009, WESST OPENED WESST ENTERPRISE CENTER (WEC), A LEED CERTIFIED MIXED-USE SMALL BUSINESS INCUBATOR IN DOWNTOWN ALBUQUERQUE THAT ACCELERATES THE DEVELOPMENT OF GROWTH-ORIENTED COMPANIES, REFLECTIVE OF WESST'S ABILITY TO PRODUCE ECONOMIC IMPACT, WEC MEMBER COMPANIES HAVE CREATED 428 NEW JOBS, 63.3 MILLION IN PAYROLL AND GENERATED OVER 150.3 MILLION IN REVENUES OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS. THE WEC WAS HONORED AS ONE OF THE "SEVEN HOTTEST STARTUP INCUBATORS" BY CNN MONEY.COM IN 2010 AND 2017, THE WEC WAS AWARDED THE SOUTHWEST STAR AWARD BY EDA. WESST HAS BEEN THE RECIPIENT OF NUMEROUS HONORS INCLUDING THE ETHICS IN BUSINESS AWARD IN 2011 AND AED'S 505 COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AWARD IN 2019. WESST HAS BEEN A LONG-TIME RESOURCE PARTNER OF THE U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND HOSTS SIX SBA WOMEN'S BUSINESS CENTERS IN NEW MEXICO. WESST IS ALSO AN SBA MICROLENDER AND A CDFI COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL INSTITUTION.
  2. $183,849 spent. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: AT DECEMBER 31, 2024, WESST HAD 122 LOANS OUTSTANDING TOTALING APPROXIMATELY 838,843. THESE LOANS ARE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES WHICH ARE UNABLE TO OBTAIN FINANCING FROM BANKS OR OTHER TRADITIONAL SERVICES, AND ASSISTANCE IN ACCESSING OTHER FINANCIAL RESOURCES.

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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since December 1988.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.