Atlas Fellows
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
WE TRANSFORM FINANCE BY OPENING DOORS FOR BRILLIANT AND UNDER-RESOURCED YOUNG PEOPLE TO ACCESS LIFE-CHANGING CAREERS.
- Income
- $3.5 million
- Spending
- $3.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 82%
- Reserves
- 2.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 5
- Volunteers
- 80
- Highest pay
- $288,935, secretary/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
Fair: 57 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.5 months of spending.
Debt
2 of 20It owes 78% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 14% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 85% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1582% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 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: 100 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 255 of 6 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
7 of 7Has a 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)
- $2.5 million spent. FOUNDED IN 2021, ATLAS FELLOWS INC. ("ATLAS FELLOWS OR "ATLAS") CREATES AN UNIQUELY PREPARED AND UNTAPPED TALENT PIPELINE BY RECRUITING HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS IN CHICAGO AND NEW YORK CITY AND PREPARING THEM FOR CAREERS IN FINANCE THROUGH FOUR YEARS OF SCHOLARSHIPS AND INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND INTERVIEWS. FELLOWS ARE EXCEPTIONALLY ACADEMICALLY TALENTED, POSSESS TREMENDOUS CHARACTER, AND OFFER A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE: ALL FELLOWS COME FROM UNDER-RESOURCED BACKGROUNDS, 58 PERCENT ARE THE FIRST IN THE FAMILY TO ATTEND COLLEGE, AND 54 PERCENT IDENTIFY AS FEMALE. ATLAS CONTINUES TO SERVE MORE FELLOWS EVERY YEAR, WITH A TOTAL OF MORE THAN 130 PARTICIPANTS DURING THE 2024-25 SCHOOL YEAR. TOGETHER WITH ATLAS'S EMPLOYER PARTNERS, ALL FELLOWS RECEIVE INTERNSHIPS BEFORE THEIR FRESHMAN AND SOPHOMORE YEARS OF COLLEGE. FELLOWS RECEIVE TRAINING FROM ATLAS IN INDUSTRY READINESS, WORKPLACE ORIENTATION AND CAREER READINESS. AS A RESULT, MORE THAN 80 PERCENT OF EMPLOYER PARTNERS REPORT THAT FELLOWS PERFORM AS WELL OR BETTER THAN THEIR MORE TRADITIONAL, RISING SENIOR INTERNS. PROVIDING INTERNSHIP SUPPORT DURING THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF COLLEGE EQUIPS FELLOWS TO COMPETE CONFIDENTLY WITH THEIR PEERS FOR TRADITIONAL CAMPUS PROGRAMS THAT TYPICALLY RECRUIT DURING SOPHOMORE AND JUNIOR YEARS. THIS GRADUAL RELEASE MODEL ALLOWS FELLOWS TO BUILD ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND CONFIDENCE EARLY ON, SETTING THEM UP TO SUCCEED THROUGH THEIR OWN EFFORTS IN LATER YEARS. IN FACT, DURING SUMMER 2025, 85% OF RISING JUNIORS AND SENIORS INDEPENDENTLY SECURED INTERNSHIPS.THE 2024-25 SCHOOL YEAR MARKED AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE FOR ATLAS: ITS INAUGURAL COHORT OF FELLOWS GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE. OF THESE FELLOWS, 100 PERCENT HAVE SECURED FULL TIME CAREERS AND 87 PERCENT ARE WORKING FULL-TIME WITHIN THE FINANCE INDUSTRY AT PRESTIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS. THIS COHORT SERVES AS A DEFINITIVE PROOF-POINT THAT THE ATLAS MODEL OF COMBINING PREPARATION AND OPPORTUNITY CREATES LIFE-CHANGING RESULTS.
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 May 2022.
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.
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.