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Passes our checks

We Lead Cs

EIN 88-4037170 · Shelbyville, KY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair53 out of 100GovernanceWeak35 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Only 41% of its spending went to programs.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

NONE

Income
$1.5 million
Spending
$1.3 million
Spent on programs
41%
Reserves
2.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 97%
Employees
0
Volunteers
0

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: 53 out of 100. Higher than 33% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 13% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 15% of income.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    41% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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

Weak: 35 out of 100. Higher than 3% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    18 of 25

    3 of 3 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Independent check of accounts

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 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)
  1. $534,498 spent. WELEADCS BEGAN STATEWIDE OPERATION ON JULY 1, 2024 WITH A $3 MILLION APPROPRIATION FROM THE KENTUCKY GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN THE 2024 GENERAL SESSION AND A DIRECTIVE FROM THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO SIGNIFICANTLY EXPAND KENTUCKY'S CAPACITY TO EDUCATE AND PREPARE STUDENTS FOR THE TECH WORKFORCE AND, IN TURN, INCREASE THE COMMONWEALTH'S COMPETITIVENESS IN THE TECH ECONOMY. AND SIGNIFICANTLY EXPAND KENTUCKY'S CAPACITY TO EDUCATE AND PREPARE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FOR THE TECH WORKFORCE. ENROLLING STUDENTS IN WE LEAD CS COMPUTER SCIENCE COURSES WE BEGAN BY COMMUNICATING WITH KENTUCKY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT WE LEAD CS WAS OFFERING OPPORTUNITIES TO ENROLL STUDENTS IN A DUAL COLLEGE CREDIT COMPUTER PROGRAMMING CAREER PATHWAY. WE HAD 15 STUDENTS FROM A REGIONAL CAREER ACADEMY WHO WERE ENROLLED IN OUR PILOT PROGRAM WHO TRANSITIONED INTO THE PROGRAM, AND FOUR ADDITIONAL DISTRICTS SIGNED CONTRACTS WITH WELEADCS FOR THE 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR TO TEACH THEIR STUDENTS. IN 2024-2025, WE HAD 68 STUDENTS FROM FIVE SCHOOL DISTRICTS. WE LAUNCHED A STATEWIDE COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN IN THAT YEAR AND IN THE 2025-2025 SCHOOL YEAR ENROLLED 220 STUDENTS FROM 23 SCHOOL DISTRICTS A 420% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS SERVED IN JUST ONE YEAR. STUDENT SUCCESS WELEADCS IS REQUIRED TO REPORT SEVERAL MEASURES OF STUDENT SUCCESS IN KRS 158.809, WHICH IS THE LEGISLATION THE KENTUCKY GENERAL ASSEMBLY PASSED IN 2022 TO ESTABLISH THE PROGRAM. IN 2024-2025: 26 OF OUR 68 STUDENTS EARNED INDUSTRY CERTIFICATIONS PRIORITIZED BY KENTUCKY EMPLOYERS HIRING TECH TALENT, INCLUDING IC3 DIGITAL LITERACY, JAVA PROGRAMMING, PYTHON PROGRAMMING, WEB DEVELOPMENT, AND DIGITAL DESIGN. 59 OF OUR 68 STUDENTS TOOK AT LEAST ONE DUAL COLLEGE CREDIT COURSE AND EARNED 190 HOURS OF COLLEGE CREDIT. THE 15 STUDENTS WHO TRANSITIONED INTO THE STATEWIDE WELEADCS PROGRAM FROM OUR PILOT TOOK AN END-OF-PROGRAM EXAM HAVING HAD TWO OR MORE YEARS OF COURSES IN THE COMPUTER PROGRAMMING PATHWAY. WE HAD AN 87% PASS RATE AMONG STUDENTS TESTED. TEACHER SUPPORT IN THE 2025 GENERAL SESSION, THE KENTUCKY GENERAL ASSEMBLY PASSED LEGISLATION MAKING WELEADCS AN EMPLOYER IN THE KENTUCKY TEACHER RETIREMENT SYSTEM AND KENTUCKY EMPLOYEE HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN SO WELEADCS CAN OFFER OUR STAFF THE SAME BENEFITS THEY COULD RECEIVE IN A SCHOOL DISTRICT. THIS WAS AN ESSENTIAL STEP TO HELP WELEADCS RECRUIT FACULTY MEMBERS TO SUSTAIN OUR GROWTH.

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

  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 June 2025.

    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 September 2023.

    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.