American Leadership Forum
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
OUR MISSION IS TO UNITE BOUNDARY-CROSSING LEADERS FROM A DIVERSITY OFSECTORS THROUGHOUT THE GREATER SACRAMENTO REGION; STRENGTHEN THEIRLEADERSHIP CAPACITY THROUGH DEEPENING RELATIONSHIPS AND TRANSFORMATIVEEXPERIENCES; AND SERVE THE COMMUNITY BY WORKING COLLABORATIVELY TOMAKE SIGNIFICANT POSITIVE CONTRIBUTIONS.
- Income
- $938,810
- Spending
- $917,263
- Spent on programs
- 74%
- Reserves
- 8.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 73%
- Employees
- 3
- Volunteers
- 9
- Highest pay
- $226,729, ceo
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
Good: 83 out of 100. Higher than 61% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.5 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 32% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 13% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1574% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 26 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
Good: 82 out of 100. Higher than 66% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 16 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.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
12 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
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, 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 (3)
- $606,070 spent. THE AMERICAN LEADERSHIP FORUM INVITES ESTABLISHED LEADERS FROM ALL PROFESSIONAL SECTORS AND ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS IN THE GREATER SACRAMENTO REGION TO PARTICIPATE IN A YEARLONG FELLOWS PROGRAM. THE FIRST YEAR FELLOWS PROGRAM IS AN ENGAGING PROCESS OF ACTION AND REFLECTION WITH DIALOGUES MOST RELEVANT TO THE CURRENT LEADERSHIP CHALLENGES RESULTING IN CIVIC ENGAGEMENT BY ACTION TEAMS OF PASSIONATE CONCERNED LEADERS. INDIVIDUAL LEADERSHIP IS TRANSFORMED THROUGH RIGOROUS REFLECTION ON STRENGTHS AND CHALLENGES, INTENTIONS AND OUTCOMES. TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING ASSERTS THAT THE MORE IN CONTROL AND RESPONSIBLE LEADERS ARE FOR THEIR OWN LEARNING, THE GREATER THE POTENTIAL FOR TRANSFORMATIVE OUTCOMES. THE GOAL IS TO CREATE A DIVERSE AND GROWING NETWORK OF LEADERS TO WORK TOGETHER FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD. TO DATE, WE HAVE LEADERS FROM ACROSS SIX COUNTIES, 19 SECTORS AND REPRESENTING OVER 390 BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE REGION. THIS YEAR WE ADDED AN ADDITIONAL FIRST YEAR'S FELLOWS COHORT.
- $49,221 spent. IN 2016, THE AMERICAN LEADERSHIP FORUM SPEARHEADED A SERIES OF DIALOGUE AROUND IMPLICIT BIAS. MORE THAN 40 SENIOR FELLOWS, FROM A VARIETY OF SECTORS, PARTICIPATED IN TWO SIX-WEEK SERIES TO LEARN ABOUT COGNITIVE SCIENCE AND UNDERSTAND OUR OWN BIASES. SENIOR FELLOWS LEARNED TECHNIQUES TESTED AND TRUE WHICH MINIMIZE BIAS IN OUR BRAINS AND ALLOW US TO ADDRESS BIAS IN THE WORKPLACE AND INSIDE INSTITUTIONS. IN 2017, THIS DIALOGUE WAS DEVELOPED INTO A TWO-PART TRAINING WORKSHOP DESIGNED FOR NONPROFITS, FOR-PROFIT ENTITIES, PUBLIC SECTOR LEADERS AND INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE COGNITIVE SCIENCE BEHIND OUR UNCONSCIOUS BIASES. IN 2018, BEYOND BIAS WAS DEVELOPED AS AN ACCOMPANYING TRAINING THAT INCLUDES A DEEP DIVE INTO INTERVENTIONS ACROSS PERSONAL, INTERPERSONAL, INSTITUTIONAL AND STRUCTURAL LEVELS. THESE TRAININGS ARE TAILORED FOR EACH AUDIENCE AND PROVIDE THE BASIS FOR EFFECTIVE DIALOGUE ON RACE AND EQUITY FOR INSTITUTIONS THAT WANT TO TRANSFORM THEIR CULTURES. WE PROVIDED 15 TRAININGS AND HAD OVER 400 PARTICIPANTS. WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION TRAINING AS WELL AS BELONGING.
- $27,431 spent. THE AMERICAN LEADERSHIP FORUM OPERATED THE ENCORE FELLOWS PROGRAM IN THE SACRAMENTO AND SIERRA REGIONS. AS WITH ALL THE ENCORE FELLOWS PROGRAMS, THE ENCORE FELLOWS SAC/SIERRA PROGRAM MATCHES HIGHLY EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONALS WITH NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS WHERE THEY CAN PERFORM HIGH IMPACT WORK AND HELP THOSE ORGANIZATIONS BUILD CAPACITY AND GROW STRATEGICALLY, ULTIMATELY MAKING A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE BROADER COMMUNITY. THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO PROMOTE POSITIVE CROSS-SECTOR LEARNING AND DELIVER SUSTAINED ORGANIZATIONAL IMPACT TO THE NONPROFIT SECTOR. BY OPERATING AN ENCORE FELLOWS PROGRAM IN THE REGION,THE AMERICAN LEADERSHIP FORUM WILL ENABLE NONPROFITS TO GROW AND SUSTAIN THEIR ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH FELLOW'S HIGH-IMPACT SOCIAL-PURPOSE ROLES. THE PROGRAM WILL BE SUNSETTING IN 2025.
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
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 October 13, 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 2024.
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 January 2008.
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 October 21, 2026.
Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.
A much larger organization has a similar name: American Leadership Academy Inc (Mesa, AZ), EIN 27-0333296. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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.