New Directions for Youth Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
Social and employment services.
- Income
- $3.4 million
- Spending
- $3.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 88%
- Reserves
- -6.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 92%
- Employees
- 81
- Volunteers
- 35
- Highest pay
- $100,007, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 36 out of 100. Higher than 7% of charities in its peer group (employment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
2 of 20It owes 78% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 9% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 2% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1588% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 45% of charities in its peer group (employment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2518 of 18 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
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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)
- $832,781 spent. Gang Prevention & Intervention: New Directions for Youth, Inc. ("NDY") provides gang prevention and intervention programs that help to reduce violence within low-income communities. NDY provides prevention programs that include specialized services specifically designed for a targeted group of youth who have displayed several risk factors for gang membership and/or street violence. The youth who are most at risk will receive the support of a specialized team that is composed of a strategy team leader, family facilitator, and family advocate. Every month, the team meets with the family and youth. After six months, youth are reassessed to determine progress.NDY also partners with the Mayor's Office of Gang Reduction, Youth Development (GRYD) and the Los Angeles County Probation Department (LACPD), WorkSource Centers, and other education, community, and faith-based organizations to ensure that youth, who are recently released, have the necessary resources and support to successfully transition back to the community.
- $778,561 spent. Community Beautification: NDY is committed to creating a welcoming community for youth and their families. The Community Beautification Program, the first such program in the San Fernando Valley, was founded in 1984 and is funded by Board of Public Works Office of Community Beautification. This is one of the largest and most productive graffiti eradication programs in the area. Utilizing our staff and court-referred workers to remove over 120,000 square feet of graffiti each month, it operates 7 days a week. In addition to graffiti removal, NDY partners with neighborhood councils, business improvement districts, and community partners to have clean streets throughout the San Fernando Valley.
- $1.6 million spent. The Juvenile Re-Entry Program: Provides family case management services to gang-involved youth exiting Probation Camp and to their families.Human Trafficking Program: Provides minor victim of sex and labor trafficking services that will assist them to overcome trauma, attain transition to autonomy, attain economic self-sufficiency and experience growth in their personal health and well-being.Neighborhood Clean-Ups: Staff and volunteers remove dirt and debris from streets, sidewalks, walkways and squares.Summer Camp: Provides supervised youth developments activities, that strive for foster personal growth for children by providing them fun, safe educational and recreational programs, outdoor experience and group activities while out of school and during summer months.Youth Employment Programs: Provide work experience, employment placement and training activities.The (VII) Violence Interruption Initiative program is a partnership between NDY and the Board of State and Community Corrections and provides evidence-based intensive case management, cognitive behavioral therapy, employment and employment training, and mentoring to interrupt the cycle of violence for young people ages 13-24 who are at highest risk of perpetrating violence or becoming victims of violence in the City of Los Angeles.After School Program: After School Enrichment program provides youth development and enrichment services focused on diversion and delinquency prevention. The After School Enrichment program is designed to build a system that replaces the traditional structures of punishment and incarceration with emerging best practices centered on healing, learning, and opportunity. New Directions for Youth's After School Enrichment program provides a variety of activities focused on educational attainment, leadership, workforce development, mentorship, arts, wellness, therapy, youth organizing and other engagement areas.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 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 2024.
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 January 1976.
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.