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Economic Development Corporation of Los Angeles

EIN 95-3643339 · Los Angeles, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE FUNCTION OF THE CORPORATION SHALL BE TO EASE THE BURDENS OF GOVERNMENT BY ASSISTING, IMPLEMENTING, SUPPORTING AND/OR CONTRIBUTING TO THE SUPPORT OF PROGRAMS, PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES OF A PUBLIC NATURE. WHICH ARE DIRECTED TOWARD IMPROVING ECONOMIC CONDITIONS THROUGHOUT LOS ANGELES COUNTY, AND EDUCATING THE PUBLIC THROUGH ECONOMIC RESEARCH, ANALYSIS AND OTHERWISE. BY SERVING AS A VEHICLE TO FACILITATE COOPERATION BETWEEN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR. THE CORPORATION WILL COALESCE LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL RESOURCES TO INCREASE PRIVATE INVESTMENT, PARTICULARY IN THE ECONOMICALLY DISTRESSED AREAS OF SAID COUNTY. THROUGH THE COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY, GOVERNMENT, BUSINESS, LABOR AND EDUCATION PARTNERS TO INFORM AND ADVANCE OUR DATA - DRIVEN AND EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACH, WE ENDEAVOR TO ACHIEVE A REIMAGINED REGIONAL ECONOMY - GROWING, EQUITABLE, SUSTAINABLE, AND RESILIENT- THAT PROVIDES HEALTHY AND HIGH STANDARD OF LIVING FOR ALL.

Income
$9.2 million
Spending
$10.0 million
Spent on programs
89%
Reserves
33.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 38%
Employees
37
Volunteers
93
Highest pay
$426,154, president and ceo

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

Good: 85 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 33.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 17% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 9% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 2% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    89% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 12 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.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    90 of 90 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 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 (4)
  1. $4.7 million spent. BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAMTHE LAEDC PROVIDES FREE ASSISTANCE TO SMALL BUSINESSES AND MICROENTERPRISES THROUGHOUT LOS ANGELES COUNTY, WITH A FOCUS ON WOMEN AND MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESSES. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR, NUMEROUS BUSINESSES WERE REACHED THROUGH MULTICHANNEL OUTREACH, AND ONE-ON-ONE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED TO ADDRESS CHALLENGES IN THE CURRENT ECONOMY AND SUPPORT LOCAL JOB GROWTH.IN 2025, HELPED SAVE OVER 1,000+ JOBS, PROVIDED DIRECT CONSULTING TO NEARLY 2,000+ SMALL BUSINESS ACROSS LOS ANGELES AND HOSTED OVER 150+ IN-PERSON VIRTUAL BUSINESS EDUCATION EVENTS.
  2. $996,461 spent. INSTITUTE FOR APPLIED ECONOMICSTHE LAEDC INSTITUTE FOR APPLIED ECONOMICS PROVIDES OBJECTIVE AND COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC AND POLICY ANALYSIS TO CLIENTS AND THE BROADER PUBLIC. THE INSTITUTE ALSO OFFERS PUBLIC WEBINARS ADDRESSING ECONOMIC TRENDS AND ISSUES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.IN THE FISCAL YEAR, THE ORGANIZATION CONDUCTED ECONOMIC RESEARCH AND IMPACT REPORTS FOR APPROXIMATELY 16 CLIENTS.
  3. $490,034 spent. ECONOMIC FOCUSED EVENTSTHE LAEDC HOSTED THE EDDY AWARDS, LAEDC'S SIGNATURE STRATEGIC ENGAGEMENT EVENT AND ONLY ANNUAL FUNDRAISER. THE EDDY AWARDS, THE ORGANIZATION'S MOST PRESTIGIOUS RECOGNITION PROGRAM, HONORS OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACROSS BUSINESS, EDUCATION, GOVERNMENT, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS WITHIN LOS ANGELES COUNTY.IN 2025, THE LAEDC HOSTED THE FOLLOWING MAJOR EVENT: EDDY AWARDS (NOVEMBER 2024).
  4. $2.7 million spent. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENTLAEDC'S WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM EXISTS TO CREATE ECONOMIC MOBILITY AND EQUITY, SUPPORT THE TALENT NEEDS OF BUSINESS, AND ALIGN EDUCATION WITH EVOLVING INDUSTRY TRENDS. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IS INTEGRATED INTO LAEDC'S RESEARCH, BUSINESS ASSISTANCE, INDUSTRY COUNCIL WORK AND THE FABRIC OF OUR MISSION. WE WORK IN BOTH THE STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP CAPACITY TO SUPPORT SYSTEMS CHANGE AND IN A PROGRAMMATIC ACTION LEVEL TO DRIVE PROGRESS.DURING THE YEAR, THE ORGANIZATION ENGAGED WITH 25,000+ LOS ANGELES COUNTY STUDENTS AND JOB SEEKERS. COLLABORATED TO ALIGN TRAINING WITH INDUSTRY DEMAND WITH 250+ EMPLOYER AND COLLEGES.STRATEGIC INITIATIVESTHE LAEDC IMPLEMENTED A SERIES OF STRATEGIC INITIATIVES TO ADDRESS THE EVOLVING NEEDS OF THE REGIONAL LABOR MARKET. THESE EFFORTS INCLUDED COLLABORATING WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY COLLEGES TO DEVELOP CURRICULUM ALIGNED WITH INDUSTRY DEMANDS AND SUPPORTING WORKERS SEEKING TO RE-ENTER THE WORKFORCE. ADDITIONALLY, THE ORGANIZATION ADVANCED ITS DIGITAL EQUITY PROGRAM TO BRIDGE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE, PROVIDING ACCESS AND RESOURCES TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES TO ENHANCE WORKFORCE READINESS AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES.SPECIAL PROJECTS (CALIFORNIA JOBS FIRST)THE CALIFORNIA JOBS FIRST PROGRAM, WITH THE LAEDC SERVING AS THE REGIONAL CONVENER, IS FOCUSED ON FOSTERING DIVERSE LOCAL ECONOMIES AND BUILDING SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRIES ACROSS LOS ANGELES COUNTY. THIS INITIATIVE AIMS TO GENERATE HIGH-QUALITY, ACCESSIBLE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES WHILE PROMOTING EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH THROUGHOUT THE REGION.IN 2025, CALIFORNIA JOBS FIRST PROJECT SECURED $2 MILLION IN STATE FUNDING TO SUPPORT WILDFIRE RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE EFFORTS.COED (CENTER OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT)THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LEADERSHIP COUNCIL, A PROGRAM SPONSORED BY THE LAEDC AND ALSO KNOWN AS THE CENTER FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN ENSURING THE REGION'S ECONOMIC VITALITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE. ADDRESSING THE COMPLEX ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CHALLENGES FACING SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REQUIRES EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP, WHICH IS OFTEN HINDERED BY THE REGION'S VAST SIZE AND MULTIFACETED NATURE. THE COUNCIL WORKS TO PROVIDE STRATEGIC GUIDANCE AND FOSTER COLLABORATION TO TACKLE THESE ISSUES AND PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE 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 February 1982.

    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.

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