La Promise Fund

Tax-deductible

Los Angeles, CA501(c)(3)Since 2005EducationEIN 20-4562686Revenue $19.8M in FY2025

On file with the IRSlapromisefund.org1933 S Broadway Ste 1108, 90007-4663 · Los Angeles, CATax-exempt since Jun 2006Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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To provide students with academic and enrichment opportunities that spark passion, empower leadership, and prepare them for their chosen college and career paths.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
75¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 95 volunteers and 149 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $645K a year · 4% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
75%
of spending
Looks good: 75% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.6M
to officers and key staff · 7% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 60% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 7% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 3.7 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
25
named funders · $6.0M
Looks good: 25 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$38.4M
84% of total assets
Concern: liabilities are 84% of assets; over 80%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
22
of 22 voting members
Looks good: 22 of 22 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$19.8M
+2% vs prior year
Spent
$21.9M
To programs
75%
Net assets
$7.5M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$19.8M
FY2025▲ +2%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$12.0M
FY2021$12.9M
FY2022$15.1M
FY2023$13.7M
FY2024$19.5M
FY2025$19.8M
Expenses
$21.9M
FY2025▲ +38%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$11.2M
FY2021$10.8M
FY2022$14.0M
FY2023$15.3M
FY2024$15.9M
FY2025$21.9M
Net assets
$7.5M
FY2025▼ -22%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$4.3M
FY2021$6.4M
FY2022$7.5M
FY2023$6.0M
FY2024$9.6M
FY2025$7.5M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending June 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jun 2006.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

75 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 75% · $16.5M Management & general 22% · $4.9M Fundraising 3% · $549K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

34 people listed on the 990; $1.6M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
CEO/President
$278,392Pt VII · Sec A
Exec Director of Black College Success
$217,252Pt VII · Sec A
$161,272Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Programs Officer
$142,284Pt VII · Sec A
$134,063Pt VII · Sec A
Principal
$134,060Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Advancement Officer
$114,557Pt VII · Sec A
$113,907Pt VII · Sec A

Veronica Melvin’s $278K as CEO/President is at the 60th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3683 $10–100M education nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Veronica Melvin$278,392$269,835$275,682$205,392$222,708$228,035
Ben Austin————$247,599$195,436
Ibert Schultz$217,252$210,960————
Liliana Vasquez$161,272$154,615$147,845$111,508——
Michelle Cheang——$156,869$144,336$120,335—
Claudia Keller—————$155,388
Kyle Miller—$122,838$153,303$147,871——
Donna Jacobson—$133,619$150,130$132,060$130,847$124,641

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See La Promise Fund executive salaries →

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Prepares Los Angeles students for college, career, and life through community schools and programs.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $16.5M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Working through our charter schools and a portfolio of programs that reach students throughout la county, la promise fund creates vibrant community hubs and partnerships that foster motivated, engaged and directed students poised for academic, professional and personal success. The public school russell westbrook why not?

$12.3Mprogram expense
02

Building college success (BCS) is a south la-focused initiative that partners with select colleges and universities to create pathways for college success, enabling more students from 11 south la high schools to attend and graduate from 4-YEAR colleges.

$3.2Mprogram expense
03

Artsmatter delivers impactful arts education programs to los angeles schools by equipping teachers with resources to integrate media arts into their classrooms. By expanding student access to art and technology, artsmatter programs enhance student engagement and foster creative thinking, technical skills, and career readiness in la's…

$960Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
See all 25 funders →
Grants paid · 21 grants · $3.7M · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$816,530
Unitemized GrantFY2023$516,763
Unitemized GrantFY2022$911,844
La Promise Charter High School and Middle SchoolsFY2021$464,684
Unitemized GrantFY2021$144,800
Unitemized GrantFY2020$82,074
Manual Arts High SchoolFY2019$100,000
Fremont High SchoolFY2019$86,130
Crenshaw High SchoolFY2019$81,181
Orthopaedic Hospital Medical HighFY2019$62,246
CrcdCA · FY2019$60,500
Santee Education ComplexFY2019$60,000
Susan Miller Dorsey High SchoolCA · FY2019$55,000
Unite-La INCCA · FY2019$55,000
West Adams Prep High School Student BodyFY2019$55,000
Dr Maya Angelou Community High SchoolFY2019$50,000
Unitemized GrantFY2019$45,830
La Promise Charter High SchoolFY2019$30,000
See all 21 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$19.8M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$17.4M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$2.2M
Investment incomeLn 3$203K
Money outPt IX
$21.9M
Ln 25
Programscol B$16.5M
Managementcol C$4.9M
Fundraisingcol D$549K
Owns and owesPt X
$7.5M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$6.7M
Total assetsLn 16$45.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$38.4M
PeoplePt VI, VII
34
listed · VII A
PaidVII A11
Voting boardVI 1a22
IndependentVI 1b22
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$17.4M
Government grantsLn 1e$9.5M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$2.2M
Investment incomeLn 3$203K
Other incomeLn 4–11$500
Gains on assetsLn 7$82K
Total revenueLn 12$19.8M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
SavingsLn 2$6.7M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$6.7M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$32.6M
Other assetsLn 15$175K
Total assetsLn 16$45.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$38.4M
Net assetsLn 32$7.5M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5149
VolunteersI 695
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$18.6M$6.7M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$25.0M$32.6M
Total assetsLn 16$49.9M$45.8M
LiabilitiesLn 26$40.4M$38.4M
Net assetsLn 32$9.6M$7.5M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$817K$817K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$1.3M$934K$325K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$7.8M$7.3M$102K$432K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$120K$120K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$775K$714K$14K$47K
Payroll taxesLn 10$699K$634K$32K$33K
Legal feesLn 11b$21K$21K
Accounting feesLn 11c$4K$4K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$3.1M$1.8M$1.3M
Advertising and promotionLn 12$52K$52K
Office expensesLn 13$1.0M$740K$266K
Information technologyLn 14$74K$74K
OccupancyLn 16$748K$549K$191K$8K
TravelLn 17$84K$84K$208
InterestLn 20$1.3M$1.3M
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$993K$672K$321K
InsuranceLn 23$248K$248K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$1.6M$1.6M$80K
All other expensesLn 24e$1.2M$673K$522K$29K
Total functional expensesLn 25$21.9M$16.5M$4.9M$549K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $19.8M$21.9M−$2.1M$7.5M 990 PDF
FY2024 $19.5M$15.9M$3.6M$9.6M 990 PDF
FY2023 $13.7M$15.3M−$1.6M$6.0M 990 PDF
FY2022 $15.1M$14.0M$1.1M$7.5M 990 PDF
FY2021 $12.9M$10.8M$2.1M$6.4M 990 PDF
FY2020 $12.0M$11.2M$761K$4.3M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $19,838,433 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $18,085,771$17,387,180
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$2,248,123
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $875,668$202,630
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $557,425$500
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $19,518,864$19,838,433
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $516,763$816,530
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $9,473,134$10,654,757
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $5,956,472$10,473,373
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $15,946,369$21,944,660
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $3,572,495−$2,106,227
Part VI · Governance 22 of 22 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body22
VI-1b Independent voting members22
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $19,838,433 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$9,496,069
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$7,891,111
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$17,387,180
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $2,248,123$2,248,123
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $120,523$120,523
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $500$500
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $82,107$82,107
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $2,248,123 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $203,130$19,838,433
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $21,944,660 across 19 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $816,530$816,530
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $934,135 · Management $324,986$1,259,121
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $7,268,055 · Management $101,623 · Fundraising $432,228$7,801,906
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $120,024$120,024
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $714,463 · Management $13,806 · Fundraising $46,675$774,944
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $633,619 · Management $31,784 · Fundraising $33,359$698,762
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $21,443$21,443
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $3,950$3,950
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $1,760,079 · Management $1,315,434$3,075,513
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $52,335$52,335
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $740,290 · Management $266,127$1,006,417
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $74,049$74,049
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $549,446 · Management $191,321 · Fundraising $7,615$748,382
IX-17 TravelPrograms $83,757 · Management $208$83,965
IX-20 InterestManagement $1,296,977$1,296,977
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $672,227 · Management $320,944$993,171
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $247,518$247,518
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,566,042 · Management $80,192$1,646,234
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $672,794 · Management $521,783 · Fundraising $28,842$1,223,419
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $16,531,461 · Management $4,864,480 · Fundraising $548,719$21,944,660
Part X · Balance sheet $45,833,746 assets, 17 lines filed
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $18,636,753$6,705,316
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $1,790,696$5,272,224
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $141,900$108,528
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $25,041,710$32,561,736
X-11 Publicly traded securities$1,011,340
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $129,995$174,602
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $49,943,711$45,833,746
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,640,582$935,643
X-19 Deferred revenue$16,429
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $34,753,174$34,638,697
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $2,091,570$781,277
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $1,897,862$1,995,409
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $40,383,188$38,367,455
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $5,434,650$4,341,549
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $4,125,873$3,124,742
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $9,560,523$7,466,291
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $49,943,711$45,833,746
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $7,466,291 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$19,838,433
XI-2 Total expenses$21,944,660
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$2,106,227
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$9,560,523
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$11,995
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$7,466,291

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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