LUC's mission is to empower underserved students, particularly first-gen students from low-income families, to thrive in education and professional careers. The program addresses critical challenges faced by these students, such as higher dropout rates and limited access to resources. LUC's holistic approach cultivates personal and professional growth, nurturing leaders who strengthen the Cincinnati community and contribute to a more prosperous future.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
89¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$57K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2022 · 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 4
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $151K a year · 33% of revenue · last 4 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 4 of the last 4 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 4 filings
Spent on programs
89%
of spending
Looks good: 89% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$57K
to officers and key staff · 42% of spending
Concern: pay to officers and key staff is 42% of spending; over 30%.
Pt VII · Sec A
7 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 7.1 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
9
named funders · $419K
Looks good: 9 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$0
0% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
6
of 6 voting members
Looks good: 6 of 6 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$221K
Spent
$136K
To programs
89%
Net assets
$86K
By yearFY2022–FY2025
Revenue
$221K
FY2022
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2022$221K
FY2023$454K
FY2024$539K
FY2025$620K
Expenses
$136K
FY2022
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2022$136K
FY2023$290K
FY2024$365K
FY2025$439K
Net assets
$86K
FY2022
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2022$86K
FY2023$249K
FY2024$425K
FY2025$605K

From the FY2022 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2022 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in May 2022.

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

Where the money goes

89 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 89% · $121K Management & general 10% · $14K Fundraising 1% · $910

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

7 people listed on the 990; $57K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$56,250Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member/Coach Leader
$390Pt VII · Sec A
Chairman of the Board
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Jim Rodarte’s $86K as Executive Director is at the 76th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1613 $100K–1M 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 · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022
Jim Rodarte$86,250$86,250$80,625$56,250
Jerod Lindsey——$9,184$390

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 Level Up Cincinnati 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 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Empowering first-generation students with mentorship, scholarships, and career access for success.

Questions for Level Up Cincinnati

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Your first name shows with your question. Level Up Cincinnati answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $121K · in their own filed words · FY2022
01

Level Up Cincinnati Scholarship Fund

Level Up Cincinnati provides scholarships to first-generation, PELL eligible, Black & Latinx students. Level Up Cincinnati funds the University of Cincinnati Scholarship Foundation, which manages the scholarship and selects students for the program. Scholarships for 2023 were funded in December of 2022.

$121Kprogram expense
02

Students who participate in Level Up Cincinnati, enroll in a four-year program. During which, they are paired with two coaches. Their first coach, a Transition Coach, is a former first-generation student that helps with the transition from high school to college.

Pt IX · col B
03

Level Up Cincinnati provides training and support to its Coaches / Mentors in partnership with the Cincinnati Youth Collaborative. Coaches are exposed to mentorship training and courses to help them improve their mentorship skills and ensure their success with their student match. This programming will commence in 2023.

Pt IX · col B

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 9 funders →
Grants paid · 6 grants · $586K · 2022–2025

By the numbers

The FY2022 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$221K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$221K
Money outPt IX
$136K
Ln 25
Programscol B$121K
Managementcol C$14K
Fundraisingcol D$910
Owns and owesPt X
$86K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$81K
Total assetsLn 16$86K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
7
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a6
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$221K
Total revenueLn 12$221K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$81K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$81K
Total assetsLn 16$86K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$86K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 53
VolunteersI 645
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
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 FY22End FY22
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$81K
Total assetsLn 16$0$86K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$0
Net assetsLn 32$0$86K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$55K$55K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$59K$59K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$390$390
Other employee benefitsLn 9$194$194
Payroll taxesLn 10$4K$4K
Legal feesLn 11b$13K$13K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$910$910
Advertising and promotionLn 12$987$987
Office expensesLn 13$995$995
InsuranceLn 23$595$595
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$329$329
Total functional expensesLn 25$136K$121K$14K$910

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $620K$439K$181K$605K 990 PDF
FY2024 $539K$365K$173K$425K 990 PDF
FY2023 $454K$290K$164K$249K 990 PDF
FY2022 Viewing $221K$136K$86K$86K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2022 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $221,250 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grants$221,250
I-9 Program service revenue$0
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenue$221,250
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$55,000
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefits$63,667
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expenses$16,986
I-18 Total expenses$135,653
I-19 Revenue less expenses$85,597
Part VI · Governance 6 of 6 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body6
VI-1b Independent voting members6
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
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 $221,250 across 3 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$221,250
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$221,250
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$221,250
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $135,653 across 11 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $55,000$55,000
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $58,750$58,750
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $390$390
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $194$194
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $4,333$4,333
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $13,170$13,170
IX-11g Other fees for servicesFundraising $910$910
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $987$987
IX-13 Office expensesManagement $995$995
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $595$595
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $329$329
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $120,578 · Management $14,165 · Fundraising $910$135,653
Part X · Balance sheet $85,597 assets, 6 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearing$80,597
X-4 Accounts receivable$5,000
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $0$85,597
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $0$85,597
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $0$85,597
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $85,597 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$221,250
XI-2 Total expenses$135,653
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$85,597
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$85,597

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2022 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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