irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2023
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $349KLEDA CAREER AND ALUMNI SERVICESCAREER INSTITUTE:THE LEDA CAREER FELLOWS PROGRAM PREPARES HIGH-ACHIEVING, UNDER-RESOURCED UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS - LEDA CAREER FELLOWS - FOR FUTURE LEADERSHIP ROLES IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL PURSUITS, INCLUDING A DEEPER AND MORE TARGETED FOCUS ON CAREER COACHING, CAREER EXPLORATION, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND CAREER READINESS. THE 2024 LEDA CAREER INSTITUTE RETURNED TO NYU SCHOOL OF LAW AND RAN FROM AUGUST 6 THROUGH AUGUST 10. LEDA WELCOMED 91 NEW CAREER FELLOWS, WHO REPRESENTED 42 COLLEGES THROUGHOUT THE U.S. 97% OF OUR 2024 FELLOWS IDENTIFY AS BLACK, INDIGENOUS, OR PEOPLE OF COLOR. (CONT'D ON SCH O)THE CAREER INSTITUTE ALSO WELCOMED 13 EMPLOYER PARTNERS THAT, TOGETHER WITH LEDA STAFF, PROVIDED PROGRAMMING IN CAREER EXPLORATION AND PROFESSIONAL SKILL DEVELOPMENT. LEDA LEGAL:THE ADVANTAGE TESTING FOUNDATION IS A FOUNDING PARTNER OF LEDA AND ALSO RUNS TRIALS, THE NATION'S MOST SELECTIVE FULL-SCHOLARSHIP PRE-LAW PROGRAM. IT HAS DEVELOPED EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE LAUNCHING GROUNDBREAKING INITIATIVES DESIGNED TO HELP UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS GAIN ACCESS TO EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. THE FOUNDATION SERVES AS AN ONGOING PARTNER FOR LEDA LEGAL AND PROVIDES EXPERT PREPARATION FOR THE LSAT, A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF LAW SCHOOL APPLICATIONS. IN ADDITION, LEDA LEGAL PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE INTENSIVE PREPARATION FOR LAW SCHOOL, INCLUDING RIGOROUS LSAT PREPARATION PROVIDED BY ADVANTAGE TESTING AND ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM LEDA IN DEVELOPING THEIR APPLICATIONS. LAW SCHOOL PARTNERS, INCLUDING NYU SCHOOL OF LAW, HARVARD LAW SCHOOL, AND YALE LAW SCHOOL, LEAD WORKSHOPS AND ACADEMIC- AND CAREER-FOCUSED PANELS FOR THE COHORT THROUGHOUT THE EIGHT-MONTH PROGRAM. DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD: - 90% PARTICIPANTS REPORTED AN INCREASED LSAT SCORE; - 90% CHOSE TO TAKE THE LSAT MORE THAN ONCE IN ORDER TO ENSURE THEIR HIGHEST POSSIBLE SCORE; - 100% CONTINUED STUDYING FOR THE LSAT ON THEIR OWN USING MATERIALS AND STRATEGIES GAINED THROUGH LEDA LEGAL EVEN AFTER OUR FORMAL LSAT MODULE WAS COMPLETED. AT THE END OF THE LAW SCHOOL APPLICATION PROCESS, PARTICIPANTS WERE ADMITTED TO 13 PRESTIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS, INCLUDING COLUMBIA, GEORGETOWN.
named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
College Success Program
Provides academic advising, socio-emotional counseling, emergency grants, peer mentoring, and post-graduate planning support to LEDA Scholars during college.
LEDA Career Institute
Five-day intensive program preparing high-achieving, under-resourced undergraduate students for leadership roles through career coaching, professional development, and networking with employer partners.
LEDA Legal
Eight-month program providing rigorous LSAT preparation, law school application support, and workshops in partnership with top law schools including NYU, Harvard, and Yale.
LEDA Policy Project
Program that trains students from underrepresented backgrounds in federal policy and advocacy, including a policy corps that participates in training in Washington, DC and contributes to public discourse through op-eds and events.
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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College Access and Success Support 2 activities
- College access and application supportSupports nearly 2,000 students since 2004 in gaining admission to top 100 U.S. colleges, with 97% of recent applicants accepted to at least one top school, through campus visits, information sessions, fly-outs, and comprehensive college and financial aid counseling.
- Postsecondary success outcomesSupports scholars such that over 90% graduate from college within six years, aligning program goals with outcome metrics and data management to ensure academic success.
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Student Career Readiness and Internship Placement 1 activity
- LEDA Career InstituteOperates the LEDA Career Institute, a year-round program that provides intensive professional development—including workshops, one-on-one coaching, corporate site visits, networking opportunities with senior executives, interview preparation, and mentorship—for high-achieving, first-generation, low-income college students; hosted at NYU School of Law in August 2024 with 91 new Career Fellows from 42 colleges.
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Legal Education and Career Pipeline Programs 1 activity
- LEDA Legal programRuns LEDA Legal, a free year-long program that prepares students for law school through 54 hours of LSAT prep curriculum, 10 full practice exams, career exploration panels, partner school workshops, and a law school admissions fair; in its first year, 90% of participants increased their LSAT score and 100% continued independent study using program materials.
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Youth Leadership Development Programs 1 activity
- LEDA Scholars Program recruitment and summer instituteRecruits 100 high school juniors annually into the LEDA Scholars Program through a national outreach effort with schools and community-based organizations, and operates a free five- to seven-week summer leadership institute focused on leadership development, writing instruction, standardized test preparation, and college counseling.
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Alumni Leadership and Career Support Programs 1 activity
- Ongoing scholar support during and after collegeProvides ongoing advising, career counseling, postgraduate planning, academic and socio-emotional support, and community-building programming for LEDA Scholars throughout college and beyond, including formal check-ins and remote outreach during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Leadership Development Programs 1 activity
- Policy Corps and advocacy trainingConducts the Policy Corps program, which trains LEDA Scholars and Career Fellows in federal policy and advocacy through in-person training in Washington, DC, and amplifies student voices via virtual events, storytelling, and op-ed writing; engaged 20 participants in the 2021–2022 cycle.
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Alumni Community Building 1 activity
- Scholar recognition and network engagementSupports high-achieving LEDA alumni who have earned prestigious academic honors such as the Rhodes Scholarship and engages a Leadership Council and Corporate Advisory Council to expand partnerships, improve internship and job placement, and strengthen organizational visibility.
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financials · form 990 · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$3.82M
Contributions & grants$3.80M100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$890%
Other revenue$16K
expenses
Total expenses$2.80M
Program expenses67%
Admin / overhead13%
Fundraising20%
Salaries & benefits$1.99M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$2.00M
Cash$699K
Investments$0
Liabilities$172K
Net assets$1.82M
Liquid reserves3.0 mo
5 years on record · 2019–2023 · YoY revenue +80.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023
Who runs it
paid leadership · 3
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAVID GARZA | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $196K |
| TARA GELLENE | SENIOR DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS | 40 | $125K |
| ILANA GOLDMAN | CHAIR / INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 8 | $32K |
board members · 19
- ALEXANDRA ENGLER — TRUSTEE
- ANDERS BRAG — TRUSTEE
- ANDREW FISHER — TRUSTEE
- CRISTINA PIERETTI — TRUSTEE
- EDEN ABRAHAMS — TRUSTEE
- ELIZABETH SALINAS — TRUSTEE
- ERIC MENDEZ — TREASURER
- FREDERICK FOGEL — TRUSTEE
- GUSTAVO GONZALEZ — TRUSTEE
- JESSE FURMAN — TRUSTEE
- JOHN ROBERTS — TRUSTEE
- JORDAN DICKSON — TRUSTEE
- LAWRENCE BASCOM — TRUSTEE
- LEX SUVANTO — TRUSTEE
- LUCY FRIEDMAN — TRUSTEE
- PIOTR KAMINSKI — TRUSTEE
- SENDER COHEN — TRUSTEE
- SHULAMIT LEVIANT — TRUSTEE
- YELKA KAMARA — TRUSTEE
relationships · 56
Who they work with
- A Chance In Life Partner — LEDA staff previously held senior leadership roles at A Chance In Life, indicating a professional relationship between the organizations.
- Advantage Testing Foundation Partner — Founding partner that provides rigorous LSAT preparation for LEDA Legal participants.
- Advantage Testing Foundation Partner — Provides financial and in-kind support to LEDA.
- Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP Funder — Provides financial support in the $10,000–$14,999 range.
- Allen & Overy Funder — Provides financial support in the $15,000–$24,999 range.
- Amherst College Partner — Collaborates through the involvement of Anthony W. Marx, President Emeritus of Amherst College, on LEDA's Leadership Council.
- Athlete Ally Partner — LEDA staff previously held positions at Athlete Ally, indicating shared mission space and professional connections.
- Bloomberg Philanthropies Funder — Provides financial support in the $50,000–$99,999 range.
- Boston Consulting Group Funder — Provides financial support in the $10,000–$14,999 range.
- Chubb Funder — Provides financial support in the $15,000–$24,999 range.
- Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP Funder — Provides financial support in the $10,000–$14,999 range.
- EY Americas Partner — Collaborates through the involvement of Ken Bouyer, Director of Inclusiveness Recruiting at EY Americas, on LEDA's Corporate Advisory Council.
- Egon Zehnder Partner — Collaborates through the involvement of Charles Gray, Head of North American Technology Officer Practice at Egon Zehnder, on LEDA's Corporate Advisory Council.
- Fortress Investment Group Funder — Provides financial support in the $10,000–$14,999 range.
- Franklin & Marshall College Partner — Collaborates through the involvement of Daniel R. Porterfield, former President of Franklin & Marshall College, on LEDA's Leadership Council.
- Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson Funder — Provides financial support in the $15,000–$24,999 range.
- GMHC Partner — LEDA staff have held leadership roles at GMHC, suggesting institutional connections and shared work in nonprofit service delivery.
- Georgetown University Partner — Staff member mentors undergraduates at Georgetown University and earned a degree there, indicating an ongoing institutional relationship.
- Goldman Sachs Partner — Collaborates through the involvement of Erika Coleman, VP of Talent Acquisition at Goldman Sachs, on LEDA's Corporate Advisory Council.
- Goldman Sachs & Co. Funder — Provides financial support in the $25,000–$49,999 range.
- HarperCollins Publishers Partner — Provides financial and in-kind support to LEDA.
- Harvard College Partner — Collaborates through the involvement of William R. Fitzsimmons, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at Harvard College, on LEDA's Leadership Council.
- Harvard Law School Partner — Leads workshops and academic- and career-focused panels for LEDA Legal participants.
- IAC Funder — Provides financial support in the $15,000–$24,999 range.
- Johns Hopkins University Partner — Staff member participated in Johns Hopkins’ Summer Pre-Doctoral Pathway Program, indicating academic collaboration.
- LEDA Scholars Partner — Students from first-generation and low-income backgrounds who participate in LEDA's college access and leadership development programs.
- Latham & Watkins LLP Funder — Provides financial support in the $15,000–$24,999 range.
- LinkedIn Partner — Collaborates through the involvement of Rosanna Durruthy, Head of Global Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging at LinkedIn, on LEDA's Corporate Advisory Council.
- McKinsey & Company Partner — Provides financial and in-kind support to LEDA.
- Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP Funder — Provides financial support in the $10,000–$14,999 range.
+ 26 more
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Closing Information and Resource Gaps for Equitable Accessmethodology: information_and_resource_gap_closingBy addressing unequal access to college preparation resources, LEDA levels the playing field for high-achieving, under-resourced students because disparities in information and guidance—not talent or ambition—are primary barriers to enrollment in selective institutions.
- College as a Mutual Fit Modelmethodology: college_as_matchBy guiding students to select colleges based on personal and academic alignment rather than prestige, LEDA increases the likelihood of student retention, success, and well-being at selective institutions because a reciprocal fit fosters belonging and reduces mismatch costs.
- Social Capital Development for Systemic Accessmethodology: social_capital_developmentBy combining skill-building with direct access to professional networks and executive coaching, LEDA enables first-generation, low-income students to overcome structural exclusion in elite careers because bridging social capital gaps is essential to accessing opportunity pathways that rely on relationships and sponsorship.
- Sustained Support Through Critical Transitionsmethodology: sustained_support_modelBy providing longitudinal, multi-year support from college admission through graduation and into career development, LEDA improves academic and professional outcomes because continuous mentorship and resources help students navigate systemic barriers and institutional complexities over time.