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YLEANA LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION INC
BROOKLYN, NY · EIN 463205620 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE B90 · Education · Small ($100K-$1M) · yleana.org
revenue
$597K
expenses
$767K
net assets
$177K
employees
10
volunteers
20
program ratio
53%
mission · from form 990

TO ASSIST ADOLESCENTS FROM DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES AS THEY APPLY TO COLLEGES; PREPARING THEM BOTH FOR THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS - INCLUDING STANDARDIZED TESTS SUCH AS THE SAT AND ACT, APPLICATION ESSAYS, AND FOR SUCCESS IN COLLEGE AND BEYOND, THROUGH MENTORSHIPS, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND NEGOTIATION WORKSHOPS, AND TRAINING. THE ORGANIZATION WILL FUND, PLAN, PREPARE AND ADMINISTER SUMMER RESIDENTIAL ACADEMIC PROGRAMS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ON A SCHOLARSHIP BASIS; CONTINUE TO MENTOR THOSE STUDENTS IN THE MONTHS AND YEARS TO COME, ENCOURAGING FORMER PROGRAM ATTENDEES TO MENTOR FUTURE ATTENDEES; RESEARCH TEACHING METHODS TO BETTER THOSE PROGRAMS; RAISE MONEY FOR THOSE PROGRAMS; AND PERFORM RELATED ACTIVITIES.

profile · synthesized from sources

Yleana Leadership Foundation supports low-income, primarily Black, Latinx, and multiethnic first-generation college-bound high school students from urban areas. The organization runs a summer residential program focused on SAT preparation, college access, and holistic development through mentorship, critical thinking, and professional skills training. It continues supporting students through college and into careers via structured mentoring programs and resources.

named programs · 6 · from sources

What they call their work

College Access Mentoring Program
Volunteer-based mentoring program that guides high school seniors and alumni through the college application process, including essay writing, financial aid forms, school selection, and scholarship research.
College Success Mentoring Program
Mentoring program to support alumni during college, helping them navigate academic, financial, and social challenges at predominantly white institutions and stay on track to graduate.
College to Career Transitional Mentorship Program
Mentorship program connecting college students and recent graduates with professionals to support career exploration, job applications, resume building, interviewing, and workplace navigation.
Events Series
Workshops on career readiness topics including elevator pitches, resume crafting, networking, and job search strategies, categorized as skills workshops, career insight sessions, and industry panels.
Jobs/Internships/Opportunities Database
Internal database providing alumni with curated job, internship, fellowship, and event opportunities, often with personal Yleana connections or referrals.
Yleana Leadership Academy
Summer residential program at Colgate University and Mount Holyoke College that combines SAT preparation, college access support, and development of critical thinking, self-advocacy, and professional skills for first-generation, low-income students.
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • College Access and Success Support 4 activities
    • College admissions and financial aid support
      Supports students through the college application process, including essay writing, resource connections, and scholarship applications. Secured an average annual financial aid and scholarship package of $32,962 for participating Baltimore students, with one in five alumni receiving full- or near full-ride scholarships.
    • Ongoing mentorship and college persistence support
      Provides long-term mentoring throughout high school and college, including peer mentorship from alumni, academic and social support during the first year of college, and persistence coaching to increase graduation rates. Mentoring is delivered by current college students, recent graduates, and volunteer professionals, with some relationships lasting up to eight years.
    • Regional college access programs in urban areas
      Operates college access initiatives in Baltimore, New York City, the greater Boston area, and Philadelphia, including summer programs, SAT prep, career exploration, and school partnerships. Served nearly 1,000 students in Baltimore since 2014 and over 1,000 students in NYC and Long Island.
    • Summer residential college access and academic preparation program
      Administers a scholarship-based summer residential program for high school students from disadvantaged communities, hosted on college campuses, focusing on SAT preparation, college application support, and building academic and social readiness for college. The program has served over 500 students since 2013 and operates at institutions such as Colgate University and Mount Holyoke College.
  • Mentorship and Professional Development Programs 1 activity
    • College-to-career transition support
      Runs a College to Career Transitional Mentorship Program that connects college students and recent graduates with volunteer mentors in target career fields and maintains a database of jobs, internships, fellowships, and professional development opportunities launched in 2022.
  • Youth and Student Entrepreneurship Competitions 1 activity
    • Entrepreneurship and personal development programming
      Organizes a one-day startup entrepreneurship fair where students develop business ideas, solve problems, and present to experienced entrepreneurs. Also provides personal development experiences that improve self-esteem, self-belief, critical thinking, and openness to new experiences.
  • Program Evaluation and Impact Research 1 activity
    • Research and program evaluation to improve teaching methods
      Conducts research on teaching methodologies to enhance academic programming and has received top rankings in all categories of the Johns Hopkins Center for Research and Reform in Education's Design Review.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • SAT score improvement and test preparation instruction
      Delivers intensive SAT instruction resulting in measurable score gains, including an average increase of 145 points among Baltimore students (2016–2020) and reported gains of up to 710 points overall. Instruction is supported by staff with extensive teaching experience, including over 10,000 hours of SAT tutoring in NYC and Long Island.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$597K
Contributions & grants$394K66%
Program service revenue$188K32%
Investment income$9K2%
Other revenue$5K
expenses
Total expenses$767K
Program expenses53%
Admin / overhead30%
Fundraising18%
Salaries & benefits$503K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$188K
Cash$119K
Investments$0
Liabilities$11K
Net assets$177K
Liquid reserves1.9 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -62.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
ALYSSA BOWLBY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40 $165K
board members · 10
  • ANN TAYLOR — TREASURER
  • ASNA JADEJA — DIRECTOR
  • CARMEN BRYANT — PRESIDENT
  • DANIEL HAMMOND — DIRECTOR
  • JACOB MAX ROSEN — DIRECTOR
  • JESSICA PATEL — DIRECTOR
  • KATHERINE MACLEOD — DIRECTOR
  • KRISTIN KRAMER — DIRECTOR
  • OKWUDIRI ONYEDUM — DIRECTOR
  • PAULA MCCREE — DIRECTOR
relationships · 39

Who they work with

  • Alyssa Partner — Staff member or mentor who maintains long-term contact with students and is referenced as a key figure in their ongoing development.
  • Alyssa Bowlby Partner — Co-founder and Executive Director of Yleana Leadership Foundation.
  • Augusta Fells Savage Institute of Visual Arts Partner — Partner school collaborating with Yleana Leadership Foundation
  • Baltimore City Public Schools Partner — Partner organization supporting student participation in Yleana programs
  • Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women Partner — Partner school collaborating with Yleana Leadership Foundation
  • Baltimore Polytechnic Institute Partner — Partner school collaborating with Yleana Leadership Foundation
  • Baltimore SquashWise Partner — Partner organization collaborating with Yleana Leadership Foundation
  • Baltimore high schools Partner — Partnership with high schools in Baltimore to support students through college access and success.
  • Bard Early College High School Partner — Partner school collaborating with Yleana Leadership Foundation
  • Benjamin Franklin High School Partner — Partner school collaborating with Yleana Leadership Foundation
  • Boston/North Shore MA high schools Partner — Partnership with high schools in Boston and North Shore MA to support students through college access and success.
  • Building STEPS Partner — Partner organization collaborating with Yleana Leadership Foundation
  • Carver Vocational Technical High School Partner — Partner school collaborating with Yleana Leadership Foundation
  • Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) Partner — Collaborates with CBOs in target cities to expand reach and support for students.
  • Coppin Academy Partner — Partner school collaborating with Yleana Leadership Foundation
  • Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Partner — Partner school collaborating with Yleana Leadership Foundation
  • Daniel Hammond Partner — Co-founder of Yleana Leadership Foundation and son of Elda Yleana Arce.
  • Green Street Academy Partner — Partner school collaborating with Yleana Leadership Foundation
  • Haverford College Network — Alyssa Atan Bowlby, co-founder and executive director, holds an undergraduate degree from Haverford College.
  • I Am O'Kah! Inc. Partner — Partner organization collaborating with Yleana Leadership Foundation
  • Johns Hopkins Center for Research and Reform in Education Partner — Conducted a design review of YLEANA Leadership Foundation's programming, resulting in the highest rankings across all categories.
  • KIPP Baltimore KIPP Through College Partner — Partner organization collaborating with Yleana Leadership Foundation
  • Mergenthaler-Vocational Technical High School Partner — Partner school collaborating with Yleana Leadership Foundation
  • NYC high schools Partner — Partnership with high schools in New York City to support students through college access and success.
  • National Academy Foundation Partner — Partner organization collaborating with Yleana Leadership Foundation
  • Partner organization Partner — Provided a testimonial regarding student outcomes and program impact
  • Paul Laurence Dunbar High School Partner — Partner school collaborating with Yleana Leadership Foundation
  • Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University Network — Alyssa Atan Bowlby, co-founder and executive director, earned a master's degree from the Peabody Institute.
  • Philadelphia high schools Partner — Partnership with high schools in Philadelphia to support students through college access and success.
  • REACH! Partnership School Partner — Partner school collaborating with Yleana Leadership Foundation
+ 9 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.

  • Education as a Lever for Racial Wealth Gap Reduction
    methodology: education_for_economic_mobility
    By targeting the educational opportunity gap with high-quality college preparation for Black and brown students, the organization aims to improve college selectivity, graduation rates, and post-graduation earnings because equitable access to elite institutions disrupts intergenerational poverty and advances economic mobility.
  • Holistic Youth Development with Mental Health Integration
    methodology: holistic_youth_development
    By integrating mental health support, personal development, and academic rigor through frameworks like the Eight Pillars and strengths-based learning, the organization improves college persistence and life outcomes because addressing the whole person reduces barriers to learning and builds resilience.
  • Peer-Powered Mentorship Model
    methodology: peer_mentorship_model
    By engaging alumni as peer mentors, the organization creates a sustainable cycle of support that enhances incoming students' college readiness and long-term success, because relatable near-peer relationships increase trust, engagement, and aspirational identification.
  • Socratic and Inquiry-Based Learning for Critical Thinking
    methodology: socratic_inquiry_learning
    By using the Socratic method, two-footed questioning, and design thinking, the organization fosters critical thinking, self-efficacy, and real-world problem-solving skills because guiding students to discover insights through inquiry builds deeper cognitive engagement than passive instruction.