Form 990 for tax year 2023

Totals

Total revenue

$3,820,150

Total expenses

$2,802,672

Contributions and grants received

$3,803,585

Grants paid

$0

Program service revenue

$0

Investment income

$89

Other revenue

$16,476

Total assets, end of year

$1,996,978

Total liabilities, end of year

$171,978

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$1,825,000

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$1,890,984

Management and general expenses

$359,809

Fundraising expenses

$551,879

Program service expenses (Part III)

$1,890,984

Program services were 67.5% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Mission and programs · 2023

• LEDA SCHOLARS PROGRAMSUMMER INSTITUTE:THIS YEAR'S SUMMER INSTITUTE WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT THE PROGRAM TOOK PLACE ON TWO CAMPUSES, WITH THE FINAL WEEK HOSTED AT YALE. LEDA WORKED IN CLOSE PARTNERSHIP WITH BOTH PRINCETON AND YALE STAFF TO ENSURE THAT OUR SCHOLARS WOULD BE ABLE TO TRANSITION CAMPUSES WITH THE LEAST DISRUPTION POSSIBLE, AND FEEDBACK FROM COHORT 20 INDICATED THAT BOTH THE TRANSITION AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE TWO CAMPUSES WERE AN OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE EXPERIENCE. LEDA STAFF ALSO ADAPTED THE FIVE-WEEK SUMMER INSTITUTE CURRICULUM TO ACCOMMODATE THE CHANGE IN VENUE FOR THE FINAL WEEK OF THE PROGRAM. (CONT'D ON SCH O)ONE OF THE PRIMARY ASSESSMENT TOOLS FOR THE ASPECTS OF LEADERSHIP SUMMER INSTITUTE IS A SURVEY CONDUCTED AT THE END OF THE PROGRAM. THE SURVEY ADMINISTERED DURING THE GRANT PERIOD SHOWS IMPROVEMENT ACROSS NEARLY ALL CATEGORIES; IN THE CONTEXT OF A REDUCTION IN PROGRAM TIME DUE TO THE CAMPUS TRANSITION, THESE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT CURRICULUM UPDATES HAVE BEEN EFFECTIVE. THE SURVEY INDICATED THAT 100% OF SCHOLARS ARE CONFIDENT THAT LEDA'S PROGRAMMING WILL HELP THEM HAVE A GREATER POSITIVE IMPACT ON THEIR COMMUNITIES. 99% ALSO CONFIRMED THAT LEDA CLASSES IMPROVED THEIR WRITING SKILLS, AND 90% FURTHER AGREED THAT LEDA HELPED THEM BETTER UNDERSTAND THE ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS AT SELECTIVE COLLEGES. 100% STATED THAT LEDA'S COLLEGE GUIDANCE SERVICES HAD EXPANDED THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF THE INSTITUTIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO THEM. ADDITIONALLY, 99% OF SCHOLARS WOULD RECOMMEND LEDA TO OTHER STUDENTS, AND 100% OF SCHOLARS FELT FULLY HEARD AND SUPPORTED BY LEDA STAFF THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER. RECRUITMENT & ADMISSIONS:OUR RECRUITMENT & ADMISSIONS TEAM LAUNCHED THE 2023-2024 LEDA APPLICATION IN SEPTEMBER 2023 AND BUILT ON THE ROBUST VIRTUAL OUTREACH NETWORK IT HAD PUT INTO PLACE OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. ULTIMATELY, THIS LED TO 1,115 COMPLETE APPLICATIONS BY THE END OF THE RECRUITMENT PHASE IN MID-DECEMBER. COHORT 20 SCHOLARS COME FROM 40 U.S. STATES AND TERRITORIES, INCLUDING WASHINGTON D.C. AND OUR FIRST SCHOLARS FROM AMERICAN SAMOA AND VERMONT. 77% OF THEM WILL BE FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS. 58% IDENTIFY AS FEMALE AND 42% AS MALE. COHORT 20'S HOUSEHOLDS HAVE AN AVERAGE INCOME OF $41,559 (MEDIAN $38,223), AND 67% SPEAK A NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGE AT HOME, REPRESENTING 17 DISTINCT LANGUAGES. 19% OF COHORT 20 SCHOLARS WERE BORN OUTSIDE OF THE U.S. COLLEGE GUIDANCE:IN THE FALL OF 2023, THE COLLEGE GUIDANCE TEAM BEGAN SUPPORTING SCHOLARS DURING THE MOST ACTIVE PHASE OF THE COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS, BUILDING ON THE SKILLS AND CONTENT KNOWLEDGE THAT LEDA COHORT 19 DEVELOPED DURING THE 2023 ASPECTS OF LEADERSHIP SUMMER INSTITUTE. 70 SCHOLARS PARTICIPATED IN THE EARLY ADMISSIONS PROCESS, AND 48 WERE ADMITTED. SOME OF THE MOST HIGHLY REPRESENTED COLLEGES INCLUDE STANFORD (10 ADMITTED) AND YALE (NINE ADMITTED). ADDITIONAL COLLEGES WHERE LEDA SCHOLARS WERE ADMITTED EARLY INCLUDE BROWN, CORNELL, GEORGETOWN, HARVARD, MIT, PRINCETON, UGA, UNC CHAPEL HILL, UVA, AND WAKE FOREST. THESE EARLY ADMISSIONS OUTCOMES ARE COMPARABLE TO THOSE OF PRIOR YEARS (60 EARLY APPLICANTS AND 35 ADMITTED IN THE 2022-2023 CYCLE), THOUGH ALSO CONTINUING A MULTI-YEAR TREND OF AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF SCHOLARS WHO CHOOSE TO APPLY EARLY. THE PROCESS CONCLUDED IN THE SPRING, WITH LEDA'S COLLEGE GUIDANCE TEAM HELPING COHORT 19 SCHOLARS EVALUATE THEIR ADMISSION OFFERS AND FINANCIAL AID PACKAGES. 98% OF COHORT 19 SCHOLARS WERE ADMITTED TO AT LEAST ONE OF THE TOP 100 COLLEGES IN THE U.S., INCLUDING 57% WHO WERE ADMITTED TO AN IVY, STANFORD, OR MIT. AFTER CONSULTING WITH THE COLLEGE GUIDANCE TEAM TO EVALUATE THEIR ACADEMIC AND FINANCIAL AID OPTIONS, 100% OF COHORT 19 MATRICULATED AT A COLLEGE THAT THEY DETERMINED WOULD BEST FIT THEIR NEEDS, INCLUDING 90% WHO ULTIMATELY CHOSE TO ATTEND A TOP-100 INSTITUTION. COLLEGE SUCCESS:DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD, LEDA'S COLLEGE SUCCESS STAFF CONDUCTED REGULAR CHECK-INS WITH UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARS, COMPLETING 435 MEETINGS DURING THE ACADEMIC YEAR. 87% OF NEW FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS OPTED INTO THE LEDA PEER MENTOR PROGRAM FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT. THESE STUDENTS WERE PAIRED WITH OLDER LEDA STUDENTS, WITH AN EMPHASIS PLACED ON PROVIDING ONE MENTEE PER MENTOR AND PAIRING STUDENTS ON THE SAME CAMPUS. PEER MENTORS CONDUCTED 297 PEER-MENTOR CHECK-INS DURING THE YEAR. AS IN THE PAST, COLLEGE SUCCESS STAFF ALSO PROVIDED SPECIALIZED SUPPORT FOR GRADUATING SENIORS, HELPING THEM PLAN FOR EITHER GRADUATE SCHOOL OR ENTERING THE WORKFORCE, WITH REFERRALS TO LEDA'S CAREER AND ALUMNI SERVICES TEAM AND LOCAL CAMPUS RESOURCES AS APPROPRIATE. THE COLLEGE SUCCESS TEAM ALSO CONDUCTED CAMPUS VISITS, WHICH INCLUDED INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS AND COMMUNITY EVENTS FOR SCHOLARS AT 14 COLLEGES, INTERACTING WITH NEARLY 200 STUDENTS IN TOTAL. THE TEAM WAS ALSO INSTRUMENTAL IN COORDINATING SCHOLARS WHO ATTENDED LEDA-SPONSORED EVENTS, SUCH AS OUR 20TH ANNIVERSARY ANNUAL CELEBRATION IN MAY 2024.

  Expenses $1,542,141

• LEDA 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.

  Expenses $348,843

As filed on the 2023 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

• DAVID GARZA

  EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

  Total calculated

  $195,700

  From this org

  $179,110

  From related orgs

  $0

  Other

  $16,590

  Hours/week

  40

  Schedule J breakdown matched by us

  Base

  $179,110

  Bonus

  $0

  Other

  $0

  Deferred

  $5,700

  Nontaxable benefits

  $10,890

  Filer's total

  $195,700

• ILANA GOLDMAN

  CHAIR / INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

  Total calculated

  $32,089

  From this org

  $31,154

  From related orgs

  $0

  Other

  $935

  Hours/week

  8

• ERIC MENDEZ

  TREASURER

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  3

• EDEN ABRAHAMS

  TRUSTEE

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  1

• LAWRENCE BASCOM

  TRUSTEE

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  1

• ANDERS BRAG

  TRUSTEE

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  1

• SENDER COHEN

  TRUSTEE

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  1

• JORDAN DICKSON

  TRUSTEE

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  1

• ALEXANDRA ENGLER

  TRUSTEE

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  1

• ANDREW FISHER

  TRUSTEE

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  1

• FREDERICK FOGEL

  TRUSTEE

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  1

• LUCY FRIEDMAN

  TRUSTEE

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  1

• JESSE FURMAN

  TRUSTEE

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  1

• GUSTAVO GONZALEZ

  TRUSTEE

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  1

• YELKA KAMARA

  TRUSTEE

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  1

• PIOTR KAMINSKI

  TRUSTEE

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  1

• SHULAMIT LEVIANT

  TRUSTEE

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  1

• CRISTINA PIERETTI

  TRUSTEE

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  1

• JOHN ROBERTS

  TRUSTEE

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  1

• ELIZABETH SALINAS

  TRUSTEE

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  1

• LEX SUVANTO

  TRUSTEE

  Total calculated

  $0

  Hours/week

  1

• TARA GELLENE

  SENIOR DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS

  Total calculated

  $125,352

  From this org

  $114,177

  From related orgs

  $0

  Other

  $11,175

  Hours/week

  40

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type

form_990

Tax year

2023

Filed

10 July 2025

IRS schema version

2023v6.0

Source object

202531959349302003

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