Dress for Success Triangle NC

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
262229898
IRS 990 coverage
2013–2025
Official website data refreshed
Sep 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Location
Raleigh, NC, US
Phone
919-286-2128
Rating
87
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Personal Social Services

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,338,812
Expenses
$1,668,376
Assets
$1,735,910
Liabilities
$642,685

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

27 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • HEATHER DENNIS (EXECUTIVE DI): $134,561 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

We're champions for women building confidence, careers, and financial mobility through free career coaching, industry certification programs, workplace attire, and community support.

What it reported doing in 2025

A total of 4,556 unique women received one or more of the following services from dress for success triangle in 2025: career coaching: individualized one-on-one coaching to help women identify career goals, develop job search strategies, strengthen resumes, prepare for interviews, and advance their careers. In 2025 we provided 807 career coaching sessions. Image coaching: personalized styling sessions providing workplace-appropriate clothing, styling guidance, and confidence-building to help women prepare for interviews, employment, and career advancement. In 2025 we provided 745 image coaching sessions. Mobile boutique: mobile styling events that bring workplace attire, styling services, and career resources directly to women in communities across central and eastern North Carolina, reducing transportation barriers and expanding access to services. In 2025, 2,585 clients visited one of our mobile boutiques. Going place network: a cohort-based program with weekly sessions offering training, one-on-one career coaching, networking, mock interviews, assessments, and community support. In 2025, there were 101 graduates of gpn. Career pathways: virtual industry panels featuring professionals who share career insights, hiring trends, and advice to help participants explore career opportunities and build professional networks. In 2025, there were 332 participants. Webinars: free virtual career development workshops covering topics such as resumes, interviewing, linkedin, networking, workplace success, financial wellness, and emerging job search strategies. In 2025, 1300 participants attended live sessions or viewed recordings on demand. Google career certificates: self-paced online google career certificate programs that equip participants with in-demand, job-ready skills for high-growth careers. In 2025, 62 women completed 81 google career certificates. Success starter: a foundational career readiness program that helps participants identify career goals, assess their needs, and connect with dress for success triangle's career development services. In 2025, there were 5 participants. Success sprints: half-day career development events featuring workshops, career coaching, employer engagement, resume support, professional styling, and community resources designed to accelerate participants' job search. In 2025, there were 325 participants.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 100% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Expenses are high relative to revenue and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 86
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 22
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 74.2%; rating input score 74
  • Fundraising efficiency: $18.69 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 53; 53rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Fail
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -24.6%; rating input score 5; 5th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.04; rating input score 44; 44th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.37; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 8.1%; rating input score 43; 43rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 3.8% per year; rating input score 100; 30th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 3.5% per year; rating input score 100; 28th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 14.7% per year; rating input score 100; 69th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: 11 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 5 operating locations identified
  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 74.2% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 27 of 27 board members independent · 7 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $1.2M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $135K · 27 people listed
  • Highest-paid contractors: 1 contractor listed · $100K reported
  • Consistency: 32 of 32 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 12 filing years from 2013 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 5/100.
  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 53/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Audit committee oversight not reported.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 44/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 16/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 43/100.