High-tech High Heels

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
472666271
IRS 990 coverage
2016–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-EZ 2015, Form 990-N 2014
Location
Dallas, TX, USA
Phone
2143260479
Rating
66
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Science and Technology N.E.C.

Reported finances

Revenue
$94,162
Expenses
$58,558
Assets
$179,149
Liabilities
$250

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

26 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • LAURA STEFFEK (PRESIDENT)

People named in this filing

  • GENEVIEVE CARDILE (DIRECTOR)
  • JANNE ACKERMAN (DIRECTOR)
  • CAROLYN TOBIN (DIRECTOR)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The organization's primary exempt purpose is to close the gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and math (stem). It acheives this mission by making grants to non-profit organizations that offer proven programs for educators and students that increase the number of girls graduating from high school and entering a college-level degree program in stem. In 2019, the organization received a group exemption letter pursuant to rev. Proc. 80-27 and established subordinate organizations in Texas and in California. In 2021 the organization established a new subordinate organization in bellaire Texas and one in denver Colorado. This organization will serve as the central organization and will have general oversight of the administration and programs of the subordinate organizations. It's intention is to establish additional subordinate organizations in other geographic areas in the future.

What it reported doing in 2024

Many years before high tech high heels (hthh) was organized, a donor-advised fund was established through the dallas woman's foundation to support organizations that are dedicated to closing the gender gap in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (stem). In 2014 the major leaders of the donor-advised fund established high-tech high heels to support this mission and to provide additional fundraising opportunities. The donor-advised fund was transferred from dallas woman's foundation to communities foundation of Texas (cft). Cft managed the donor advised fund in partnership with hthh. Hthh also established a designated fund with cft for the purpose of accumulating funds to cover operating expenses and to support future grant-making. The donor-advised fund was depleted during 2019 and control of the designated fund was transferred to the north Texas chapter. Additionally, during the previous year, the organization transferred $287,269 of its own funds to the north Texas chapter to be used for future grant-making. In 2019, the organization received a group exemption letter pursuant to rev. Proc. 80-27 and established subordinate organizations in Texas and in California. Since then, additional chapters in Texas and Colorado have been established. This organization will serve as the central organization and will have general oversight of the administration and programs of the subordinate organizations. It's intention is to establish additional subordinate organizations in other geographic areas in the future.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 94% 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.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of total spending goes to programs and the filed numbers largely add up. A relatively small share of voting board members are independent and a relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 71
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 30
  • Sustainability: 62
  • Growth: 20

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 54.8%; rating input score 55
  • Program expense ratio: 88%; rating input score 88
  • Fundraising efficiency: $639.85 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 98; 98th 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: 0%; rating input score 0; 9th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 5 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 71
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 37.8%; rating input score 83; 83rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 3.06; rating input score 41; 41st percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 34; 34th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 60; 60th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -25% per year; rating input score 0; 14th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -13% per year; rating input score 0; 27th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 8.9% per year; rating input score 100; 78th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 54.8% of revenue deployed · 88% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 0 of 26 board members independent · 5 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $52K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 26 people listed
  • Consistency: 22 of 22 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 9 filing years from 2016 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: Resolved incoming and outgoing counterparties from filed money flows.
  • 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 — Accountability: Independent voting board scored 0/100.
  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 55/100.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 41/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 34/100.