Lend a Hand Foundation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
943293372
IRS 990 coverage
2019–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Location
Oakland, CA, USA
Phone
5105531262
Rating
84
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Human Services N.E.C.

Reported finances

Revenue
$605,622
Expenses
$541,801
Assets
$135,388
Liabilities
$10,187

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

Leadership & pay

12 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • Charlotte Potente (President)
  • Lorelei Self (Vice President)

Highest reported compensation

  • Dee Johnson (Executive Dir.): $72,000 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

To enhance the quality of life of underserved children, youth and families in Oakland and Alameda County California by offering educational support, financial literacy, health and wellness resources, basic needs, and cultural and community engagement activities.

What it reported doing in 2025

JOY OF GIVING - Days of giving from November 23 - December 20 Over 300 individuals were served a healthy meal at the Joy of Giving event on December 14. Children received new coats, toys and much more. Distributed over 300 turkeys and pantry staples to families in need, ensuring meals for Thanksgiving and beyond. Purchased and distributed 442 coats and pajamas to children, keeping them warm during the colder months. Provided gifts to 55 teens, 110 families, and 75 seniors across multiple events, including Winter Wonderland and various community outreach initiatives. Delivered over 200 complete outfits to students at Madison Primary Academy. Delivered toys and stuffed animals to Childrens Hospital, Kaiser Hospital, and Markham school as well as meals to senior facilities.COMMUNITY CLOSETSThe Lend A Hand Foundation supports five Oakland Unified School District(OUSD) schools, serving approximately 750 underserved students eachquarterand often more frequentlyto help remove barriers that hinder schoolattendance, participation, and academic success. Our Community Closets provide essential items to students, including many who are unhoused, and, at times, extend support to their families. These resources include:* Clothing: Coats, shirts, pants, dresses, and more* Hygiene Essentials: Toiletries, laundry supplies* Comfort Items: Blankets, backpacks* School Supplies: Notebooks, pencils, and other educational materialsBy ensuring access to these necessities, we help students focus on learning andthriving in school.BACK TO SCHOOL - Back to School provided backpacks of school supplies to 12,000 underserved students.OTHER COMMUNITY SUPPORT ACTIVITIESContinued providing resources to variousschools (5) Frick, Madison Primary, Madison Upper, ManzanitaCommunity, West Oakland Middle* Provided snacks to Frick Middle School for several months to over300 middle school students* Provided over 1,200 pairs of shoes to McKinney Vento Students andothers in need* Held Resource Fairs for low-income families quarterly* Escorted families to Golden State Warrior games and other activities* Held skills activity at Reach Academy for lower grade to learn projectskills* Attended Oakland Unified School District Trades Fair* Held special Women and Childrens Resource Fair

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 85% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Hybrid. The nonprofit split its reported program spending across 46% for direct work, and 54% for grants.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered and total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 82
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 79
  • Sustainability: 38
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 80.5%; rating input score 81
  • Program expense ratio: 90%; rating input score 90
  • Fundraising efficiency: $23.81 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 60; 60th 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: 100%; rating input score 100; 78th percentile among comparable filings
  • 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: 4 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Fail
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 10.5%; rating input score 57; 57th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.25; rating input score 13; 13th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.08; rating input score 38; 38th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 13.3%; rating input score 28; 28th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 11.5% per year; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 12.3% per year; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 10.6% per year; rating input score 100; 57th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 80.5% of revenue deployed · 90% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 10 of 10 board members independent · 4 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $488K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $72K · 12 people listed
  • Consistency: 28 of 28 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 6 filing years from 2019 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • 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.

  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 3 of 7 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 13/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 57/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 28/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 38/100.