Water Education for Latino Leaders (WELL)

Legal name: Water Education for Latino Leaders

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
843563310
IRS 990 coverage
2021–2024
Official website data refreshed
Jul 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-EZ 2020
Location
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Phone
9096702928
Rating
78
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Human Service Organizations

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,005,945
Expenses
$746,637
Assets
$960,312
Liabilities
$4,301

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

Leadership & pay

10 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • VICTOR GRIEGO (PRESIDENT &)

Highest reported compensation

  • PAUL HERNANDEZ (EXECUTIVE DI): $116,275 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

WELL educates and trains local Latino elected officials about California water policy to promote timely and equitable actions that serve to develop a robust economy, healthy communities, and a resilient environment for all Californians.

What it reported doing in 2024

The California water, wastewater, and energy workforce development program is a statewide initiative dedicated to strengthening California's workforce pipeline and advancing career opportunities across the water and energy sectors. A four-member coalition composed of the african american water education foundation, water education for latino leaders, jewish vocational services, and the California municipal utilities association provides guidance and strategic direction for the program. The program builds pathways for individuals to enter and advance within the water and energy industries-from entry-level to executive positions. The coalition seeks to expand access to technical training, leadership development, and professional growth opportunities that prepare participants to take on critical roles within utilities and related organizations. Through collaborative efforts and innovative programming, the coalition is committed to cultivating a strong, skilled, and forward-looking workforce that reflects the evolving needs of California's water and energy systems.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 84% 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 - The filed numbers largely add up and a large share of total spending goes to programs. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 60
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 90
  • Sustainability: 64
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 55.5%; rating input score 55
  • Program expense ratio: 72%; rating input score 72
  • Fundraising efficiency: $14.95 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 50; 50th 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; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 6 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 75
    • 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: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 25.8%; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.29; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 74; 74th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 15.6%; rating input score 22; 22nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 67% per year; rating input score 100; 97th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 37.8% per year; rating input score 100; 95th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 18.8% per year; rating input score 100; 80th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: 9 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 1 operating location identified
  • Where the money goes: 55.5% of revenue deployed · 72% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 9 of 9 board members independent · 6 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $538K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $116K · 10 people listed
  • Consistency: 25 of 25 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 4 filing years from 2021 to 2024
  • 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.

  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 55/100.
  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 50/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
  • Review — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 51/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 22/100.