Charities United States International First Ladies Initiative
First Ladies Initiative logo

First Ladies Initiative

The First Ladies Initiative supports first ladies individually and collectively in their efforts to advance positive change in their communities and around the world.

International Los Angeles, CA EIN 454323493 · IRS Sign up to see website
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90
Integrity Assessment
Strong transparency
90/100 · methodology

About First Ladies Initiative

Identifyandcul­tivatewomenlea­dersacrossAfri­catosupportthe­awarenessofand­eliminationofn­eglectedtropic­aldiseasesNTDs­.

Founded
Headquarters
Los Angeles, CA
Foundation type
Publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2))
NTEE code
Q32
IRS subsection
501(c)(03)
Ruling date

Verified certifications

Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.

IRS Tax-Deductible since 2012

Mission

The First Ladies Initiative supports first ladies individually and collectively in their efforts to advance positive change in their communities and around the world.

Focus areas & reach

· What they work on and where
🌍 International · NTEE Q32

How it stacks up against peers

· vs. 8 similar international in United States
Program spending This charity: 95%
Peer average: 93%
CEO comp as % of revenue This charity: 11.47%
Peer average: 0.48%
Integrity Assessment This charity: 90
Peer average: 90

Red flags

· 1 item
High Executive Pay
Top executive compensation is 16.3% of total expenses ($61,486 of $376,069).

Where every $1 goes

$0.95
Program expenses$0.95 ($330,823)
95% to programs beats the peer average (93%) and beats the Charity Navigator "highly efficient" threshold (75%).

Common questions

· Auto-generated from filings + methodology

First Ladies Initiative is a registered international nonprofit based in Los Angeles, CA, United States. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It was founded in 2011 and has been operating for 15 years. Its EIN is 454323493. It has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 90/100 (Strong transparency), indicating well-documented governance, financials, and contact details. The organization reports $536K in annual revenue. 26 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. GiveRadar has identified 1 potential concern.

First Ladies Initiative has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 90/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 90 ('Strong transparency') reflects well-documented governance, recent financials, named leadership, and working contact details. The charity allocates 95% of expenses to programs, which contributes positively to its score. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for international charities in United States is 90/100.

First Ladies Initiative is located in Los Angeles, CA, United States. The organization was established in 2011 and has been active for 15 years.

Based on official tax filings, First Ladies Initiative has $536K in annual revenue. It allocates 95% of expenses to programs and services. This is in line with the average of 93% for international charities in United States. Its revenue is below the peer average of $5M. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.

First Ladies Initiative is classified as a International organization, registered in United States. It operates as a Publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)). It has $536K in annual revenue. The organization has 26 disclosed officers and directors.

GiveRadar has identified 1 potential concern for First Ladies Initiative. Red flags are automatically detected from official data and may include high executive compensation relative to budget, low program spending, or missing financial filings. Red flags do not necessarily mean wrongdoing but indicate areas that may warrant further review before donating.

First Ladies Initiative has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 90/100 (Strong transparency), which suggests it is a well-documented organization. It is regulated by the IRS. 95% of expenses go to programs. The peer average is 93%. Visit the First Ladies Initiative profile on GiveRadar for full details before deciding. GiveRadar provides data for research purposes and does not endorse any organization. Always do your own due diligence.

IdentifyandcultivatewomenleadersacrossAfricatosupporttheawarenessofandeliminationofneglectedtropicaldiseasesNTDs. First Ladies Initiative is classified as a international organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 2011.

Among international charities registered in United States: First Ladies Initiative's GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 90/100 is in line with the peer average of 90/100. It allocates 95% of expenses to programs, in line with the peer average of 93%. Its annual revenue of $536K is below the peer average of $5M.

Yes, donations to First Ladies Initiative are generally tax-deductible in the United States. First Ladies Initiative is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Its EIN is 454323493, which you can use for tax filing purposes. Donors can typically deduct contributions on their federal income tax return if they itemize deductions. Consult a tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Verified against 5 official sources, last refreshed .

Annual revenue
$100K-$1M
95% to programs
Source: IRS 990 (FY2025) why this matters
Unlock exact figures

Filing history

5 years on file from IRS 990 (FY2025): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.

Years on record: FY2025, FY2024, FY2023, FY2022, FY2021.
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Taxes

Tax-deductibility for donors

Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United States under local rules. Confirm with the charity directly.

Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.

Leadership

LA
Lawrence Ham
Director

Officers & trustees (6)

Source: Public filings

CA
Cathy W••••
Director
CO
Cora N••••••
Director
GE
Gery R•••
Director
JE
Jennifer V•• D••••
Secretary
LA
Lawrence H••
Chief Financial Officer
NI
Nicole F•••• B••••••
Executive Director
Full names, contact details & compensation

Free with an account.

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Latest news

From global news sources

10 articles found

From global news sources

Sentiment

Neutral

L’ISM : Vers une gestion proactive de la migration interne à Madagascar - Capmad.com

www.capmad.com · · Neutral

First Ladies and the People Who Tell Their Stories - East Wing Magazine

www.eastwingmagazine.com · · Neutral

Sokhna Maïmouna Diop à la tête de NSIA Banque Sénégal - Capmad.com

www.capmad.com · · Neutral

Conference to Celebrate 250 Years of First Ladies - East Wing Magazine

www.eastwingmagazine.com · · Neutral

Senator Rasha Kelej (Ret.) received Kenya First Lady at the 7th Edition of Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative Summit to discuss their joint programs to build healthcare capacity - Africa24 TV

africa24tv.com · · Positive

Senator Rasha Kelej received Zimbabwe First Lady at the 7th Edition of Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative Summit to discuss the strategy to reshape patient care in Zimbabwe and celebrate the success of their joint programs - Africa24 TV

africa24tv.com · · Positive

Merck Foundation Luminary in The Gambia Drives 2026 Strategy Through First Ladies Platform - The Voice of Africa

thevoiceofafrica.com · · Neutral

Merck Foundation Chief Executive Officer (CEO) meets The First Lady of Angola & 13 African and Asian First Ladies of Africa at the Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative Summit 2025 - Africa24 TV

africa24tv.com · · Neutral

Banque Atlantique Cameroun : Aminatou Njikam nommée DGA - Capmad.com

www.capmad.com · · Neutral

UNESCO : Ibrahim Magassa nommé Ambassadeur de bonne volonté pour l’Afrique - Capmad.com

www.capmad.com · · Neutral

Activity timeline

Filings and press mentions, merged

L’ISM : Vers une gestion proactive de la migration interne à Madagascar - Capmad.com
May 2026
www.capmad.com
First Ladies and the People Who Tell Their Stories - East Wing Magazine
May 2026
www.eastwingmagazine.com
Sokhna Maïmouna Diop à la tête de NSIA Banque Sénégal - Capmad.com
May 2026
www.capmad.com
Conference to Celebrate 250 Years of First Ladies - East Wing Magazine
Apr 2026
www.eastwingmagazine.com
Senator Rasha Kelej (Ret.) received Kenya First Lady at the 7th Edition of Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative Summ
Mar 2026
africa24tv.com
Senator Rasha Kelej received Zimbabwe First Lady at the 7th Edition of Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative Summit t
Mar 2026
africa24tv.com
Merck Foundation Luminary in The Gambia Drives 2026 Strategy Through First Ladies Platform - The Voice of Africa
Mar 2026
thevoiceofafrica.com
Merck Foundation Chief Executive Officer (CEO) meets The First Lady of Angola & 13 African and Asian First Ladies of Afr
Mar 2026
africa24tv.com
Banque Atlantique Cameroun : Aminatou Njikam nommée DGA - Capmad.com
Mar 2026
www.capmad.com
UNESCO : Ibrahim Magassa nommé Ambassadeur de bonne volonté pour l’Afrique - Capmad.com
Mar 2026
www.capmad.com
Form filed
$0.5M revenue
FY2025
IRS_990
Form filed
$0.2M revenue
FY2024
IRS_990
Form filed
$0.3M revenue
FY2023
IRS_990
Form filed
$0.2M revenue
FY2022
IRS_990
Form filed
$0.1M revenue
FY2021
IRS_990

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Peer charities

Other international in United States, by integrity assessment

Charity Score Revenue Program %
First Ladies Initiative This page 90 $536,180 95%
Full Gospel Business Mens Fellowship International - Usa … 93 $157,607 84%
Mooncatcher Project Inc 90 $223,917 97%
Life Center Ethiopia 90 $372,412 90%
Fields of Abundance Mission 90 $162,732 94%
Arlene Campbell Humanitarian Foundation 90 $242,104 96%
Inventions for Good Inc 90 $214,826 99%
Chalice of Mercy Inc 90 $396,335 82%
Amazing Grace Childrens Charities 89 $145,369 98%

Sources and verification

Refreshed

Registration and legal identity
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search
Financial filings
IRS Form 990 filings - Fiscal year 2025 most recent on file.
Officers and trustees
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search - 26 disclosed in the public registry.
News and media coverage
GDELT Project + Google News
Supplementary verification
Charity Navigator

Data freshness

Last updated
May 27, 2026
Profile completeness
100%

What we don't know

Honest gaps - our score reflects transparency, not impact

Programs & projects
No named programs listed by the charity
Operating reach
Countries where programs run not specified

Methodology

GiveRadar combines public registry filings, ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, Charity Navigator, GuideStar, and news archives into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.

Read full methodology

Quick facts about First Ladies Initiative

What is First Ladies Initiative?
First Ladies Initiative is a international publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)) based in Los Angeles, United States. IdentifyandcultivatewomenleadersacrossAfricatosupporttheawarenessofandeliminationofneglectedtropicaldiseasesNTDs.
When was First Ladies Initiative founded?
First Ladies Initiative was founded in 2011.
Who leads First Ladies Initiative?
Lawrence Ham serves as Director.
Where is First Ladies Initiative located?
Headquartered in Los Angeles, United States.
What is First Ladies Initiative's annual budget?
Annual revenue for fiscal year 2025 is approximately $100K-$1M. 95% of expenses go to program services.
Is First Ladies Initiative trustworthy?
First Ladies Initiative has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 90 out of 100 (Strong transparency). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
What is First Ladies Initiative's registration number?
IRS EIN: 454323493.
What is First Ladies Initiative's website?
http://www.gfla.org