Faith in Action Alabama

Overview

Mission

Faith in Action Alabama honors God by promoting opportunity across race and class lines throughout Alabama. Vision:** We envision an Alabama where justice, equity, and opportunity are accessible to everyone, regardless of race or class, achieved through the collective power of multiracial and multifaith community organizing. Our Leadership The strength of Faith in Action Alabama lies in our powerful volunteer base. Our comprehensive leadership development program is designed to build the capacity of individuals from diverse faith traditions and backgrounds, empowering them to become effective advocates and organizers. We uplift diverse voices, ensuring that our movement is truly representative of the communities we serve. Typically, each year, over 250 grassroots residents participate in the organ.

What it reported doing in 2025

Peoples Agenda Campagin: In 2025, Faith in Action Alabama launched its Peoples Agenda Campaign. Through a 2022 listening campaign in which over 450 Alabamians participated, Faith in Action Alabamas volunteers identifed through three core community aspirations, which inform Faith in Action Alabamas Peoples Agenda. The Peoples Agenda consists of the following three volunteers identifed through three core community aspirations, which inform Faith in Action Alabamas Peoples Agenda. The Peoples Agenda consists of the following three priorities: (1) develop a thriving public school system, across zip code lines; (2) increase state investment in Alabamas low- and moderate-income communities; and (3) create a just state justice system. In 2025, Faith in Action Alabama began conducting research to identify potential state legislative reforms that would meaningfully address the priorites of the organizations Peoples Agenda. This research action included meetings with legislators and experts in public school education, economic development, and justice. In additon, in 2025, Faith in Action Alabama held a two-day conference, which was attended by over 70 volunteers, that highlighted Faith in Action Alabamas 2026 strategy to raise awareness about its Peoples Agenda. The conference included community organizing trainings to help prepare the volunteers to move forward Faith in Action Alabamas Peoples Agenda Campaign in 2026.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 99% 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.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
201667945
IRS 990 coverage
2017–2025
Official website data refreshed
Sep 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2025, Form 990-EZ 2015, Form 990-N 2010
Headquarters
Birmingham, AL, United States
Phone
205.451.3352
Rating
58
Verdict
MIXED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Alliance/Advocacy
Affiliation
Religious (unspecified)

Official website

The verdict

MIXED - The filed numbers largely add up and program spending has grown recently. 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: 49
  • Transparency & Controls: 90
  • Accountability: 23
  • Sustainability: 46
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 48.9%; rating input score 49
  • Program expense ratio: 51.9%; rating input score 52
  • Fundraising efficiency: $11.58 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 38; 38th 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: Limited
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 0%; rating input score 0; 7th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 5 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 56
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 6.5%; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.17; rating input score 49; 49th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 64; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 21.5%; rating input score 15; 15th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 12.9% per year; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 15% per year; rating input score 100; 73rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 18.2% per year; rating input score 100; 75th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: 1 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 1 operating location identified
  • Where the money goes: 48.9% of revenue deployed · 51.9% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 0 of 8 board members independent · 5 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $374K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $94K · 11 people listed
  • Consistency: 26 of 26 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 3 filed schedules
  • Filing history: 9 annual filings from 2017 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 3 filed money-flow records
  • 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.

Leadership & pay

11 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • DANIEL SCHWARTZ (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $93,636 total reported compensation
  • RICHARD HARRIS (FINANCIAL OFFICER): $61,000 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2025.