Arizona Center for Empowerment

Overview

Mission

Empowering arizonas low to moderate income families, especially members of the large and diverse latino and immigrant communities, to overcome effects of social and economic injustice and create opportunities and benefits for their communities.

What it reported doing in 2024

Ace conducted nonpartisan educational efforts at the Arizona state legislature and, in partnership with the people first economy coalition, helped community members access clear information on issues affecting them. Ace completed 218 community events to educate the community through events such as money talks, jefas events, and large-scale free community concerts to encourage voter turnout. Ace also completed 7,861 voter registration cards during our voter education campaign, voteria.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 96% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Hybrid. The nonprofit split its reported program spending across 75% for direct work, and 25% for grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
272366780
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Headquarters
Phoenix, AZ, USA
Phone
6023889745
Rating
72
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Minority Rights

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 55
  • Transparency & Controls: 79
  • Accountability: 84
  • Sustainability: 93
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 28.3%; rating input score 28
  • Program expense ratio: 92.1%; rating input score 92
  • Fundraising efficiency: $78.35 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 82; 82nd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 80%; rating input score 80; 15th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 72.5%; rating input score 97; 97th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 8.76; rating input score 90; 90th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 89; 89th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 1%; rating input score 85; 85th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 22.2% per year; rating input score 100; 91st percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 21.6% per year; rating input score 100; 93rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 25% per year; rating input score 100; 93rd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 28.3% of revenue deployed · 92.1% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 4 of 5 board members independent · 8 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $3M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $184K · 6 people listed · 2 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 2 contractors listed · $985K reported
  • Consistency: 28 of 28 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 9 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 11 annual filings from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 3 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 2 filed related-organization links
  • 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

6 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • ALEJANDRA GOMEZ (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $184,204 total reported compensation
  • MONTSERRAT ARREDONDO (DIRECTOR FROM 12/10/24): $32,311 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.