Safe Place for Youth Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

Each year, safe place for youth (spy) provides vital resources and housing to over 1,000 young people across los angeles county. Spy's mission is to prevent and end youth homelessness through supportive services, sustainable housing opportunities, community collaboration, and advocacy.with support from board members, donors, volunteers, and partner agencies, spy has grown from a 100%volunteer organization to one with 100+ employees and the following core program components:(see schedule o for continuation)1- emergency (30-90 days) and transitional (1-3 years) housing programs as well as permanent housing through time limited subsidy; 2- access center services: day-services where youth can receive meals, showers, clothing, and hygiene items 7 days a week 3- 1:1 case management to support with the housing search and/or prevention of homelessness; 4- education & employment support to aid with job placement, paid work experience opportunities, and post- secondary education or vocational program enrollment;5- health & wellness care, including access to counseling, substance recovery, psychiatry, sexual health, medical care, and dental care; 6- pregnant & parenting support, ensuring the health of the whole family; 7- street outreach, maintaining a visible presence in the community and connecting youth to services as needed; 8- healing arts, a space for youth to heal among peers and develop rapport with spy staff; 9- youth empowerment, development, and advocacy programming to ensure that the homeless response system caters to the unique needs of youth experiencing homelessness.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 77.2%; rating input score 77
• Program expense ratio: 85.9%; rating input score 86
• Fundraising efficiency: $22.86 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 60; 60th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 4 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 67
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Pass
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• 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; 66th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • 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: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 10.2%; rating input score 68; 68th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.55; rating input score 18; 18th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.24; rating input score 53; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 12.5%; rating input score 13; 13th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 17.6% per year; rating input score 100; 87th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 18% per year; rating input score 100; 90th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 15% per year; rating input score 100; 81st percentile among comparable filings