Community Initiatives

What it reported doing in 2024

Community initiatives partners with more than 170 community-based projects working at the forefront of change. Across issue areas including education, health, environment, arts and culture, social justice, and youth development, these projects are responding to urgent needs, advancing innovative solutions, and strengthening communities every day. From expanding access to education and healthcare to protecting the environment, uplifting local artists, supporting families, and advancing equity, community initiatives' projects are deeply embedded in the communities they serve and are driving meaningful, measurable impact.through fiscal sponsorship, community initiatives provides the infrastructure, compliance, and operational support that allow these projects to focus on what matters most: their mission. By reducing administrative barriers and strengthening organizational capacity, community initiatives helps projects grow sustainably, deepen their reach, and accelerate their impact. To further expand the broader impact within the nonprofit sector, community initiatives stewards and manages philanthropic funds that resource and expand this work, enabling even more community-led initiatives to extend their reach over time.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 88.3%; rating input score 88
• Program expense ratio: 85.4%; rating input score 85
• Fundraising efficiency: $14.6 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Pass
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: 2 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 25
  • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
  • Requires narrative reports: Fail
  • Conducts field audits: Fail
  • May suspend future funding: Fail
  • Requires financial reports: Fail
  • Conducts site visits: Fail
  • Requires grant agreements: Pass
  • May require repayment: Fail
• Grant itemization coverage: 99.9%; rating input score 100; 46th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th 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: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -2.7%; rating input score 17; 17th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.84; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.11; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 3.4%; rating input score 32; 32nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 12.8% per year; rating input score 100; 83rd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 11.3% per year; rating input score 100; 81st percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 10.5% per year; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings