Begin Anew

What it reported doing in 2025

Begin anew (formerly christian women's job corps of middle Tennessee) was established in 1997 and received 501(c)(3) status in 2003. The organization rebranded as begin anew in 2016 and legally changed its name to begin anew in 2024. Begin anew's mission is to empower individuals to overcome obstacles caused by poverty by providing education, mentoring, and resources. The organization serves middle Tennessee through physical locations in davidson county (madison, woodbine, and crieve hall), williamson county (franklin), and through an online campus. Programs serve women and men age 18 and older who are pursuing high school equivalency (hse), english language learning (ell), and computer/job skills (cjs). Individuals of all faiths and cultures are welcome. Hse program offers one-on-one tutoring and small classes to prepare students for high school equivalency exams in reading, language, math, science, and social studies. Begin anew administers placement and practice assessments and guides students through the testing process. Students typically complete the hse program within approximately 18 months. Ell classes are offered at three levels: level 1 (beginner) and level 2 (intermediate), each consisting of 10 units of 8 lessons, and level 3 (advanced), consisting of 8 units of 5 lessons. Instruction focuses on practical life and workplace applications, including communication in healthcare settings, emergency situations, and employment contexts. As students advance, emphasis shifts toward workforce communication. Each ell level can be completed in approximately 9 months. Cjs program provides instruction in basic computer applications such as microsoft office and google workspace, along with essential life and workforce skills including rsum preparation, interview techniques, and goal setting. Students typically complete this program in about 3 months. 2025 program highlights in 2025, begin anew experienced a year of significant growth and transformation, resulting in strong outcomes for students served. The organization served 460 adults, with 73% making forward progress or graduating. Begin anew remains committed to lowering barriers to access and serving all individuals seeking educational advancement. Volunteer engagement remained a critical component of program delivery. During the year, 203 volunteers contributed nearly 6,000 service hours, representing over 188,000 in in-kind support based on the estimated value of volunteer time. On august 12, 2025, begin anew opened a new campus in crieve hall to address high demand for adult literacy services. Data from the 2023 american community survey indicate that the need for hse diplomas in council districts 27, 28, and 30 is approximately double the metro average. Begin anew operated four in-person campuses (madison, woodbine, franklin, and crieve hall), with classes meeting twice weekly in the evenings; the franklin campus also offered morning ell classes. In-person programs frequently included donated meals and snacks and offered free childcare for enrolled students' children. In 2025, 79 children were served through these supportive environments. All programs are provided at no cost to participants, including instructional materials. In 2025, begin anew transitioned from paper-based to digital curriculum, allowing students to access instructional materials at any time on personal devices and accelerating educational progress. Additionally, program managers became certified to proctor exams applicable to hse diplomas, increasing student flexibility and reducing time to completion. Updated pre-testing and placement strategies allowed students to test immediately in subjects of strength and focus instruction where needed most. A key partnership with workforce essentials provided students with free access to tabe assessments, three official subject tests (reading, language, and math), digital curriculum, hiset test vouchers, and teacher training. Through the dedication of communit

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 62.3%; rating input score 62
• Program expense ratio: 81.6%; rating input score 82
• Fundraising efficiency: $33.09 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 67; 67th 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: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • 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: 24.9%; rating input score 78; 78th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.7; rating input score 59; 59th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.08; rating input score 38; 38th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 13.1%; rating input score 29; 29th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 3.2% per year; rating input score 100; 28th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 3.5% per year; rating input score 100; 28th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 4.3% per year; rating input score 100; 32nd percentile among comparable filings