Boys Grow Corp

What it reported doing in 2024

BoysGrow is a not-for-profit agency providing mentoring, entrepreneurship skills, and positive male role-models for inner-city boys ages 14-16. BoysGrow literally broke ground in the Spring of 2010 and is a year round farming and business program supporting the youth by providing valuable personal and business tools while cultivating and selling our products. The program is volunteer supported and staff guided, but youth driven. The Program strives, with staff guidance and direction, for the boys to take pride in their crops and products to ensure the success of the program. This will, in return, create self-pride, identity, and belonging, not only for the youth to the concept of the BoysGrow name but to himself and his fellow workers and the positive and successful environment they have created. The young men who work for BoysGrow do everything associated with running a farm and small business, from planting seeds and growing produce, to meeting with local restaurants to sell their products. Each BoysGrow class is required to create a product that will be sold in local grocery stores. The products will include farm grown ingredients and the youth create, market, distribute and sell their chosen product. The young men are compensated for their work on the farm. With their first job comes the expectation to come to work on time, in uniform and be held accountable for their work ethic. During 2024, Boys Grow continued to successfully provide an abundance of opportunities and experiences for 95 youth through our immediate program and an additional 55 youth with our school partnerships. The youth received classroom instruction and hands on activities around all aspects of running an organic farming operation, from composting techniques to soil maintenance. The youth also received hands on lessons in product development, direct public sales, culinary skills, and personal mentorship from staff and volunteers. Furthermore, the youth are taught healthy living, nutrition and healthy lifestyles. In 2024 our 5,000 square foot greenhouse was completed.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 69.8%; rating input score 70
• Program expense ratio: 73.1%; rating input score 73
• Fundraising efficiency: $9.57 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 36; 36th 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: 88.9%; rating input score 89; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 5 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 62
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Fail
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 6.9%; rating input score 55; 55th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.93; rating input score 75; 75th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 68; 68th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 14.8%; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 11.6% per year; rating input score 100; 67th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 4.8% per year; rating input score 100; 42nd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 13% per year; rating input score 100; 67th percentile among comparable filings