Caribbean Central American Research Council

What it reported doing in 2024

In 2024 CCARC completed work on the project Fostering organizational development practices based on the worldviews, needs and priorities of Indigenous, Afro-descendant and traditional peoples in collaboration with the Ford Foundations Build Program. The project provided ongoing support for strengthening the organizations and networks of Indigenous, Afro-descendant, and traditional peoples, and builds on prior work with these organizations in the project Recognizing our practices and knowledge from different perspectives, interests and ways of learning. The network created to promote this process is known as EntrePovos (BetweenPeoples). Multiple exchanges between the organizations took place on the themes of leadership, development priorities, the role of women in the organizations, and engagement with both state and non- governmental actors, including international philanthropy. These culminated with a three-day convening in Cali, Colombia in February of 2024. Nineteen community-based organizations participated in the convening, along with eleven support organization, and three institutions from the field of international philanthropy. The community-based organizations expressed their desire to continue to be involved in this EntrePovos process given that it is the only existing space that Indigenous, Afro-descendant and traditional peoples organizations have to discuss and share their own experiences about institutional strengthening. The EntrePovos website contains the reports produced during the project and serves as an ongoing catalyst of exchange and support for these organizations: https://entrepovos.org/es. In 2024 CCARC also supported the creation of the Instituto Histrico de Nicaragua y Centroamerica-IHNCA en el Exilio (Historical Institute of Nicaragua and Central America-IHNCA in Exile). The IHNCA archives were confiscated in 2023 by the Sandinista regime along with all the installations of the Jesuit-run Universidad Centramericana (UCA) de Managua. The director of the IHNCA was forced into exile. CCARC worked with the director to preserve a digital archive of some the most important historical documents of the IHNCA going back to the 16th century. The archive IHNCA en el Exilio is available at https://ihncaexilio.org/. Finally, the CCARC Board approved at its annual meeting a consultancy process to assess the future role of CCARC in the current context of Central America. Four experts were commissioned to produce studies over the course of 2025 that will inform CCARCs future work and strategic planning.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 97.7%; rating input score 98
• Fundraising efficiency: Limited

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: Limited
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 0%; rating input score 0; 9th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 2 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 29
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • Document-retention policy: Fail
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Fail
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -1,038.6%; rating input score 5; 5th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.33; rating input score 14; 14th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.03; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 60; 60th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 8.7% per year; rating input score 100; 73rd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 8.3% per year; rating input score 100; 84th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 7% per year; rating input score 100; 73rd percentile among comparable filings