Carolina Youth Coalition

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
824313926
IRS 990 coverage
2018–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Charlotte, NC, USA
Phone
9802150414
Rating
77
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Education N.E.C.

Reported finances

Revenue
$4,675,281
Expenses
$2,405,905
Assets
$13,699,181
Liabilities
$76,791

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

9 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • AARON RANDOLPH (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • AARON RANDOLPH (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $140,208 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

To prepare high-performing, under-resourced students to enter, excel, and graduate from college.

What it reported doing in 2024

Torch fellows programour flagship program pairs high-achieving, under-resourced high school students called "fellows," with mentors and a comprehensive set of college-preparatory resources through a high-touch out-of-school time program that includes personalized college application guidance, act prep, writing coaching, college tours, career exploration, leadership development, and a tight-knit community of like-minded peers. Our goal is to ensure each fellow is prepared to identify, gain entrance to, and successfully matriculate through a best-fit college with as little debt as possible. The program is provided at no cost to fellows.(continued on schedule o)344 fellows in grades 9-12 were enrolled in the torch fellows program for the 2024-2025 school year, a 38% annual increase. 87% of high school seniors were first-generation college students, and 92% were pell-eligible.results:- 5-point average act score growth; average score of 23 (u.s. Average - 19.7)- 57% of seniors met 3+ act benchmarks (u.s. Average - 22%)- 99% college enrollment (4-year (92%) | 2-year (7%))-$25m in scholarships and grants earned, $10m in scholarships and grants redeemed- 68% of seniors attending college debt-free

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 94% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 50
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 84
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 38.3%; rating input score 38
  • Program expense ratio: 69.9%; rating input score 70
  • Fundraising efficiency: $15.98 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 53; 53rd 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; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 8 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: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 48.5%; rating input score 92; 92nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 5.69; rating input score 85; 85th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 88; 88th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 5.8%; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 33.5% per year; rating input score 100; 94th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 35.3% per year; rating input score 100; 95th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 44.7% per year; rating input score 100; 97th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 38.3% of revenue deployed · 69.9% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 8 of 8 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $1.7M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $140K · 9 people listed
  • Consistency: 36 of 36 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 7 filing years from 2018 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • Related organizations: 1 filed related-organization link
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 38/100.
  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 53/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 48/100.