Center for the Future of Arizona

What it reported doing in 2024

Educationin fy25, cfa continued its commitment to building a strong education system that prepares every child to succeed and thrive by expanding career-connected pathways, advancing student-centered learning, and strengthening school leadership development. Cfa continued advancing a six-year federal education innovation and research project - cfa's first-ever federal grant - marking a significant milestone in the organization's growth and national credibility. The project engaged 12 high schools and seven community colleges across Arizona, with 345 students participating in design challenges that informed the expansion of dual and concurrent enrollment and it and cybersecurity pathways. The project reinforced a clear lesson: when schools, colleges, and employers collaborate to offer meaningful, real-world opportunities, students are more likely to take ownership of their education and career paths. (cont'd on sch o) cfa is carrying these insights forward by integrating the findings into its early college work and sharing the research broadly to inform practice and systems change across the state. For decades, cfa has played a leading role in advancing the future of learning in Arizona - always with a focus on the success of each individual student. Cfa works alongside school systems across the state to help move education beyond a one-size-fits-all approach, supporting learning environments that recognize students' strengths, needs, and pathways. In fy25, cfa advanced this work by supporting leaders, school systems, and educators as they put student-centered practices into action. In collaboration with knowledgeworks, cfa launched the emerging leaders cohort, supporting current and aspiring leaders within the Arizona personalized learning network. The cohort includes 20 participants from districts across the state, strengthening leadership capacity to advance equitable student outcomes.cfa also expanded access to professional learning through the Arizona personalized learning network (pln). With knowledgeworks and the asu prep digital virtual teachers institute, cfa offered pln explore, a series of no-cost, on-demand modules available to any Arizona educator, with more than 300 modules completed to date. In addition, the third pln launch cohort engaged more than 200 educators across 30 school-based teams, supporting implementation of personalized, competency-based practices through peer learning and collaboration.this year, cfa expanded the beat the odds school leadership academy (bto) to yuma county, partnering with yuma esd and mohawk valley esd to launch the region's first cohort. Cohorts in phoenix and paradise valley also concluded, bringing the total number of bto participants to more than 460 leaders across eight Arizona counties. Through bto, cfa equips leaders to align vision, practice, and systems in ways that improve outcomes for students.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 87.5%; rating input score 87
• Program expense ratio: 78.4%; rating input score 78
• Fundraising efficiency: $18.74 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 57; 57th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 0 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 0
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Missing
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 91.7%; rating input score 92; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 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: 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: -11.5%; rating input score 12; 12th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.38; rating input score 12; 12th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.24; rating input score 39; 39th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 24.5%; rating input score 8; 8th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 12.9% per year; rating input score 100; 73rd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 16.1% per year; rating input score 100; 83rd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 1% per year; rating input score 100; 16th percentile among comparable filings