Creative Community Services Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
581581610
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Norcross, GA, USA
Phone
7704696226
Rating
83
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$8,230,223
Expenses
$8,320,253
Assets
$2,690,524
Liabilities
$1,739,914

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

Leadership & pay

14 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • Sally Buchanan (CEO)

Highest reported compensation

  • Sally Buchanan (CEO): $199,003 total reported compensation
  • Linda Coil (CFO): $112,404 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Creative community services (ccs) improves the quality of life for children teens and adults with developmental disabilities and mental health needs, and their families, by providing direct services and community-based support throughout the state of Georgia.

What it reported doing in 2024

CREATIVE COMMUNITY SERVICES, INC. (THE ORGANIZATION) WAS CREATED FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING COMMUNITY BASED SERVICES TO YOUTH IN FOSTER CARE AND/OR ADULTS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES THERAPEUTIC FOSTER CARE PLACEMENTS (TFC) FOR YOUTH, INCLUDING INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT, BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION PROGRAMS, LIFE SKILLS TRAINING AND MENTORING SERVICES (SOAR). THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES HOST HOME PLACEMENTS FOR ADULTS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES (DD), INCLUDING CASE MANAGEMENT, SOCIAL OUTINGS, LIFE SKILLS TRAINING AND ONGOING SUPPORT TO MEET MEDICAL AND SOCIAL NEEDS. THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES SUPPORT TO EXPECTANT AND PARENTING YOUTH (TPC) WITH LIFE COACH SERVICES INCLUDING, PARENTING ASSESSMENTS, DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENINGS, individualized parenting & life skills education, vocational training and advocacy. The Organization also provides respite services through adventure youth program (AYP). The Organization's principal means of support is from contracts with governmental agencies in the State of GEORGIA and grants. The Organization conducts the following programs: Social services - The Organization contributes services to families, children and teens in the foster care system which can include adults with developmental disabilities and mental health needs. Community based services - The Organization contributes services to families and children in home care and kinship care.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 64% of its reported program spending out as grants.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Expenses are high relative to revenue and total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 85
  • Transparency & Controls: 75
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 26
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 84.2%; rating input score 84
  • Program expense ratio: 83.3%; rating input score 83
  • Fundraising efficiency: $722.84 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 97; 97th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 1 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 17
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
  • 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: 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: -1.1%; rating input score 29; 29th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.32; rating input score 10; 10th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.65; rating input score 15; 15th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 3.7%; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 2.5% per year; rating input score 100; 25th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 2.4% per year; rating input score 100; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 11.6% per year; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 84.2% of revenue deployed · 83.3% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 11 of 11 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $6.9M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $199K · 14 people listed · 1 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 33 of 33 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2011 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
  • 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.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Key Signals

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

  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 29/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 10/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 15/100.