Diploma Equity Project

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
863315625
IRS 990 coverage
2021–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-N 2020
Location
Shelby Township, MI, USA
Phone
5864539090
Rating
86
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Educational Services and Schools - Other

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,540,611
Expenses
$1,345,881
Assets
$847,805
Liabilities
$46,117

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

Leadership & pay

9 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • MELISSA HAMANN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
  • KHARY TURNER (PRESIDENT)

People named in this filing

  • MELISSA HAMANN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
  • KHARY TURNER (PRESIDENT)
  • JACK ELSEY (SECRETARY)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

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

Overview

Mission

The organization works with k-12, higher education and other community partners to design and implement programs to improve rates of college persistence and completion.

What it reported doing in 2024

Diploma equity project dep supported a number of initiatives aimed at increasing the college completion rates of both detroiters and michiganders in support of the states 60 higher education attainment by 2030 goal as well as closing the completion gaps for students based on race, income and geography. Dep facilitated partnerships with seven Michigan universities and community colleges aimed at redesigning their existing student support systems to better serve first-generation students and returning adult learners. Additionally, dep continued its support of degree forward, a competency-based degree program through southern New Hampshire university that provides a fast, flexible, and accredited degree program for working adults and pairs the online programming with the wrap around supports adult students need to be successful like childcare, transportation, and success coaching.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 100% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Hybrid. The nonprofit split its reported program spending across 56% for direct work, and 44% for grants.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered and total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 77
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 94
  • Sustainability: 55
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 81.8%; rating input score 82
  • Program expense ratio: 93.6%; rating input score 94
  • 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: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th 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: 6 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 86
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • 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: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 12.6%; rating input score 66; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.63; rating input score 29; 29th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.05; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 20.1% per year; rating input score 100; 83rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 10.2% per year; rating input score 100; 67th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 21.9% per year; rating input score 100; 84th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 81.8% of revenue deployed · 93.6% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 8 of 8 board members independent · 6 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $1.3M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 9 people listed
  • Consistency: 24 of 24 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 4 filing years from 2021 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 2 filed related-organization links
  • 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.

  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Whistleblower policy not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 29/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 51/100.