Down East Partnership for Children

What it reported doing in 2024

Smart Start supports the following primary programs of DEPC: Child Care Resource & Referral including provider, family, and subsidy services (POC & Admin); NC Pre-K Quality; Family Resource Center, Community Collaboratives; Research & Development; Dolly Parton Imagination Library and Reach Out and Read. In addition, DEPC funds and provides technical assistance, monitoring, and support to 3 activities in 3 partnering agencies (WAGES, Nash County Public Schools Kindergarten Transition, Edgecombe County Public Schools Kindergarten Transition). All together, these programs provided a variety of services, including parent education/support, referrals to high quality child care, general parenting resources, child development information, and access to subsidized child care. Through Consumer Education services, 697 children ages birth to five received consumer education, 79 caregivers/parents received information and assistance regarding finding quality child care through referrals, and 407 parents/guardians received consumer education about child care through consultations. A total of 20 out of 20 families responding to a referral survey indicated selecting 3-star or higher child care, and 42 out of 43 families reported using quality indicators in their child care search. Through the Family Resource Center, 420 parents/guardians accessed Family First for general parenting, child development information, and referrals. A total of 420 parents received at least one service referral, and 130 out of 151 parents referred reported using at least one referred service. A total of 62 out of 68 families reported that the information provided increased their knowledge of services available based on their needs. Kaleidoscope Play & Learn Groups served 64 children and 63 caregivers, and 35 children received an ASQ-3 and/or ASQ-SE2 screening completed by their parent/caregiver. Through evidence-based family programming, 7 parents/caregivers completed the Incredible Years Basic Preschool Series, impacting 33 children. Circle of Parents served 38 parents/caregivers and 54 children, with 21 parents/caregivers completing at least one Circle of Parents series within the year. Triple P Level 4 Group Series served 33 parents/caregivers and impacted 69 children. Dual Subsidy Administration provided subsidized child care scholarships for 136 children. Scholarship providers participating in professional development included 20 programs related to physical activity, nutrition education, and/or social/emotional health and 31 programs participating in professional development on other areas. All scholarship providers serving scholarship children had a site visit completed, and 100% of parents whose child scored below age level on the developmental screening were referred to Family Services for follow-up. The average star rating for subsidized children in the most recent year with data available was 4.75, and 98% of subsidized children were in 4- and 5-star care. Community outreach and engagement efforts included 327 total volunteers providing 1,208.29 total volunteer hours, 10,934 visits to Discovery Park, and 1,340 sign-in visitors to the Family Resource Center. Community Outreach activities tracked 46,573 website views, 722,977 social media interactions, 32 newsletters produced, 8,423 contacts on the newsletter distribution list, 152 outreach presentations, and 58 outreach events. Research and Development activities tracked 136 total donors, including 31 new donors and 21 recurring donors, and raised $594,550 in FY25.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 88.6%; rating input score 89
• Program expense ratio: 89.9%; rating input score 90
• Fundraising efficiency: $81.54 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 84; 84th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 94.1%; rating input score 94; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 45.4%; rating input score 45; 15th 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: 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: 1.6%; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.1; rating input score 3; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.15; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 2%; rating input score 76; 76th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 0.9% per year; rating input score 100; 17th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 1.3% per year; rating input score 100; 17th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: -0.4% per year; rating input score 0; 11th percentile among comparable filings