Escala Initiative Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
272704326
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Fairfield, NJ, USA
Phone
9178921442
Rating
77
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
International Economic Development

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$308,538
Expenses
$387,065
Assets
$146,835
Liabilities
$0

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

Leadership & pay

13 people listed

People named in this filing

  • LAWRENCE S COBEN (DIRECTOR)
  • DOUG DUNN (SECRETARY DIRECTOR)
  • JOHN CRARY (TREASURER DIRECTOR)

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

Organization formed exclusively for charitable, educational, scientific, religious and other purposes. (collectively, "charitable purposes") as specified in IRS code sec. 501(c)(3). The organization shall engage in charitable activities and providing education which focuses on empowering disadvantaged entrepreneurs and artisans - the majority of whom are women - who live in poverty around the world. The organization provides basic education and gives people the tools to build the future they want for themselves, their families and their communities. Through escala's renowned business school and capacity building program, women and other from low resource communities are learning how to become profitable and self-sufficient entrepreneurs, helping them earn a dignified living income and better serve their communities.

What it reported doing in 2024

With over 25 transformative projects, escala has always been dedicated to alleviating poverty and helping people reach their full potential through female-focused entrepreneurial education. Our programs and curriculum provide women and others from low-resource communities the necessary knowledge and resource to become profitable and self-sufficient entrepreneurs, helping them earn a living income. Our work ensures people have the economic means to support themselves and their families, building brighter futures and more resilient communities for generations to come. Our goal is to provide this support to all who need it.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 100% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 100% of its reported program spending out as grants.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. The filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad and some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 89
  • Transparency & Controls: 75
  • Accountability: 68
  • Sustainability: 28
  • Growth: 80

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 99.9%; rating input score 100
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: 0 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 0
    • Claims monitoring procedures: Fail
    • Requires narrative reports: Fail
    • Conducts field audits: Fail
    • May suspend future funding: Fail
    • Requires financial reports: Fail
    • Conducts site visits: Fail
    • Requires grant agreements: Fail
    • May require repayment: Fail
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 80th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 84.6%; rating input score 85; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 3 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 43
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • 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: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -25.5%; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.38; rating input score 19; 19th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 80; 80th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 9.1% per year; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 6.9% per year; rating input score 100; 61st percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -2.6% per year; rating input score 0; 16th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 99.9% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 11 of 13 board members independent · 3 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $387K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 13 people listed
  • Consistency: 15 of 15 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors and foreign activity
  • Filing history: 13 filing years from 2011 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: Resolved incoming and outgoing counterparties from filed money flows.
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • 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.

  • High — Transparency & Controls: Foreign activity oversight: 8 of 8 not reported.
  • Moderate — Accountability: Governance controls: 3 of 6 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 11/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 19/100.
  • High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.