Exceptional Children's Foundation

What it reported doing in 2024

Community fusion - the community fusion program serves adults who have moderate to profound developmental disabilities. Approximately 50% have a high need for assistance with their daily living activities. The full-day community fusion program offers participants training in self-help, aiming to increase their vocational, recreational, and social skills. Clients also participate in health and fitness activities, which are specifically geared to aging adults and senior citizens with special needs. Activities include experiences such as trips to the grocery store, community art fairs, the park, and participation in a range of volunteer opportunities.exceptional community connections - exceptional community connections provide clients with opportunities to participate in meaningful community-based services and volunteer activities. Partnerships and collaborative projects are in place with businesses and community service organizations in inglewood, culver city and west los angeles, where clients play a valued role while developing social skills and relationships with individuals and community-based organizations.art centers - with studios in inglewood, san pedro, whittier and south los angeles, the art centers program encourages, assists and supports the maximum personal artistic development for adults with developmental disabilities. The art center program is nationally recognized for its leadership in demonstrating that individuals with developmental disabilities can often produce fine art. Art produced by ecf adult artists is showcased at our studios as well as juried art shows and is also available for purchase at www.artecf.org. Artists receive a 50%commission from sales of their work. 50% goes back to ecf art centers to help fund services for ecf artists.exceptional packaging solutions - at a work activity site in inglewood, California, adults learn good work habits and appropriate social skills while meeting governmental and private contract requirements for packaging, assembly and rework. The program provides facility based vocational training and paid work to improve earning potential and independent functioning of persons with developmental disabilities and to promote transition to community employment settings.accelerated preparation program - the accelerated preparation program expedites the time it takes adults with lower-than-average work productivity levels to prepare for more advanced employment training by: - teaching the work, life and soft skills needed to become employable. - assessing participant strengths and matching training to their interests. - providing customized instruction and training materials for each individual. - offering work experience that pays minimum wage while providing support and training around work habits, behaviors and skills.participants complete the program with a broader set of skills and increased self-motivation to accelerate their transition into work readiness classes or the exceptional training academy.exceptional employment solutions - exceptional employment solutions supports adults along each step of their pathway to employment. The organization staff work to help participants retain and thrive in community-based employment, offering personalized support that helps each participant find a job that matches their individual abilities and goals, including: - determining employment preferences, strengths, and transportation - job search structuring and strategies - interview preparation and practice - coordinating services with support network - employment transition coaching and on-site job trainingindividualized pathways program - the individualized pathways program provides in-depth transitional plans for adults, particularly young adults, to help them access community resources and gain more training and skill development to enter the job market or engage in community volunteering.work readiness - through instruction and group learning, participants develop the skills neede

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 90.4%; rating input score 90
• Program expense ratio: 85.5%; rating input score 85
• Fundraising efficiency: $29.55 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 66; 66th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 4 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 67
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Pass
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Yes; rating input score 100

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th 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: 2.8%; rating input score 45; 45th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.9; rating input score 60; 60th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.16; rating input score 64; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 4.7%; rating input score 54; 54th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: -0.5% per year; rating input score 0; 9th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 1.1% per year; rating input score 100; 13th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 3% per year; rating input score 100; 22nd percentile among comparable filings