Fernbank Elementary School Foundation Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
264028143
IRS 990 coverage
2019–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-EZ 2013
Location
Atlanta, GA, USA
Phone
4042909737
Rating
85
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Nonmonetary Support N.E.C.

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$199,221
Expenses
$185,130
Assets
$416,335
Liabilities
$14,843

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

Leadership & pay

20 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • CLAIRE HENWOOD (PRESIDENT)

People named in this filing

  • CLAIRE HENWOOD (PRESIDENT)
  • MARY COOPER ADAMS (VICE-PRESIDE)
  • SARAH POCIASK (TREASURER)

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

Formed in 2009, the foundation is a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization. It contributes to the long-term development and success of fernbank elementary school by raising and managing funds for supplemental educational enhancements. The foundation's support augments county resources, filling in the gaps to give fernbank students the special tools they need for further success.

What it reported doing in 2024

Our goal and mission as the parent-led fernbank foundation is to provide the talent, tools, and capital improvements that enrich the educational development and overall well-being of fernbank elementary school students. The board of directors worked closely with the school leadership and reviewed family input to ensure our efforts were creating the most impact for our teachers and children. The foundation continued to: -support building and capital improvements including second air purifiers for all classrooms, maintenance across the property, new soccer goals, and the installation of shade sails on the playground, a result of our fy20 fundraising goals. -provide direct classroom support and student support by providing stipends to all classroom teachers for approved classroom expenses. -provide curriculum and instructional support.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

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 expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 85
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 76
  • Sustainability: 56
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 93.3%; rating input score 93
  • Program expense ratio: 100%; 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: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 90%; rating input score 90; 24th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 4 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 57
    • 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: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 7.1%; rating input score 55; 55th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.25; rating input score 62; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.04; rating input score 35; 35th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 21.9% per year; rating input score 100; 86th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 2.2% per year; rating input score 100; 36th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 6.3% per year; rating input score 100; 53rd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 93.3% of revenue deployed · 100% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 18 of 20 board members independent · 4 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $185K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 20 people listed
  • Consistency: 21 of 21 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 6 filing years from 2019 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • 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: 2 of 6 not reported.
  • Review — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 55/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 35/100.