First Step Learning Center Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
582270013
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2015
Forms available
Form 990 2015, Form 990-EZ 2012
Location
Macon, GA, USA
Phone
4787847075
Rating
75
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Kindergarten, Preschool, Nursery School, Early Admissions

Reported finances

Revenue
$209,460
Expenses
$199,341
Assets
$33,992
Liabilities
$62,622

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2015. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

3 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • ANGELA EDMONDS (DIRECTOR): $4,435 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2015. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

To provide quality daycare for lower income working families.first step promotes a safe developmentally appropriate environment for pre school and school children. First step also provides a stimulating early care and educational experience while promoting each child's social, emotional, physical and cognitive development.

What it reported doing in 2015

Provided quality daycare and instruction for approximately 82 children of low to moderate income families.

Operating model

Revenue model
Earned-program. 96% of the money available for current operations came from fees and other program revenue.
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

SUPPORTED - 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 program spending has declined or grown slowly.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 78
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 69
  • Sustainability: 34
  • Growth: 20

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 85.6%; rating input score 86
  • Program expense ratio: 89.9%; rating input score 90
  • 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: Limited
  • 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: 2 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 25
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 4.8%; rating input score 55; 55th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.17; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 1.84; rating input score 2; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 2.2%; rating input score 43; 43rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -6.9% per year; rating input score 0; 24th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -0.3% per year; rating input score 0; 34th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 48% per year; rating input score 100; 95th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 85.6% of revenue deployed · 89.9% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 3 of 3 board members independent · 2 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $179K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $4K · 3 people listed
  • Consistency: 22 of 22 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 5 filing years from 2010 to 2015
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
  • 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 — Accountability: Governance controls: 5 of 7 not reported.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 11/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 55/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 2/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 43/100.