Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project

What it reported doing in 2024

The florence immigrant & refugee rights project inc. (florence project) provides free legal and social services to adults and unaccompanied children facing deportation in Arizona. The florence project has long been a trailblazer in expanding access to legal counsel and support for immigrants through our exceptional programs, including our children's legal program, adult legal program, social services program, pro bono program, and advocacy program. Children's legal program: in 2024, our children's legal program provided comprehensive support to unaccompanied immigrant children in shelters through know your rights presentations, individual legal consultations, friend of the court services, and full legal representation. We delivered know your rights presentations to 10,201 children, educating them about the immigration process and their legal options. Our team met one-on-one with 9,157 children to discuss their individual cases and provide tailored legal guidance. Additionally, we provided full legal representation in immigration court to 1,156 children. Our program prioritized particularly vulnerable cases, including 87 children who had been forcibly separated from their families at the border and 266 babies and toddlers, ages 0-5, who were detained in shelters. Adult legal program: in 2024, our adult legal program supported adults held in immigration detention facilities in eloy and florence, Arizona, by providing legal education, individual consultations, pro se assistance, and full legal representation. We mailed legal orientation and pro se materials to 5,615 detained adults, delivered know your rights presentations to 2,461 adults, and provided one-on-one legal guidance to 1,329 individuals. Additionally, we provided full legal representation in immigration court to 257 adults, including 118 who were deemed by a judge mentally incompetent. Our team also represented clients on appeal before the board of immigration appeals and the ninth circuit court of appeals, ensuring that detained adults have access to critical legal support at every stage of the process. In addition, through our partnership with the kino border initiative, we provided legal orientation and education to 2,795 asylum seekers in nogales, sonora, mexico, helping them understand their rights and options for seeking asylum and protection in the united states. Social services program: in 2024, our social services program addressed critical needs beyond the courtroom, helping immigrants navigate the challenges of detention and empowering them to thrive in their new communities once released. Our social workers provided individualized, one-on-one psychosocial support to 596 immigrants, assisting with medical and mental health care, housing, food insecurity, education access, trauma recovery, obtaining ids and driver's licenses, employment, and parenting and pregnancy support. Through this holistic approach, our social workers ensure that detained immigrants have access to essential resources and that those released have the stability and support they need to begin rebuilding their lives in the united states. Pro bono program: in 2024, our pro bono program expanded access to justice by training and mentoring private attorneys to take on immigration cases pro bono. With guidance from a dedicated florence project mentor attorney and legal assistant, these volunteer attorneys provided full legal representation to 35 immigrants facing removal. In addition to increasing the number of immigrants who receive critical legal support, the program equips volunteers with valuable immigration law skills and fosters a growing network of advocates committed to defending the rights of immigrants. Advocacy program: in 2024, our advocacy program advanced systemic change through appellate work, strategic litigation, media advocacy, and partnerships at local and national levels. We litigated 30 appellate cases, resolving 15 with several major wins; signed or drafted four amicus br

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 84.2%; rating input score 84
• Program expense ratio: 79.8%; rating input score 80
• Fundraising efficiency: $5.03 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 20; 20th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Pass
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• 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; 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: -4.2%; rating input score 18; 18th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.56; rating input score 53; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.07; rating input score 79; 79th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 3.9%; rating input score 60; 60th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 22.5% per year; rating input score 100; 92nd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 20.8% per year; rating input score 100; 93rd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 24.8% per year; rating input score 100; 93rd percentile among comparable filings