Follow My Steps Foundation Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
852648252
IRS 990 coverage
2024–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025, Form 990-EZ 2023, Form 990-N 2020
Location
Springfield, MA, USA
Phone
6172977491
Rating
66
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Family Services

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$499,685
Expenses
$414,183
Assets
$267,926
Liabilities
$64,250

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

11 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • KASHAWN J SANDERS (PRESIDENT & CEO)
  • TYRONE WILLIAMS (VICE PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • KASHAWN J SANDERS (PRESIDENT & CEO): $16,962 total reported compensation
  • TYRONE WILLIAMS (VICE PRESIDENT): $13,369 total reported compensation
  • ANTHONY PAYNE (CHIEF STRATEGY & DEVELOPMENT OFFICER): $10,692 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Opposing social-economic conditions faced by youth, in under resourced communities, by providing mentorship, career skills, and financial resources.

What it reported doing in 2025

Thrive over survive program - we impacted over 300 youth. Mentored youth are 55% more likely to enroll in college and 78% more likely to volunteer in their communities. Our mentors provided over 700 hours of one-on-one guidance. Mentored youth are 46% less likely to use illegal drugs and 27% less likely to begin drinking, contributing to healthier lifestyle choices. We awarded over $15,000 in scholarships, helping youth overcome financial barriers to higher education. Data shows that scholarships increase college enrollment by up to 30%, ensuring long-term academic and career success.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 91% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
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.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and program spending has grown recently. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of voting board members are independent.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 58
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 40
  • Sustainability: 44
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 56.9%; rating input score 57
  • Program expense ratio: 68%; rating input score 68
  • Fundraising efficiency: $7.12 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 29; 29th percentile among comparable filings

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: 37.5%; rating input score 38; 18th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 4 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 44
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: Fail
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 17.1%; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.65; rating input score 30; 30th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.24; rating input score 15; 15th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 17.7%; rating input score 20; 20th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 92.3% per year; rating input score 100; 98th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 54.2% per year; rating input score 100; 97th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 63% per year; rating input score 100; 97th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 56.9% of revenue deployed · 68% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 3 of 8 board members independent · 4 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $282K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $17K · 11 people listed
  • Consistency: 25 of 25 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 2 filing years from 2024 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 7 filed money-flow records
  • 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.

  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 57/100.
  • Moderate — Accountability: Independent voting board scored 38/100.
  • Moderate — Accountability: Governance controls: 5 of 9 not reported.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 29/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 30/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 15/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 20/100.