Foundation for Independent Living

Legal name: Foundation for Independent Living Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
592656932
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Official website data refreshed
Sep 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Coconut Creek, FL, US
Phone
9549686472
Rating
82
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$2,505,578
Expenses
$2,517,895
Assets
$2,363,530
Liabilities
$702,874

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

Leadership & pay

11 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • CHARLES MISHNER (PRESIDENT)
  • BETTY CADET (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • BETTY CADET (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $141,268 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The Foundation for Independent Living empowers individuals with diverse abilities to live independently.

What it reported doing in 2024

The foundation for independent living (fil) is a nonprofit organization that partners with adults seeking greater independence. Fil honors each individual's unique dreams and strengths by fostering a community where they are empowered to make choices, explore passion s and experience life on their own terms. Powered by a dedicated team of 36 employees, fil provides individualized support and serves to 57 residents. Our comprehensive model integrates several core departments that work collaboratively to ensure a high quality of life for all who call fil home. This includes: -program wellness and health department, which ensures receive the medical attention, guidance and wellness support they need to stay healthy and thriving. -enrichment department, which delivers daily recreational and social activities that enhance creativity, connection and engagement. -vocational department, which supports residents in achieving meaningful employment and volunteer opportunities within the community-marketing department, which connections fil with new families and community partners, increasing awareness and growth opportunities for the program. -independent living coaches (ilc) provides daily guidance, mentorship and hands on support to residents as they navigate their personal goals and routines. Together, these departments form a holistic network of care, empowerment and community. In 2024, fil achieved several significant program milestones:-expanded enrichment department: introduced a robust schedule of activities designed to support self-expression, social connection and wellness. -launches a music therapy program: one of our most impactful additions, this program provides residents with an avenue to express themselves emotionally and creatively through music, fostering joy and healing. -introduced a non-residential program: designed for families who prefer to live offsite while still participating in fil's full array of activities, this initiative expanded our reach and inclusivity within the community. -established a marketing department: this new department has strengthened our visibility through community outreach, seminars and conferences, generating meaningful engagement with potential residents and families. -enhanced program health and wellness department: added additional staff to improve medical coordination, ensuring residents remain up to date on appointments and health requirements. These accomplishments collectively reinforce fil's mission to empower adults with intellectual and developmental differences to live meaningful, independent, and fulfilling lives within a supportive and inclusive community.

Operating model

Revenue model
Earned-program. 88% 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

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Program spending has declined or grown slowly and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 78
  • Transparency & Controls: 87
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 35
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 86.8%; rating input score 87
  • Program expense ratio: 87.7%; rating input score 88
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 93.8%; rating input score 94; 20th 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: 8 of 8 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: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -0.5%; rating input score 31; 31st percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.94; rating input score 35; 35th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.3; rating input score 34; 34th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 5.6%; rating input score 49; 49th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -0.2% per year; rating input score 0; 13th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 0.7% per year; rating input score 100; 14th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 7.9% per year; rating input score 100; 49th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: 4 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 2 operating locations identified
  • Where the money goes: 86.8% of revenue deployed · 87.7% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 10 of 10 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $2.2M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $141K · 11 people listed
  • Consistency: 28 of 29 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 15 filing years from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • 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.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 31/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 35/100.
  • Moderate — Transparency & Controls: Schedule A contributions reconciliation did not reconcile in the filed values.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 34/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 49/100.