Friends of the Underline Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

The underline is a 10-mile linear park, urban trail and transportation corridor beneath miamis metrorail system, running from brickell to dadeland. Friends of the underline advances that vision through fundraising, public programming, cultural and educational initiatives, community partnerships, and economic and workforce development. . Reach and use of the corridor. This year, 2.7 million visitors walked, ran, rolled, biked, and commuted on the underline. The corridor now serves as both a public gathering space and a daily transportation route, giving residents a safe, direct connection to transit and to neighborhoods across miami-dade county. Public programming and events. The underline hosted 209 public and private events with 49,727 total attendees. 86% of programming was free and open to the public, which keeps the corridor accessible to residents of every income level. Highlights included the underlines first 5k race, a miami music week pop-up, the lululemon global day of running with more than 600 attendees, a new world symphony pop-up performance, the temple of milagros art activation, and inter brazil day with more than 5,000 participants. Community partners produced 40 of those events, including the brickell homeowners association, publix, blue missions, walking with a purpose, brickell run club and lululemon. These collaborations show how the underline works as a platform for community-led programming rather than a single-operator venue. Public art and cultural programming. Public art continues to shape the cultural identity of the corridor. During the year the underline installed various artwork including is blue the color of the ocean? By bony ramirez and launched its first augmented reality storytelling experience tied to that sculpture, produced with Florida international university. The organization also launched the pillar art project featuring alexandre arrecheas milagros in the temple of abundance, and selected artist daniel marosi for the art deco-inspired bench project. Education and environmental learning. The underline continued the green leaders program into its third year, training the next generation of environmental stewards. The organization hosted 7 field trips and 17 environmental education events, and worked with 6 nonprofit partners through the growing miamis green corridor program, funded by the usda forest service urban and community forestry program. Workforce development. The underline launched the park stewards initiative, a workforce program created with chapman partnership and supported by the lennar foundation. The program hired six individuals who had experienced homelessness into full-time roles at living wages. Four of the six moved into their own housing by year-end. Participants gained job skills and a pathway toward stability and long-term opportunity. Volunteers. 745 volunteers supported the underline this year, including 489 newly recruited volunteers. They contributed 2,415 hours across more than 190 events, service valued at more than 79,000. Volunteers welcome visitors, support programming and build the community around the corridor. Partnerships and support. Development raised 1.5 million in new grants and 300,000 on give miami day. The organization secured a programmatic partnership with the lennar foundation around workforce development and the naming partnership for the nikki spoelstra play forest in south miami. Visitor services expanded through sponsor partnerships: five inter bike share stations with more than 50 bikes, and a food and beverage program that now includes eight food trucks and cafes. Awareness and recognition. The underline earned 1.7 million impressions, a 42% increase over the prior year, an 11% increase in followers and a 3.3% overall engagement rate. The park was featured in more than 300 articles, including cnn, yahoo, the miami herald and the south Florida business journal. The underline remains a nationally and internationally recognized model for u

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 80.7%; rating input score 81
• Program expense ratio: 79.5%; rating input score 80
• Fundraising efficiency: $8.57 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 0 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 0
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Missing
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
• 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: 7 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 78
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Fail
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • 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: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 0.2%; rating input score 34; 34th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.34; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.08; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 13.3%; rating input score 22; 22nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 24.7% per year; rating input score 100; 89th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 20% per year; rating input score 100; 88th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 27.6% per year; rating input score 100; 91st percentile among comparable filings