Fund for a Better Future Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
812319758
IRS 990 coverage
2016–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-N 2015
Location
Sacramento, CA, USA
Phone
9164425057
Rating
92
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Community Service Clubs

Reported finances

Revenue
$7,686,017
Expenses
$14,171,510
Assets
$14,079,455
Liabilities
$824,499

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

Leadership & pay

9 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • AVI GARBOW SEE SCH O (DIRECTOR & PRESIDENT (END 10/2024))
  • HELENA CHOI SEE SCH O (SECRETARY & VICE PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • AVI GARBOW SEE SCH O (DIRECTOR & PRESIDENT (END 10/2024)): $74,919 total reported compensation
  • ROSINA BUGARIN SEE SCH O (TREASURER & CFO): $73,640 total reported compensation
  • MATTHEW ARMSBY SEE SCH O (VP & INTERIM PRES. (BEG 10/2024)): $45,432 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Fund for a better future inc.'s mission is to promote the common good by upholding democratic values, protecting the environment, promoting health, and advancing social equity.

What it reported doing in 2024

During 2024, the fund for a better future inc. (fbf) provided grants to organizations advancing solutions to climate change, addressing disparities in public health, and protecting the environment. As a fiscal sponsor, fbf also provided administrative (human resources, legal, financial, technology) services to projects focused on environmental and social causes.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 99% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 78% of its reported program spending out as grants.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Expenses are high relative to revenue and some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 98
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 91
  • Sustainability: 29
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 97%; rating input score 97
  • Fundraising efficiency: $271.3 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 93; 93rd percentile among comparable filings

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: 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: Pass
    • 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: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -84.4%; rating input score 1; 1st percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.99; rating input score 37; 37th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.06; rating input score 68; 68th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 1.2%; rating input score 79; 79th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 12.1% per year; rating input score 100; 71st percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 10.5% per year; rating input score 100; 70th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 20.9% per year; rating input score 100; 85th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 97% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 5 of 5 board members independent · 7 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $13.7M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $75K · 9 people listed
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $1.4M reported
  • Consistency: 34 of 34 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 5 filing years from 2016 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 34 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 31 filed related-organization links
  • 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 — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 1/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 9 not reported.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 37/100.