Funding the Future

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
464096766
IRS 990 coverage
2015–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025, Form 990-EZ 2014
Location
Cheyenne, WY, USA
Phone
3073164765
Rating
70
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Youth Development Programs

Reported finances

Revenue
$333,908
Expenses
$379,269
Assets
$63,893
Liabilities
$29,118

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

Leadership & pay

11 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • Jennifer Stutler (PRESIDENT)
  • Colleen Schon (PAST PRESIDENT)
  • MARGARET DIXON (VICE PRESIDENT)
  • ALISHA DAVID (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • ALISHA DAVID (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $68,640 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

The Mission of Funding the Future is to educate students across the country on the importance of smart financial decisions through a multimedia presentation including music video and an inspirational message shared by a musical celebrity. Funding the Future emphasizes the importance of financial literacy at a young age.

What it reported doing in 2025

In 2025 Funding the Future reached 24,967 students across 68 schools in 8 states. Student demographics were approximately 48.18% White 42.87% Black 14.49% Hispanic 1.80% Asian 1.55% American Indian or Alaska Native 0.17% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and 3.13% Two or More Races. Of the schools served an average of 52.74% of students qualified for free or reduced-price lunch reinforcing our focus on reaching low- to moderate-income communities. During each program students actively engaged by asking questions about saving credit management avoiding financial pitfalls steering clear of predatory lending and investing for the future. Schools were provided with a curriculum packet to support pre- and post-show learning aligned with national standards set by the Council for Economic Education CEE and the Jumptart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy. Our artists continuously refine program delivery based on feedback from students and educators to ensure relevance and impact. Post-program evaluation data shows strong outcomes: school staff ratings of the musical and financial literacy components averaged 4.55 out of 5; student ratings averaged approximately 4.41 out of 5; student self-reported financial knowledge increased from 3.19 pre-show to 4.19 post-show; and the likelihood of taking steps to improve financial futures averaged 4.18 out of 5. Students who completed surveys received free music downloads and were directed to our website for additional financial literacy resources extending learning beyond the live experience.

Operating model

Revenue model
Other-operating. 66% of the money available for current operations came from other operating 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

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. A relatively small share of voting board members are independent and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 83
  • Transparency & Controls: 84
  • Accountability: 31
  • Sustainability: 14
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 96.1%; rating input score 96
  • Program expense ratio: 84.6%; rating input score 85
  • Fundraising efficiency: $3.44 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 15; 15th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 90%; rating input score 90; 10th 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: 0%; rating input score 0; 8th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 6 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 75
    • 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: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -13.6%; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.17; rating input score 10; 10th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.46; rating input score 9; 9th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 18.1%; rating input score 20; 20th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 2.7% per year; rating input score 100; 40th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 4.3% per year; rating input score 100; 44th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 8.2% per year; rating input score 100; 57th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 96.1% of revenue deployed · 84.6% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 0 of 10 board members independent · 6 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $321K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $69K · 11 people listed
  • Highest-paid contractors: 1 contractor listed · $116K reported
  • Consistency: 40 of 41 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 3 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 9 filing years from 2015 to 2025
  • 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.

Key Signals

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

  • High — Accountability: Independent voting board scored 0/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 15/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 16/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 10/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Independent financial-statement audit not reported.
  • Moderate — Transparency & Controls: Schedule A contributions reconciliation did not reconcile in the filed values.
  • High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 9/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 20/100.