Futures and Options Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN: 134063658
IRS 990 coverage: 2009–2024
Forms available: Form 990 2024
Location: New York, NY, USA
Phone: 2126010002
Rating: 84
Verdict: STRONG
Rating confidence: Moderate
Sector: Educational Services and Schools - Other

Reported finances

Revenue: $3,636,402
Expenses: $3,934,658
Assets: $5,504,934
Liabilities: $2,143,564

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

Leadership & pay

32 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

CAROLYN SILVER (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

CAROLYN SILVER (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $176,285 total reported compensation
JESSICA MISCHKOT (CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER): $114,158 total reported compensation
DAVID PFEIFER (DIR. OF FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION): $105,395 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Futures and options expands opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds and historically underrepresented communities, collaborating with employers to empower students to gain the skills and confidence needed to succeed in future careers.

What it reported doing in 2024

Last year, futures and options served 2757 students across our multi-layered program activities. We placed 432 New York city youth in paid, mentored internships with employers throughout all five boroughts. 1507 young people benefitted from our career readiness workshops and curriculum. 15 students leveraged skills and professional networking in externship experiences with employers. 289 program alumni received alumni support services, including networking, mentorship, career panels and one-on-one coaching, bridging the gap between high school, college and careers. Lastly, 964 youth attended one of our community outreach sessions, where our staff delivered information sessions, attended career fairs, and delivered outreach to students and professionals.

Operating model

Revenue model: Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model: Direct operator. The filing allocates 94% 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. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

Financial Efficiency: 78
Transparency & Controls: 87
Accountability: 100
Sustainability: 28
Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

Mission deployment rate: 86.7%; rating input score 87
Program expense ratio: 79.8%; rating input score 80
Fundraising efficiency: $6.8 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 25; 25th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
Pay-setting controls: 4 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 67
- Compensation committee: Pass
- Independent consultant: Missing
- Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
- Written employment contract: Missing
- Compensation survey or study: Pass
- Board or committee approval: Pass
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: 9 of 9 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: Pass
- Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
- Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
- Audit committee oversight: Pass
- Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

Operating margin: -8.2%; rating input score 15; 15th percentile among comparable filings
Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.4; rating input score 49; 49th percentile among comparable filings
Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.39; rating input score 27; 27th percentile among comparable filings
Officer compensation ratio: 10.1%; rating input score 30; 30th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

Program expense growth: 9% per year; rating input score 100; 60th percentile among comparable filings
Revenue growth: 10.8% per year; rating input score 100; 71st percentile among comparable filings
Asset growth: 19% per year; rating input score 100; 82nd percentile among comparable filings

Details

Where the money goes: 86.7% of revenue deployed · 79.8% of spending went to programs
Governance: 29 of 29 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $3.1M in reported program spending
Leadership: top reported pay $176K · 32 people listed · 4 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
Consistency: 33 of 33 current checks pass
Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, and executive pay
Filing history: 16 filing years from 2009 to 2024
Contacts: How to reach this organization
Money network: 3 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.

High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 25/100.
High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 15/100.
Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 49/100.
High — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 27/100.
Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 30/100.