Good Counsel Inc

What it reported doing in 2025

Advocacy: advocacy plays a critical role in the lives of good counsel mothers because many arrive feeling alone, uncertain, and unsure how to work through the complicated systems that affect their lives. From finding stable housing and healthcare to securing employment or understanding legal matters, these processes can be overwhelming - especially for a mother already facing a difficult situation. Advocacy is a vital part of our work each day. Through emails, letters, speaking engagements, social media, and events, we strive to educate and inspire the broader community to better understand the needs of homeless and abandoned pregnant mothers - and to take meaningful action. Over the past year, we estimate that our outreach touched more than 100,000 individuals. At good counsel, advocacy means walking alongside each woman as she works to rebuild her life. Our team helps mothers understand the options available to them, connect with essential services, and navigate the steps needed to create stability for themselves and their children. Whether assisting with medical appointments, helping complete benefit applications, or guiding them through challenging decisions, advocacy ensures that every mother has someone in her corner. With patient guidance and steady support, mothers gain the confidence and knowledge needed to move forward. Over time, they begin to recognize their own strength and ability to advocate for themselves and their families, laying the foundation for a more secure and hopeful future. Allysa came to us from New Jersey when she was 18 weeks pregnant, carrying far more than the weight of her pregnancy. She was struggling with depression, ptsd, and the uncertainty of homelessness. With very limited english and no clear sense of what the next day might hold, fear and isolation had become part of her daily life. But when allysa arrived at good counsel, something began to change. In a home filled with compassion, patience, and understanding, she slowly started to regain a sense of safety and hope. Each mother who comes to good counsel meets with our case managers, who carefully assess her individual needs and develop a plan of support tailored specifically to her situation. Our licensed mental health counselor works closely with the mothers, providing the professional care and emotional support many of them urgently need. Through counseling, guidance, and the stability of a safe home, mothers like allysa begin to process their trauma, rebuild their confidence, and prepare for a healthier future for themselves and their children. At good counsel, caring for a mother's mental health is a fundamental part of helping her rebuild her life. Many of the women who come to us have experienced serious trauma, including domestic violence, homelessness, or prolonged instability. Research shows that the impact of these experiences on mental health can be profound. According to the cdc's national intimate partner and sexual violence survey, more than 80% of women who experience intimate partner violence report significant short- or long-term emotional impacts, including symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress. Other studies have found that women who have endured intimate partner violence are about two times more likely to suffer from depression or anxiety disorders than women who have not experienced abuse. These realities make access to mental health support critical. For this reason, good counsel places a strong emphasis on emotional and psychological care. Through counseling, compassionate staff support, and a stable living environment, mothers are given the opportunity to heal from trauma, regain confidence, and begin building a healthier future for themselves and their children.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 73.6%; rating input score 74
• Program expense ratio: 74.9%; rating input score 75
• Fundraising efficiency: $5.19 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 15; 15th 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: 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: 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: 2.2%; rating input score 34; 34th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.86; rating input score 29; 29th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.08; rating input score 52; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 7.7%; rating input score 42; 42nd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 2.2% per year; rating input score 100; 20th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 2.4% per year; rating input score 100; 19th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 0.6% per year; rating input score 100; 12th percentile among comparable filings