Good Friend Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

Neurodiversity at Work (NaW) program is a comprehensive initiative designed to help employers and employees better understand, support, and include neurodivergent individuals in the workplace. Grounded in Good Friend, Inc.s longstanding mission of fostering empathy, acceptance, and meaningful inclusion for people on the autism spectrum and with other neurodivergent identities, Neurodiversity at Work brings a modern, multimedia approach to organizational learning by combining documentary-style storytelling with practical, action-oriented training modules. The program centers around Good Friend, Inc.s documentary, which features the lived experiences of neurodivergent adults and amplifies authentic voices to challenge stereotypes and increase awareness. The film is paired with a series of interactive e-learning modules, each of which translates real-world scenarios into actionable guidance for supervisors, managers, teams, and human resources professionals. These modules explore key concepts such as sensory considerations, communication differences, executive functioning, psychological safety, accommodations, strengths-based management, and the creation of supportive workplace structures. Through this blended learning model, participants not only gain knowledge but also develop the empathy and practical tools needed to apply inclusive practices in their daily work. During the tax year, Good Friend, Inc. completed a major program milestone by conducting a successful pilot implementation of Neurodiversity at Work with more than 30 employers and employee stakeholder groups across multiple sectors, including corporate offices, manufacturing, health and human services, higher education, public institutions, and nonprofit organizations. This pilot represented a strategic effort to test the programs relevance, accessibility, and effectiveness within a diverse range of professional environments. Employers of varying sizesfrom small businesses to large multi-site corporationsparticipated in the full film-and-module experience and provided detailed feedback through surveys, facilitated discussions, and post-session evaluations. The pilot confirmed a strong demand for structured neurodiversity education in the workplace. Participating employers reported that the program helped them identify previously overlooked barriers that neurodivergent employees may encounter, improved communication practices among teams, and increased organizational readiness to discuss accommodations, support strategies, and inclusive culture-building. Many employee participants expressed that they felt more confident engaging in conversations about neurodiversity, self-advocacy, and peer support after completing the program. For neurodivergent participants specifically, the pilot offered an affirming platform that validated lived experiences and improved feelings of belonging and psychological safety within their workplaces. The qualitative and quantitative results from the pilot supported several significant program enhancements. Based on stakeholder input, Good Friend, Inc. refined module content, updated accessibility features, added clearer examples of inclusive supervisory practices, and tailored scenarios to better address the needs of both frontline employees and leadership teams. Furthermore, the organization expanded supplemental resourcesincluding reflection guides, discussion prompts, and implementation planning worksheetsto ensure employers could continue the learning experience beyond the training session. Through this pilot, Good Friend, Inc. not only advanced its mission of promoting empathy and understanding but also strengthened its capacity to serve employers seeking to attract, support, and retain neurodivergent talent. Many participating organizations requested ongoing access to the program, expressed interest in additional modules, or invited Good Friend, Inc. to provide follow-up sessions for managerial teams and employee resource groups. Thes

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 33.8%; rating input score 34
• Program expense ratio: 24.4%; rating input score 24
• Fundraising efficiency: $1.42 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 7; 7th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Limited
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 5 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 56
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • 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: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -38.3%; rating input score 7; 7th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.13; rating input score 8; 8th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 1.71; rating input score 3; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 32.2%; rating input score 10; 10th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 12.1% per year; rating input score 100; 74th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: -0.1% per year; rating input score 0; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: -7.1% per year; rating input score 0; 8th percentile among comparable filings