Guilford a Better Chance Inc Guilford a Better Chance Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
237417687
IRS 990 coverage
2012–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
Location
Guilford, CT, USA
Phone
2034533994
Rating
81
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Thrift Shops

Reported finances

Revenue
$722,291
Expenses
$640,559
Assets
$1,587,040
Liabilities
$7,994

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

Leadership & pay

21 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • LAURA BERKOWITZ GILBERT (PRESIDENT)
  • NANCY PATTON (PRESIDENT)

People named in this filing

  • LAURA BERKOWITZ GILBERT (PRESIDENT)
  • NANCY PATTON (PRESIDENT)
  • CHRISTINE DOKKO (SECRETARY)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

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

Overview

Mission

Guilford abc is a life changing program that offesr academically gifted girls of color the opportunity to attend giilford high school, live in a caring community surrounded by a strong professional support team, and realize thier individual potential, these young women opportunity to attend guilford high school, live in a caring community surrounded by a strong professional support team, and realize their individual potential. These young women, chosen from many applicants to the national abc program, come from under-represented communities where they lack access to quality educational experiences. Our program's primary mission is to provide these scholars with a better chance to excel in high school, attend a quality college or university, and lead a fulfilling personal and professional life.

What it reported doing in 2024

To provide a home with a supportive, family like atmosphere for our scholars to share while attending guilford high school, including housing, food, supervision, activities and academic counseling.

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 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.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 81
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 64
  • Sustainability: 69
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 82.6%; rating input score 83
  • Program expense ratio: 91.8%; rating input score 92
  • Fundraising efficiency: $9.25 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 35; 35th 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: 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: 1 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 14
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 11.3%; rating input score 64; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 2.48; rating input score 70; 70th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 73; 73rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 8.2% per year; rating input score 100; 56th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 5.9% per year; rating input score 100; 49th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 6.7% per year; rating input score 100; 46th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 82.6% of revenue deployed · 91.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 21 of 21 board members independent · 1 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $588K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 21 people listed
  • Consistency: 24 of 24 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 13 filing years from 2012 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: Resolved incoming and outgoing counterparties from filed money flows.
  • 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: Governance controls: 5 of 6 not reported.
  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 35/100.