Homes for Families Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
043351172
IRS 990 coverage
2011–2020
Forms available
Form 990 2020, Form 990-EZ 2010
Location
Boston, MA, USA
Phone
6172274188
Rating
65
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Housing Support

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$659,809
Expenses
$350,169
Assets
$449,297
Liabilities
$68,193

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2020. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

14 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • NICOLE STEWART (CHIEF EXEC OFFICER (UNTIL 4/21)): $64,535 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2020. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Homes for families is a statewide advocacy organization committed to ending family homelessness through emergency and permanent solutions to individuals and family members in Massachusetts. The organization utilizes a collaborative approach, gathering input from families who have experienced homelessness, service providers, and advocacy and information and referral agencies. The organization educates, organizes, and advocates for improved public policies to address the root causes of family homelessness with holistic and community-based solutions.

What it reported doing in 2020

Advocacy, information and referralpolicy advocacygoals of the policy advocacy initiatives are to educate policy makers about solutions to homelessness and to increase resources, change policies, and maintain past gains to prevent and reduce homelessness and increase economic mobility in the commonwealth. Activities include: meeting with legislators and policy makers, providing testimony, organizing advocacy events, meeting with other advocacy groups and providing information to legislators.community organizingthe organization aims to foster a culture of consumer driven programming, solution-focused policy advocacy and civic engagement within the family shelter community. Community organizing activities help to educate and engage the broader community about the realities of, and solutions to, family homelessness. Activities include: visioning day, forums, events, community meetings, social media, and electronic communication to members, speaking engagements and working with the media.leadership developmentleadership development initiatives function to increase the capacity of families who have experienced homelessness and shelter providers to become involved in the community and in the movement to end homelessness. The leadership development program supports families to be advocates and have their voice, experience and ideas heard by policy makers. Activities include: workshops and trainings, ongoing committees and groups, internships and mentoring.research/evaluation/technical assistanceresearch and evaluation efforts increase the organization's understanding of the complex issues relative to family homelessness to enhance the effectiveness of their advocacy and support the development of best practices and policies. The organization provides technical assistance to member agencies, other organizations and state agencies in implementing best practices and enhancing their work relative to consumer engagement, public policy, and general understanding of family homelessness. Activities include: literature review, surveys, focus groups, interviews, data analysis, trainings, and consultations.information and referralthe organization provides state-wide phone referrals to homeless and at risk families trying to access housing, shelter, benefits and services. Specifically for the city of boston (the city), the organization administers the family side of a vacancy clearinghouse linking homeless families in shelters to apartments that are set-aside by the city for homeless families and individuals. In addition, the organization partners with other agencies to provide direct assistance to prevent homelessness.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 76% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
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 - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of total spending goes to programs.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 37
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 84
  • Sustainability: 63
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 28.6%; rating input score 29
  • Program expense ratio: 54%; rating input score 54
  • Fundraising efficiency: $9.04 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 29; 29th 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: 5 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 62
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • 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: 46.9%; rating input score 90; 90th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.28; rating input score 46; 46th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.15; rating input score 42; 42nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 18.4%; rating input score 18; 18th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -4.6% per year; rating input score 0; 16th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 4.5% per year; rating input score 100; 51st percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 7.1% per year; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 28.6% of revenue deployed · 54% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 13 of 13 board members independent · 5 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $189K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $65K · 14 people listed
  • Consistency: 30 of 30 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 10 filing years from 2011 to 2020
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
  • 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: Mission deployment rate scored 29/100.
  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 54/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 29/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 3 of 8 not reported.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 46/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 18/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 42/100.